Never Have I Ever by Alisha Rai Page B

clear to anyone that he fiercely adored Taylor, which meant he had excellent taste.
    He also had excellent pecs, which she wasn’t supposed to notice since she had an arguably nicer pair laying upstairs in her bed. However, with her nose smushed against one, it was hard to ignore it.
    You’re a married woman, you’re a married woman…
    Stupid pictures. She might have previously appreciated Eli’s rock-hard— ahem —attributes, but she’d never particularly lusted for him. Their relationship was friendly, as a friendship between a husband’s best friend and his wife should be. Now, though, knowing what Taylor and Eli had done together in the past, what they’d done to other women together…well, she’d be lying if she didn’t admit—at least to herself—that she had spent a moment imagining herself as the woman in those photos. Just for a moment. Or two. Okay, eighty-six.
    Curious, she inhaled. Eli smelled fresh and clean, like the outdoors. But it wasn’t her husband’s scent and it didn’t stir the hunger Taylor did.
    But if Taylor was here too…
    Oh. Oh yes.
    Warning bells went off in her head. Feeling disloyal at the sharp pang of arousal, she wriggled. Automatically he lowered her gently to the ground and gave a slight tug on the lock of hair brushing against her cheek. “How you doing, peanut?”
    The pull on her scalp was a little too reminiscent of Taylor’s hands in her hair the night before. She stepped back, hoping her retreat wasn’t too obvious. “I’m doing fine,” she responded. She thought for a second. “Um, what are you doing here?”
    “Can you believe I forgot that I had told Tay that you two could have the cabin this weekend?”
    She hadn’t known Eli for the length of time that Taylor had. But could she believe that he had spoken to Taylor barely a week ago, given his blessing to let them come up here for some alone time, and then completely forget? “I don’t know how to say this, but yes.”
    He laid a hand over the just-appreciated pec. “I’m wounded, my darling.”
    “Uh-huh. Have you thought about getting a better secretary, Eli?”
    “I told Taylor I should. Or maybe hire a second one, since I feel bad about letting this one go when she’s got kids to support. He said all I needed was a planner.”
    That sounded like her husband. “That’s because Taylor has a calendar on hand in every room in the house.”
    “I thought his two smartphones handled all of his OCD now?”
    “I think he doesn’t quite trust them not to fall apart. He syncs everything. Every night.”
    “Ugh. I’m exhausted just thinking about it.”
    “I don’t know. I can be particular about certain things too, so I don’t mind.”
    “Yeah. You two are perfect for each other, huh?”
    She shifted. “I hope so.”
    “Hmmm. I got up early and couldn’t go back to sleep. I was going to leave the breakfast for you when I left, like a phantom Martha Stewart, only prettier. Are you hungry?”
    “Sure, thanks.”
    She moved to get the plates from the cupboard, but he stopped her. “Let me grab everything. You just go sit down.”
    “So when did you get here? Not that it matters to me…it’s your house, after all,” she said hastily as she pulled out a chair.
    “No, no, doesn’t matter whose name is on the deed, it’s all my bad. I got in last night and I realized the screw up in dates.”
    “I’m surprised I didn’t hear you and wake up. I’m a light sleeper…” She trailed off. Holy crap. Last night? He meant late last night, right? Like, late enough that he wouldn’t have had to be all embarrassed and hear the sounds of her crying out in the living room?
    “I was quiet,” he said easily. “I’m a ninja like that.”
    There was no guile or embarrassment in his face, just innocence. She relaxed. “Oh. That explains it. I clearly didn’t take your ninja-like abilities into account.”
    “Yeah. Most people don’t.”
    Ana dug into the French toast he laid on her plate,