Flat-Out Sexy Read Free

damage. The red wine had turned his pale gray shirt rust from collar to waistband. It wasn’t just a few droplets, it was the whole glass, and it was everywhere.
    She looked up and immediately felt her cheeks start to burn. One, because she had never seen this man in her life, and therefore couldn’t joke it off with a long-standing acquaintance. And two, because he was damn cute, with caramel-colored hair that was getting a little long on his forehead, shoulders that were broad and begging to be tested for firmness with a squeeze, and compelling, deep, brown eyes that had widened in shock from the impact.
    “It’s not a problem,” he said, a Southern drawl to his voice.
    Well, that was obviously a total lie, given that he looked like he’d taken a bullet to the chest and bled out, but she appreciated the effort to make her feel better. “I am really sorry. I’ve totally ruined your shirt. Let me replace it, pay for dry cleaning, do something,” she babbled, reaching out with the napkin in her hand and brushing at the stain. Which was a complete and total mistake since he had a rock-solid chest under that wine-splattered shirt and she was suddenly very aware of the fact. She paused with her hand on him and felt her blush deepen.
    Great, now she was groping the poor man. Tamara dropped her hand and winced.
    “That’s really not necessary,” he said. “And honestly, you did me a favor.” He nodded toward the room at large. “Perfect excuse to ditch this thing early, since I only know about four people and they’re sick of me dogging their footsteps.” His mouth turned up in a small smile. “If I’d been thinking, I would’ve spilled wine on myself an hour ago. Course, I have to be drinking wine.” He lifted his Bud bottle and shrugged. “I’m no more a wine guy than a tie guy.”
    Tamara relaxed a little. He was already tugging at his neck to loosen the tie, and he did look like he’d be more comfortable in the garage than at a corporate party. Maybe she hadn’t exactly ruined the man’s night, given that he kept glancing back at the room at large like it was going to pursue him, and he’d clearly been inching his way toward the door. She smiled back, and surprised herself by flicking her hair off her shoulder in a coy gesture she couldn’t remember the last time she had used. “Are you telling me that you’re not enjoying standing around making small talk with strangers and eating appetizers the size of your fingernail, when even after swallowing three of them, you still can’t figure out what they are?” She could certainly sympathize with that. It had been a few years since she’d attended this kind of event, and she didn’t miss it one bit.
    He whipped his tie completely off his neck with a brutal tug and stuffed it into his pocket, looking relieved to be free of it. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. So I owe you a big thank-you … what’s your name?”
    “Tamara,” she said, surprised to hear that her voice sounded a little breathy. God, she was flirting, wasn’t she? He was too young for her. He was probably a pit crew member. And she was technically still with Geoffrey, yet she was flirting with this man, because he flipped her switch. Plain and simple. That chemistry that had been so elusive with Geoffrey had been there with this guy from the very second she had turned and laid eyes on him, and there was nothing wrong with a little flirtation, was there?
    “Tamara … that’s a beautiful name.” He leaned a little closer to her and those deep, brown eyes swept over her. “Perfect for a beautiful woman.”
    Uh-oh. He felt it, too. Tamara swallowed. “Thank you. And you are … ?”
    “Elec.”
    Damn it, even his name was sexy. She struggled against the urge to run her hand down his chest again. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Elec, despite the circumstances. And I really am sorry. I should have been paying closer attention.”
    “No harm done. And a wet shirt was