Wanna Play (Ghost Unit, Book Three) by Gail Faulkner Page B

much “zippy” sexual tension between them, but there was also calm. Oh hell, calm wasn’t the word but she didn’t want to use the one that fit there. Trust was a huge step for her. A word she wasn’t willing to toss around at this point.
     
    He came out of the little bath and toilet room. Directly beside it was the sink and mirror where shaving things were laid out. Again the tiny motel towel was knotted at one hip. On that side he was bare to the knot and above it, the towel straining to make it. Those muscled legs and firm ass were just too fine not to study as he went about the morning rituals. Not to mention the flex of his back as he reached for the razor. He started shaving.
     
    Jas watched lazily, realizing she’d never seen a man do the whole morning habit. She’d seen parts of it as a guy got it together to leave. Or as she gathered her belongings to get out of his place. In fact, she’d never actually slept the entire night with a man in the room before. There was a stunning realization that should have occurred before.
     
    The shock of that thought made her shut her eyes to concentrate on it. Why the hell was she able to sleep with him in the room? He’d been here what? Two days?
     
    “If you’re pretending to be asleep, frowning gives you away,” Blaster drawled as he rinsed the razor and continued with the job at hand.
     
    Jas’ eyes opened to meet his in the mirror. “I make it a rule not to pretend anything with a man,” she snapped at him before she’d really thought about the response. It was the first thing that popped into her head and she regretted it. Him mostly naked and her lying in bed was not the time to start flirty, sexual banter. “Shit! I shouldn’t have said that. That was not an invitation or suggestion or any other damn thing. It’s too early to watch what I say.”
     
    Blaster continued shaving calmly for a few seconds. “Jas, relax. I already told you we’d wait ’til you fall in love with me. I’m not going to jump you.”
     
    “From a guy I’ve known all of two days, that’s reassuring.”
     
    “You know you can trust me, woman. You already do, so get over it and get outta bed.”
     
    Jas rolled over and sat with her back to him. This time she had on a sports bra and baggy gym shorts. Getting up with him in the room didn’t concern her. Scruffy bed-head, ratty shorts and the utilitarian sports bra did not equal seductive.
     
    She stared at the beige motel room wall for a few minutes. He was right. She had extended trust. But it’d been so natural. It was a weed growing around the sharp comments and laughing. It was woven into the ability to communicate without words that had sprung up between them. It fed the sexual tension in their pretend relationship that wasn’t so pretend when he was touching her. He’d extended respect and even admiration for her abilities, both acting and defensive, and she’d sucked it down like a starving idiot.
     
    She wanted him to respect her. That was the thing that did it. The fact that he was sexy and charming as original sin wouldn’t have made an impression if he hadn’t added the one gift she couldn’t resist. Respect. He’d read her. From their first encounter he’d been learning her and using the information so effectively.
     
    Was it possible he didn’t know respect was a tool? A reward that could be held just out of reach? Nope, not a chance. Huckleberry was way too bright not to realize that. Was it possible he was sincere? Unknown. She wanted it to be real but it was wise to doubt it.
     
    Jas let the lovely bubble burst. Their relationship was superficial at best. They were strangers. They might enjoy each other but that was it. His agenda was still an unknown. He and Barry appeared close and natural with each other. It looked as if they were exactly what they said they were and it’d be nice if Barry was the only reason Blaster was here. However hanging on to fairy tales and rosy endings was not