The Highest Bidder by Sommer Marsden Page B

and her stomach tumbled with heat, something lower did too. Casey suffered a brief but vivid flash of that dark head between her thighs. That generous mouth licking and kissing and sucking … she sighed out loud. When she heard it, her eyes went wide.
    Nick smiled at her. Blue eyes never leaving her blushing face. ‘You OK?’
    Just trying not to imagine your startling blue eyes looking up at me as you go down on me …
    ‘Fine. Totally. And here is fine, too. I’m sure I’m heavy. Your back is probably breaking. And …’
    Why was she babbling? She clamped her lips together to keep from speaking any more nonsense. Nick sat her down gently and pulled a folding chair to the foot of the chaise.
    ‘You’re not heavy at all. I like your hair.’ Now he blushed.
    Casey touched her hair as if she’d never encountered it before. Never mind the dirty blond mass was constantly the bane of her existence. Today she’d twisted it up into an intricate messy knot and speared it with a hair pick Brendan had given her once upon a time. When she felt the smooth, carved teak under her fingertips she had a sudden and horrible stab of guilt.
    Annie walked in, caught the look of irrational guilt and yelled, ‘Stop!’
    Nick started and said, ‘What? What do you mean stop, Annie?’
    ‘I meant, um …’ Her friend gave her the evil eye when Nick turned back to Casey. ‘To stop worrying. I have the ice!’
    She practically threw it at Nick, who plucked it from the air as if performing a magic trick. He took Casey’s foot and gently worked the straps on her heel. ‘Sorry, we should get it out of this heel in case it swells. Am I hurting you?’
    Casey heard Annie chuckle. She was watching intently and Casey could feel – as horrifying as it was – the look of arousal on her own face. The feel of his hands on her skin – soothing and ever so gentle – had her tongue feeling two sizes too big. And her panties felt about two sizes too small.
    ‘Yeah, she looks in agony,’ Annie said. ‘I’ll go check in the arrivals.’
    ‘Oh, no, wait!’ Casey said, feeling anxiety in her gut like a lance.
    ‘You’ll be fiiii-iiiine,’ Annie trilled over her shoulder and tossed her a finger wave.
    Bitch. Deserter. Traitor!
    ‘How does this feel?’ Nick now had her foot between his legs. He was rubbing the spot that had been painful and she barely felt a twinge.
    ‘Ummmm,’ she said and then realised how close to a moan that was.
    He glanced up and smiled and her stomach dropped like she was free falling.
    ‘Can you flex it?’
    Casey pointed her toe and this time they both froze. When their eyes met she couldn’t read him, but she was sure that she looked mortified.
    She had just nudged her toes against his crotch. And if she wasn’t hallucinating – which she might be – he was getting hard. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
    But she didn’t move her foot.
    Move your foot! Move. Your. Foot. Oh my God, woman, move your foot.
    So she moved her foot … by pointing it further and rubbing the very distinct erection that now resided here.
    ‘I’m not,’ he blurted. When he looked away, looking as embarrassed as she was, but also, yes, turned on, she felt a tiny rush of confidence.
    ‘I didn’t mean to … but when I … when I …’
    ‘When you?’
    This time his stare was direct. He’d gathered his wits and that meant hers fled.
    ‘I just … was surprised and well, flattered and oh my God, I’m sorry.’ She tried to stand but he took one big hand and gently forced her back.
    ‘Look, toe foreplay or not, there is some swelling so just sit here for a bit with the ice on. It’s OK. I’m sorry I … reacted.’
    ‘Don’t be,’ she said. ‘But hey, you …’ Time to change the subject. ‘You look worried. Did my friend blackmail you into being here or what?’
    His fingers encircled her ankle and she watched him, somewhat mesmerized, as his fingers crept a little higher up her leg. His gaze was pinned to the place