Escorting the Groom (The Escort Collection Book 4) by Leigh James Page A

which was raised with goose bumps. "Just one question about that." She still watched me but sounded alert and focused.
    I let myself wrap a hand around her arm, stroking her. My cock was getting treacherously hard. "What's that?"
    "Why would sleeping together complicate things?" She sounded genuinely curious. "You and I are both adults. We've agreed to a business arrangement. If we have sex, it would be just that—an extension of the agreement. We both know it has an expiration date." She stepped closer and looked up at me expectantly. "But I understand if you don't want to."
    "You're pushing me." Heat and longing filled me. My erection tented my pants, trying desperately to reach out and touch her. "Christ." I let go of her arm and took a step back. "I am a breathing, human male. Of course I want to. I just don't think it's a good idea."
    "Okay," Blake said simply. She stepped back, dismissed.
    "Do you need an ego boost or something?" I asked, annoyed. I wasn't sure what she was playing at, making me ache like this.
    She let out a surprised bark of laughter. "No. It's just that I want you to be happy with the arrangement. And I wanted to make it easy for you in case you changed your mind. I didn't want you to be… embarrassed… if you had to make the first move after all your proclamations and decrees against it."
    I laughed in spite of myself. "Proclamations and decrees, huh?"
    "You have been going on about it," Blake said under her breath. "I thought it was like a 'protest too much' kinda thing."
    I stopped laughing. My cock was still throbbing, irritated as hell that it wasn't going to get what it wanted. "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. And I don't get embarrassed, babe."
    "Of course not." It was like a veil was lowered over her face; she seemed to shut down her openness and any honest emotion on cue. "Well, good night. So I'll be seeing you tomorrow?"
    "Yes." Disappointment flashed through me as she headed to her room alone, just like I'd instructed. "We have things to do. A wedding to plan. Venues to book. Dresses to buy."
    "Dresses? As in my wedding dress?" Blake whirled back toward me, her hair swinging, emitting that scent that made me stiffen even further. Fuck. I was going to have to go back to my room and jerk off again .
    Her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and I noticed, much to my chagrin, that this pleased me a great deal.
    "Yes, Blake. Your wedding dress. I made an appointment with a bridal salon tomorrow. Also, we're having our announcement pictures taken in the Common." I'd had nothing to do with any of this, of course. I'd gotten a lengthy text from Shirley, who'd made all the arrangements and taken care of all the details. She'd only offered to help, but in her typical fashion, she'd gone above and beyond, hiring Boston's best photographer and making an appointment at an exclusive bridal studio on Newbury Street for first thing in the morning.
    Blake grinned at me. "Well, I'm looking forward to it. Shopping with you, I mean."
    "We'll be having wine at lunch," I assured her. "Shopping drives me to drink."
    "Me too." She walked tentatively toward me then leaned up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
    "What's that for?" I put my hand over the spot where she'd kissed me, as if I could preserve it. Jesus, Lucas. Get a fucking grip.
    "For being sweet. And for letting me have a graceful exit after I tried to get you to sleep with me— again ." Her smile didn't falter.
    "My pleasure." I nodded toward her door. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
    "Yes, sir." She winked at me, and before I could object to her word choice, she disappeared into her room.
    With the scent of her hair still all around me, I went as swiftly as I could down the hall to the privacy of my own room so that I could relieve myself.
    Again.

Chapter Nine

Blake
    I couldn't sleep . Instead, I tossed and turned, finally giving up and staring at the ceiling. Why am I trying so hard to get Lucas into