Page 10

Chapter Ten

STEVIE

C oward.

That word is on repeat in my head as I walk inside the building that houses the spa.

The minute things started to get too comfortable with Bode last night, I fled.

We were having fun, talking about things that didn’t matter. But the second it turned personal? I tucked my tail between my legs and ran. Because I didn’t want to delve into anything too personal about me.

Bode is too much. Too sexy, too much man, too much everything for me to spill my secrets to. One shred of who I am and he would go running in the opposite direction.

That’s the last thing I want.

Right now, staying with him is keeping me together. It’s giving me a semblance of a life. Like I’m a real adult. I don’t want to do anything to rock the boat.

“Hey, girl.”

I jump a foot in the air as Cressy enters the locker room. “Jesus. You scared the crap out of me.”

She looks at me like I’ve lost my head. “I said your name like three times.”

“Ugh. Sorry.” I bang my head on the hardwood of the locker. Lavender and bergamot perfume the small room. The soft sounds of the meditation music fill the air. “Lost in my thoughts.”

“About a certain player?”

“What? No.”

She eyes me with a wide gaze. “If you weren’t so jumpy, I might believe you.”

“You try living with someone so gorgeous.”

Cressy sets her bag down and pulls her short, brown hair into a ponytail. “Oh honey, I have my own sexy beast at home.”

“Yeah, but you’re in love with him. Mine is just tormenting me.”

“Aha!” She points a perfectly manicured finger in my face. “So you admit he’s sexy.”

I roll my eyes. “Of course he is. Have you seen him?”

“Well, that’s step one in admitting you have a crush.”

“Who says I have a crush?” I question.

“Please.” Cressy waves me off. “It’s easy to see.”

“I told him when I first moved in that he has nice skin. I mean, who does that?” I slap my palm against my forehead.

Cressy shrugs as we slide into our smock tops with the spa logo on them. “I mean, you work on faces every day. It’s a natural thing to notice.”

“And to blurt it out to him? Hmm?”

She laughs, bumping her hip into mine. “Well, I guess not completely normal.”

Tying my hair back, I slide into my work shoes and take off toward the lobby. “I have other things to worry about besides the man I’m living with.”

Like not getting so wrapped up in another person that I lose myself. I hate that I keep letting this happen. Why do I get so taken by a pretty face and forget who I am?

No. That is not going to happen again.

No matter how much I might be attracted to Bode.

My lady parts need to stop reacting and keep their feelings to themselves.

“Mrs. Jones. How are you?” One of my longtime clients is waiting for me in the quiet waiting area. “How was your visit with the grandkids?”

She gives me a big toothy smile as she follows me to my private suite.

“Can you believe that Ben is five now? It seems like just yesterday he was a tiny baby. I got my workouts in chasing after him every day. It’s exhausting.”

I laugh as I close the door behind her. “It’ll be nice that you can have some time just for you.”

“I need it. I’m getting some new dry spots I need you to work your magic on.”

“You know the drill. I’ll step out while you get settled on the table with the sheet over you and I’ll be back to work my magic.” I wink at her and move into the hall.

Several people are moving through the halls, clad in robes as they go into the various rooms for their appointments.

The soft music hums overhead in the dimly lit space. The ambience, right down to the soothing smells, makes for a relaxing day. It’s even relaxing for us, the employees. I don’t know who could have any troubles working here.

“You ready?” I knock on the door, waiting for a response.

“Yes, dear.”

I step inside my room, which is filled with everything I could possibly need for the various kinds of facials. Lotions. Oils. Extraction tools.

“Alright. Let’s get your skin glowing again.”

Dimming the lights, I get to work.

* * *

By the time I’m stepping inside the house after seven, I’m exhausted. I love what I do, but it doesn’t mean working on people all day is easy. You have to be careful about all sorts of reactions to products and different skin types, so you need to be on your game.

Kicking off my shoes, I follow the sound of voices into the kitchen.

Papers are spread out all over the island. Nan and Eve are sitting at the bar with glasses of wine. Caleb is sitting in Eve’s lap as Bode is hunched over something with a red marker. Pizza boxes sit under the cabinets along the wall.

“Stevie, dear. How was work?” Nan spots me and greets me with a smile.

“Good. Sorry, didn’t mean to disturb.”

Bode’s eyes travel up my body, making me feel things as his gaze locks on to mine.

Stop it, Stevie . Stop feeling things for the sexy man you’re living with.

“Grab some pizza. We’re just going over my travel schedule for the season and planning who will be watching little man.”

Caleb coos as Bode tickles his stomach.

“You sure?” I set my bag on the counter.

“There’s plenty.”

“Thanks.” My stomach gives a rumble as I find a plate and grab a few slices. Biting the tip off, I give a happy sigh.

Veggie pizza. My favorite.

“Okay. We have bridge on the fifteenth that month. We can’t miss it.”

I hold back my laugh. Of course their schedule revolves around bridge.

“Shit. Okay. Well, that will be the last away game on that road trip, so maybe I can see if Harper can watch Caleb that night. I mean, what’s one more kid when you already have three?” Bode laughs.

I set my plate on the granite surface and eye the calendars laid out. “I’m actually free that day if you want me to stay with Caleb.”

Bode shakes his head. “You do not have to help.”

“Hey. I don’t mind helping out. It’s the least I can do.”

“Are you sure? He can be moody when he wants to be.”

I grin at the baby who looks anything but moody. A smile is etched on his face. He’s looking at his dad like he’s his favorite person in the world.

“Yes, he really does look like a handful, Bode,” I tell him, a note of sarcasm in my voice.

“Wait until he starts screaming at three in the morning for his bottle.”

“Has he ever done that? Because I never hear a peep from him.”

Bode smiles at me. “Guess that means I have good insulation. He wakes me up every night.”

I shrug a shoulder. “Not the end of the world a few nights a week.”

“Not even a few nights. A couple of days tops.”

“I can do it.”

“Stevie. Isn’t that so sweet of you?” Eve says. “Tell her how nice that is, Bode.”

Bode rolls his eyes at his grandma, and I can’t help but laugh. “How nice of you.”

“I ought to smack you upside the head,” Eve tells him, shaking her head.

“Gran. You say it like I wasn’t going to thank her anyway. I wasn’t raised in a barn.”

“Some days I don’t know.”

“You know you raised me, right? That’s a dig on you.”

She waves him off. “Are you sure you want to help, Stevie? You have to deal with this guy.”

I look to Bode again, but it’s brief. The last thing I need is for these two old women to catch any hint that I might be attracted to Bode.

With the kind smile and warm eyes. The sexy hair that always seems to fall over his forehead. The scruff that lines his jaw that I want to feel in other places.

I clear my throat. “I can handle it.”

At least, I hope I can handle it. Because being surrounded by Bode is something even a saint would have trouble dealing with.