Page 86 of Manhattan State of Mind

In his hallway, no less. What if someone saw?

That kiss… I don’t even have words. Obviously, I’ve kissed guys before, but this… this was something else. Something to rival the kiss with my masked superhero.

I take a slow breath outside the lounge where the team is chattering away, glasses clinking.

They’ll know. I’m a mess. I got so wrapped up in what he was saying, gazing at the mountain lights like a doe-eyed fool that my legs were sliding open for him.

Sweetheart.

He called me sweetheart. Does he call everyone he kisses sweetheart?

Regrettably, the only available seat is a cozy spot wedged between Matty and Dwayne.

As I drop onto the couch, avoiding any and all eye contact, I feel Matty’s eyes on me.

“You okay?” he asks.

I manage a fake smile, heart pounding a wild beat. Can he smell Wolfe on me? “Yep! Great. Just needed to freshen up.”

“You’re doing that bizarre twisty thing with your hair that makes it look like you’re crafting a dick.”

Immediately, my hand falls from my bangs. “I’m fine,” I fire back defensively. “What are you guys talking about?”

I feel like I’m wearing a neon sign that blares JUST BEEN HORNY WITH THE BOSS.

My nipples could cut glass. They’ll probably stay erect forever now, a permanent reminder of my foolish dalliance.

Miraculously, everyone seems to be engrossed in their own world, each lost in their drinks, their conversations, their phones, whatever. There’d be nothing left of me but a Lucy-shaped hole in the wall if anyone witnessed me with the boss.

“Okay,” Brody, one of the coders, begins, pulling me out of my stupor. “We got some good ideas rolling today. I think as a reward it’s time to hit a bar. You know there’s a town just a few miles from here?”

Matty, cheeks dimpling, grins. “Hell, yeah. I need it after the day I’ve had.”

Brody smirks. “We all need it after witnessing that catastrophe.”

I barely listen to them chatter on.

Across from me, Taylor straightens up, suddenly all businesslike. “We’ve only gotten through day one. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? Work first, party later. We’re not setting foot outside this place until we’ve hit our targets.”

She earns herself filthy looks.

Despite my usual annoyance with her, I find myself nodding in agreement. Maybe it’s just my state of stupor but she can’t exactly be having a blast playing the team’s nanny. Andy sure as hell didn’t cut it.

“Taylor’s got a point,” I find myself saying, to a chorus of groans.

Taylor gives me a surprised, grateful half-smile. I nod back.

“Okay, fine,” Matty grumbles, rolling his eyes dramatically. “No hitting the bars tonight. But we’ve got to take advantage of this place. Pool party, anyone?”

Pool party means adorning a bathing suit again. No, my nipples can’t be out around JP, they won’t behave. It’ll be a nipple apocalypse. I’ll barricade myself in my room instead, flick through some smut, and ride out this damn hormone surge.

Dwayne clears his throat and leans in, breath hitting my face.

I jerk back. “What?”

“Are you running a fever?” he asks, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Just a bout of raging libido, that’s all.