House Rules

Chapter 2

"Yeah, go ahead." Since it was a nice day, Becky decided to get a book and go read out on the balcony. Maybe some sun would calm her libido down a bit. She wasn't sure how much good it did, but the heat and fresh air were always a treasure. She'd have to change out of the breezy sundress if Seth was going to stick around, but for the time being, she would soak up as much warmth as she could.

From locker rooms to hot summer days, Becky was well acquainted with the smell of sweat, and it wasn't one that usually turned her on. Apparently watching Seth towel sweat off his shoulders did, though, because when she turned to see him in the balcony doorway, she dropped her book and made a strangled squeak that she had hoped came from her chair, but Seth's small smirk told her otherwise. "That was quick," she remarked, voice annoyingly breathy. Why did he always have to work out without a shirt?

Seth raised an eyebrow. "It was about half an hour. Maybe forty minutes? I wasn't really timing it."

Becky forced her gaze down to the balcony as she scooped up her book and found her place, about seven pages ahead of where she had started. How had it taken her half an hour to read seven pages? "I should probably do some weights today too," she stammered as she straightened up. "I'll do that while you're having a shower."

"Or you could join me."

The smooth bass in his voice almost made Becky drop her book again, and she slid her bookmark back in place at the beginning of the chapter—she probably wouldn't remember anything she had managed to read anyway—and shut it, wrapping her fingers around the spine so she couldn't do anything stupid. "Seth, I don't—" When she turned to look at him, she had to raise her head sharply; otherwise her eyes would have been level with his navel, which wouldn't have been safe at all.

"We're at your house." It was almost the same as what he had said at his place, word for word. "No one else is here. It's just us."

Becky stood abruptly, making her patio chair wobble. There wasn't much room to manoeuvre on the balcony, but at least if she was on her feet, she had more options. Maybe she could edge past him back into the living room. "I know, but—"

"But what?" Seth grabbed her hand and stepped back into the living room, pulling her along. Out of habit, she shut the door behind her, and it made the living room seem strangely small. "We're both single. We both know it's just sex. We both enjoyed it." He said the last with no arrogance, no sense of bragging or conquest. "Our schedules make relationships hard, so maybe something casual like this is the better way to go."

"And as soon as someone on the roster would see us together in a hotel," Becky began, tossing her book onto the nearest chair, "then it'll blow up in both our faces and be a disaster."

Seth stepped closer, letting a hand rest just above her hip. "So we don't hook up at hotels then," he reasoned simply. "Just whenever we're close to your place or mine. It doesn't have to be every week." Some of the intensity in his gaze gave way to insecurity. "Unless you don't wa—"

Becky reached up, pulled his face down to hers, and kissed him. What was one more stupid decision amongst all the rest? His logic made sense: whether it was his house or hers, they had the rare luxury of privacy. They wouldn't have to worry about prying fans sneaking photos or even fellow wrestlers stopping by to chat. And as long as they kept it casual, with no strings, why couldn't it work? They were both adults. They were reasonable. They were friends.

She kept telling herself all those things as Seth loosened the ties on her dress straps, sending the flimsy fabric to the floor. She had a bikini on underneath since she was planning to go swimming later, but that didn't last long either, and after Becky could force her fingers to stop tracing Seth's abs, his shorts were on the floor somewhere as well, leaving the two of them stumbling down her hallway. When she tried to direct him towards her master suite, Seth shoved open the door to the guest bathroom. "Too far," he murmured.