Page 41 of Unlocked

"What’s the harm? We're almost siblings anyway."

"We’re not siblings, Josh." Most definitely not. She didn't even like this man.

"Oh, don't be so silly. Of course we are. You should come over to my place anytime. I'd just love to see your bedroom. Your mother says⁠—"

"Josh." Tatum's voice cut across his. "I really don't want you going into my bedroom."

"What's the harm?" he said, moving toward the hallway.

Tatum rushed past him, blocking his path. "Seriously, Josh, there's no need to⁠—"

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist.

The shock of it made her breath catch. Warm. Solid. Possessive. She felt the heat of him along her back before her brain caught up with what was happening. His cologne told her exactly who it was before she'd even processed it.

Josh's face went slack with surprise.

"Hello, Joshua." Archer Gray's voice rumbled low and intimate, like he'd just rolled out of bed with her.

"Archer. Mr. Gray. I didn't realize—" His voice broke off.

"Realize what?" Archer's eyebrow cocked.

Tatum was staring at Archer. When had he gotten here? And how did people keep walking into her apartment without her knowing?

"Nothing. Now I understand why you didn't want me to see your bedroom, Tatum." Josh's eyes darted between them. He walked over to the kitchen and dropped the towel on the counter. "Well, I'll leave you to it. Tatum, just remember what I said. Bunny is really looking forward to you stepping up. Have a good one."

Josh breezed out of the apartment.

Tatum whirled around to stare at Archer.

He was devastating like this. His shirt was only half-buttoned, exposing a V of skin and the hard planes of his chest. He stood there in his socked feet, no shoes. His hair was ever so slightly mussed, as if someone had just run their fingers through it. All of it gave the very clear impression that he and Tatum had been thoroughly occupied in her bedroom and had only just been interrupted.

The last thing she needed was for Bunny to hear from Josh that she was sleeping with Archer Gray.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she demanded, even as her body registered that his hand was still resting at the small of her back, warm through the fabric of her shirt. She stepped backward, putting space between them before her brain entirely stopped functioning. "He’s going to tell Bunny we're sleeping together."

Archer dropped his arm and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. The movement made his half-open shirt shift, revealing more skin. "And that's such a bad thing?"

Her mouth went dry. Focus, dammit.

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean, with Bunny, yes, it's a bad thing."

"It's better than him walking in and discovering your secret room, isn't it?"

She breathed out. He was right. Of course he was right. But standing this close to him, watching the way his eyes tracked over her face, she was having trouble remembering why she was supposed to be angry.

"You're right. It is. But it's just⁠—"

"What?" Archer said, his voice dropping lower.

Never mind. Heat was creeping up her neck, and she refused to let him see how much he was affecting her. She stepped back, putting more distance between them before she did something she'd regret. "What are you doing here?"

His tone shifted, the warmth receding, leaving ice in its path. "You were supposed to wait for me."

"I can take care of myself. I just wanted to come here and get some work done." She took a breath. "And by the way. You replaced everything in my apartment?"

"Yes."