I shook my head. “No. Never forgotten. If anything, I was thinking of you too much—would Tamra like this scene? Will she laugh here?”
“So, you’re saying that in addition to my nursing career, I can tell my family I’m also a full-time muse?”
I couldn’t hold back my grimace. “Maybe not your sisters.”
Tamra’s brows rose in question, and I shivered theatrically. “I think we’ve given Jennifer more than enough gossip material for one lifetime.”
Tamra laughed, and we settled into an easy rhythm, talking like we hadn’t had a gap in our time together. Like I hadn’t almost ruined everything. Again. After dinner, we settled on the couch.
Every brush of our hands built like static in my bloodstream. I was afraid touching her again would zap me, but at the same time I wanted to feel the burn. Tamra peered through her lashes. “You know what would help make this apology stick?”
“No, but I’m all ears.”
“Can you be all tongues?”
She surprised a laugh out of me. My head nodded like a bobblehead toy and she smiled in response.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re direct?”
Tamra smiled. “It’s the new me—going after what I want. Taking risks. Not giving up.”
My heart beat heavy in my chest.
“And what do you want most right now?”
Say me. Say me.
“To make your words reality.”
Close, but not quite. I swallowed, trying to push down the lump in my throat. “Which ones?” I asked.
She leaned in and ran a finger down the open throat of my collared shirt, tracing the pulse beating a tattoo in my throat. Tamra advanced to straddle my lap, and I groaned as her warm weight settled over my groin. Sweet torture. Her dark eyes met mine.
“I’m partial to the steamy ones.”
I swallowed. Words. She was talking about words. Now if only I could find some.
“I take it you’re a fan of the pool table scene in my book?”
She wrapped her hands around my neck and leaned back, pushing her hips into mine. It was her turn to become a bobblehead. “Oh, yeah. It’s just a shame you don’t have one.”
My grin spread slowly across my face. “Have I ever mentioned my game room?” She shook her head, and I bit back a groan as her body rocked on mine with the motion. “I converted my spare room into a gaming space. I have a pool table, gaming consoles, and a TV.”
She released her hands from behind my neck and pushed to her feet with a saucy grin.
“Do you want to grab supplies and show me this fabled game room of yours?”
Assuming supplies was code for condoms and lube, I responded with alacrity. “Yes.” I stood and grabbed her hand, tugging her gently behind me as I stepped into my room for provisions from my bedside table. I nodded toward the bed, gesturing with our clasped hands.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather spend time together in here? It’s definitely more comfortable.”
“Later. You owe me a happy ending first.”
She tugged on my hand, pulling me toward the door, and I didn’t argue. I was dumb, but I wasn’t that dumb. In wooing, what the lady wanted, the lady would get.
Chapter 30 - Tamra
“Wow. That’s a large ... pool table.” My dry observation surprised a laugh out of Chase. He’d been eager when he tugged me to his room and then his game room, but as we entered, his steps slowed, and he seemed unsure what to do next.
“I think it’s more important to note that it’s a sturdy ... pool table. So it can handle all the balls knocking around.”
I squinted, unsure where our metaphor had gotten off track. I didn’t remember that from the pool bet scene. My heart pounded to think he’d bring the moment to life just for me.
Chase used our entwined hands to tug me closer to the undeniably solid pool table. He wrapped his hands around my waist and boosted me to sit on the edge. Leaning back, I braced myself on the green felt that tickled my palms, letting my thighs fall open. The pose pushed out my breasts, and Chase zeroing in on my cleavage and the soft skin on display as he pushed closer. My pulse raced as the heat of his hips brushed against mine.
My eyes traced his broad shoulders in his short-sleeved buttoned polo shirt. He should have looked like he was waiting for a tee time, not a good time. But. Those shoulders—broad, perfect for leaning on. The light tan on his arms and the corded muscles of his forearms spoke to the time he spent riding and lifting with Jimmy. He was freshly shaven, and I tingled at the sight of the broad grin that spread across his full lips.
He was mesmerized. By me. I shivered. The full weight of his attention made me feel powerful. Every cell expanded at his obvious adoration. Chase’s eyes traveled back to mine, and his blue eyes sparked, making my throat seize at the emotion there.
It was too much. Too fast. After having been starved of his attention for so long, I needed more time to transition to the sun. Build up a base layer of exposure. Get used to the idea that he wanted me too before he burned me up. I swallowed.
“I thought you wanted to play out the whole scene, play strip pool and all?” I asked.
Chase watched me silently for a moment before inching back.
“Whatever the lady wants,” he murmured, helping me down from the table and heading to the rack on the wall to select two pool cues. I shivered at the echoed pledge from his book.
“In the interest of authenticity, aren’t we supposed to be betting on something?” I asked, my heart racing.
He went to the TV and streamed some music with a slow beat and soulful vocals. “Hmm ... let’s see, in the book I think the loser had to do the dinner dishes, but I already plan to
