Free California's Calling (Hunt Family Book 3) by Brooke St. James Page B

because I knew they would look great on him, but I did my best to act less affected than I was. I changed the subject, hoping to shake my ever-growing nerves. I brought up the rescue center and we spoke about a few of the things that happened while we were working earlier that day.
    We had been in there for a few minutes when we heard Cub open the bathroom door. Anticipating his appearance, both Mia and I looked toward the door. He had on plaid, cotton pajama pants, but his shirt was completely missing—at least it wasn't in its rightful place on his chest. It was in his hand. He held his arms out as if asking what we had first, but we just stood there and gawked at him. Seconds felt like hours in the time that my eyes were glued to his impeccable torso. He was long and lean with a broad chest that made him look like he had a wingspan—like he could just take off running and fly with the birds if he wanted. The rows of muscles on his stomach and ribs were intricately weaved together. If I had an anatomy book in front of me I could locate and name all of those individual muscles.
    "Why in the world would you come in here like that?" I asked, shielding my eyes, and peeking through an area that made it impossible to see anything but his face.
    "I thought I'd be putting a shirt on right when I got in here," he said. "Plus, I didn't know you ladies would still be in here."
    Mia made a "Pffft," noise and pushed at me like I was crazy. "She's acting like we never see guys with their shirts off," she said. "We basically grew up at the beach, and our brothers live without a shirt on half the time."
    "They do not," I said. (And knowing that I sounded either smitten or like a prude,) I crossed my arms and shook my head, adding, "It's simply indecent!" in a joking way.
    Cub had been about to rush to put his shirt on, but he knew by that point that I was making fun of myself, so he relaxed and tossed it onto the bed.
    "If you're only gonna try one, make it this one," Mia said, pointing at the outfit near the foot of the bed.
    We went into the living room to wait for him. Evan was sitting on the couch, playing a game on his tablet, and not paying attention to us at all. Mia was mentioning something about regretting not being able to use one of the other shirts and how she hoped Cub tried all three of the outfits she picked.
    I was too jittery to take in most of what she was saying. Petting Tess helped a little, but I was more nervous than I had been in a long time, and I was terrified that it showed. I knew the instant Cub showed himself. I knew it, not because I was looking his direction and saw him, but because Mia began poking my leg violently with her toe.
    I looked up to find that Cub was wearing tailored khakis with a dark plaid shirt. I stared at him, hoping that no one would call on me to talk. He was barefoot, and he walked across the floor dancing and being a total fool, so much that Evan stopped playing his game to enjoy the entertainment. Cub felt so out of place in his clothes that he took on a whole other persona as if he thought that's what someone who wore those clothes should act like. He was hilarious, but he actually had good moves to back up what he was doing. He was trying to be funny, and he had no idea how appealing it was.
    I wanted him.
    Maybe that was too strong a word, but I definitely felt something for him. I realized as I watched him that I was attracted to him the way a woman wants a man. I swallowed hard at the thought.
    "That one's awesome," I said, trying to sound upbeat and completely unflustered. I got to my feet and casually strolled past him toward the restroom. "I'm gonna go use the restroom," I informed them in a nonchalant tone.
    "I thought I would try on the other two," he said, watching me as I walked.
    "That's fine," I said. "Go ahead and put on whatever. I'll just be a second in here."

 
    Chapter 10
     
     
    Cub was just coming out of his bedroom when I left the bathroom. We hadn't expected