Page 24 of Her Devils

“Oh please!” I scoff. “‘Channing, I want to have your baby!’ With that kind of shit, you could live in a convent between competitions, and it wouldn’t affect your reputation. Have you seen the hashtags?” I point my phone at his face, brandishing it like a weapon.

His lips curve in a slow smile, and his green eyes shine with amusement and mischief. “Oh, now I understand what’s going on,” he teases, a dimple appearing on one of his cheeks as his smile widens with every passing second.

My fingers grip the edges of my phone with white-knuckle force. “Don’t you see that this kind of reaction from your fans will make it impossible to shed that heartbreaker reputation? It doesn’t matter if you’re on your best behavior, social media is ablaze with—”

“You’re jealous,” he interrupts with a face splitting grin, his tone dripping with satisfaction.

Shit.

I’m totally busted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Chan. I’m simply pointing out—”

He takes a step closer, that unnerving smile firmly in place. “I call bullshit. We might not have known each other since we were kids, but in the past few weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time together, Len. I call it like I see it, and the reason why you’ve been so quiet since the press conference is because you’re jealous.” His voice softens. “The guys and I never lied to you about how we were before we met.”

He’s right. “Yeah, I guess I was surprised to see how popular you truly are with the female fans firsthand.”

He doesn’t say anything, and that smile is still etched on his perfect features.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “I know I have no right. I’m not your girlfriend, we just have a deal.”

He closes the distance between us, taking my hand that still clutches my phone in his much larger one. “You’re right. I don’t do girlfriends, Lenley. You know that.”

I’m about to agree, but he continues.

“But do you know why I came back to my room?” he asks, searching my face with probing eyes.

“To change your shirt?” I offer.

“Ha.” He chuckles. “Believe me, some sticky soda wouldn’t have made a difference. By now, I’d be getting my cock sucked in a dark corner at that meet and greet, and it would just be the first BJ of the night.”

His words make me stiffen, and I try to pull away from his hold, but he doesn’t budge. “Then why don’t you go and get started on the fun?”

“Because we have a deal.”

I work hard to sound like I don’t care. “I’m impressed that you’re a man of your word, but—”

“What I’m trying to say is that I came back here because I wanted to be alone with you. Why do you think I didn’t dodge that drink in time? I’m a fucking skydiver, I have quick reaction times. I didn’t even see that bra because I was looking at you, Lenley.”

His words do something to me. His tone is low and soft, and the way he’s looking at me makes my knees weak. “B-Because we have a deal?” I ask, feeling heat rise to my face.

He lifts my hand, brushing my knuckles with his lips. “Mostly because you’re beautiful, but sure, also because we do have a deal, and I’ve really wanted to be alone with you since the night of the wedding.”

“Really?” My question comes out totally breathless. I’m too caught up in his green gaze and too aware of his body heat to think of anything else to say.

“Really, baby.”

His lips touch mine, warm, soft, and coaxing, and I immediately get lost in his kiss, opening up to allow his tongue into my mouth.

Channing pulls me closer as he explores every corner of my mouth with skilled confidence, his huge hands holding my waist.

“Fuck,” he murmurs, nipping my bottom lip. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you since we boarded that damn bus this morning.”

I don’t say anything, instead closing my eyes as his soft lips glide down the column of my neck, leaving a string of hot, open-mouthed kisses.

“I want to feel your skin against mine, baby,” he whispers, pushing the spaghetti straps of my sundress down my shoulders and lowering the black, stretchy fabric to expose my breasts. “Have I ever told you how much I love the fact that you rarely wear a bra?” he asks, palming my tits.

“Bras are overrated,” I bite out. “Especially in the summer.”

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