Chapter 16
Mantis and Alegria
The shower Mantis took was ice cold, not that it did anything to tame the erection he’d had since Alegria had climbed up on the massage table. It had gotten worse when he knew she was as affected by his hands on her as he was.
He held his gym bag in front of him as they walked to the car, but once they got inside, he didn’t know what to do. Even in jeans, she’d be able to see the clear outline of how much he wanted her.
He closed his eyes and thought of the only thing that might tamp him down—Dutch.
The idea of betraying his friend squashed any thought he’d had of Alegria naked. He got in the car, repeating Dutch’s name in his head over and over to the point where he was afraid he might say it out loud.
“Are you okay?”
“Fine. Why?”
“I don’t know. You’re moving weird. Did you hurt yourself too?”
“Nope,” he said, looking out the driver’s side window.
“I could always give you a massage when we get back to the house.”
When Mantis groaned, Alegria giggled. She was teasing him.
“I’ll get you back for that, Flygirl.”
She just laughed.
“Where have you two been all afternoon?” his mother asked when they walked in the front door.
“Tilley Ponds and then down to East Shippan.”
“Brr.”
“We didn’t get out of the car,” Alegria told her.
“There they are,” said his dad, coming up from the basement. “Ready for dinner?”
“We thought we’d go to Sonny’s,” said his mother.
“I love Sonny’s,” Alegria said, practically swooning.
“Let’s go, then.”
“Hang on, Kip. Maybe they need to shower and change or something.”
“We’re good,” said Mantis, doing his best not to picture Alegria with the warm water of a shower trickling down her naked body.
“Yeah, we’re good,” she said too, looking straight at him.
Was he imagining the heat in her eyes because he wanted to see it there so badly, or was she having the same thoughts he was?
“Have you heard from Dutch?” Mantis asked Alegria on their way to the restaurant.
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“I haven’t,” he told her and then looked away. Was it because he was traveling and couldn’t get in touch, or was it because he was intentionally staying quiet?
“I left a message and sent a text,” he heard her murmur.