Page 50 of Bad For Me (Rock Canyon, Idaho 5)

Everett squatted down in front of the DVD shelf, the fabric of his jeans pulling tight across his ass and thighs. What was it they said about asses so tight you could bounce quarters off them?

“Okay, I apologize for my movie collection, but I think the last new movie I bought was Dumb and Dumber.”

“Are you kidding?” Callie leaned over to take off her boots. Might as well get comfortable.

“No, I mostly watch Netflix, if anything.”

She set her boots by the door and came back to take a seat on the couch. “Well, we can browse on that,” she said, though she was really en

joying the view of him bent over.

Everett stood up, and Callie decided he looked good in every position.

“So, what will it be?”

Chapter Twelve

“I CAN’T BELIEVE you chose this movie.” Everett stretched his arm across the back of the couch. He was still fighting a raging hard-on, and the sweet scent of Callie was wreaking havoc on his control, but he needed to slow down with her. She was like a wild animal who’d been raised in captivity; she’d be relaxed and responsive one minute but jumpy if you moved too suddenly.

The fact that her dog hadn’t growled at him once or even tried to get between them was progress. Instead, Ratchet was lying across half his shoe at that very moment, letting out rough snores.

“You suggested a Halloween-themed movie.” Callie leaned forward to set the remote on the table. When she did, her shirt rode up in the back, and he could have sworn he saw some ink on her hip. “And since I’m not a fan of horror movies, it was either this or Hocus Pocus.”

“Bette Midler? No thanks. Still, I didn’t think you would pick A Nightmare Before Christmas.” As she sat back against the couch and under his arm, he noticed the way her breasts strained against her button-down shirt, and suddenly, he wanted to touch her so bad he hurt. He wanted to unbutton that shirt and spread it open before using his hands and mouth on every inch of her skin. Damn, just the thought of getting to explore everything Callie Jacobsen had hiding under that conservative top was making him crazy.

“It’s one of my favorites.”

Her simple statement brought him out of his lecherous mind, and he smiled as she became totally transfixed by a children’s movie, like it was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.

The opening song came on, and Everett leaned toward her. “Are you humming?”

“No.” But a small, betraying smile spread across her mouth.

Everett groaned and dropped his head in his hands.

“What? You don’t like humming?” Her voice shook with laughter.

“It’s only second to whistling.”

She started whistling a jaunty tune, and he lifted his head, scowling at her. “That’s your first warning.”

Her lips were still pursed in that sweet little “o” when he heard the barest, high-pitched noise escape them.

“You asked for it.” Before she could move, he attacked her ribs with the wiggling digits.

Callie squealed and pushed at his hands, trying to crawl away from his tickling fingers, but he didn’t stop his torture, loving her uncontrollable giggles.

“Stop, please!”

He ceased, and was about to come up with something clever to say, but watching her amber eyes sparkle in the firelight, Everett lost his train of thought. The red flames cast a golden light across her cheeks and showed off the layers of blonde in her hair. She was beautiful and ethereal, and a wave of protectiveness came over him. He wanted to learn all of her doubts and fears and help her forget them. He wanted her to trust him and to know that he would never betray her, never hurt her.

Before he could second-guess himself, Everett ran his finger across her bottom lip, his thumb spreading up along the soft skin of her cheek.

“Callie,” he whispered, leaning into her slowly.

Only her lips met his a lot sooner than he’d intended.

She’d met him halfway, her lips open wide under his. It was all he could do not to pull her hard against him and thrust his tongue inside, but he kept his lust in check, his hand sliding gently into her curls.