Page 34 of Forbidden Game

Sighing, I pick up Syd’s overnight bag and drop it on the foot of the bed. I give her shoulder a quick nudge, but she just turns over and snuggles deeper.

She looks like an angel. Her hands are cradled under her cheek, and her chest rises and falls with slow breaths. I’m tempted to crawl behind her and scoop her into my arms.

Instead, I poke her again.

Harder.

“Love, you can’t fall asleep yet.”

“Why not?” Her voice comes out quiet and crackly.

“Because you’re still in your airplane clothes and your makeup.”

Her eyes squeeze tight as she lets out a groan. She rolls over, and they pop open. As always, those beautiful silver eyes steal all the breath in my body. With a sigh, she swings off the bed.

I hold her overnight bag out to her, and she takes it with a grumble, trudging into the bathroom and shutting the frosted door behind her. The sound of the shower turning on fills the silence.

My lips dry as I imagine her taking off her clothes just a few meters away.

I let loose a strangled laugh before crawling into my side of the bed.

I double-check that all my alarms are set for the morning before shutting off my lamp. The only light left is the one filtering in from the bathroom, but it’s not bright enough to bother me as I close my eyes. I’m knackered, and I need all the sleep I can get to be at my best tomorrow afternoon.

That’s the one good thing about gaming competitions; they tend to be later in the day.

I can feel the edges of sleep creeping in when the room brightens and Syd pads out of the bathroom. I squeeze my eyes shut to cancel out the light.

“I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you, Parker.”

“It’s almost two a.m. Please, just get in the bed.”

The bathroom light turns off, and I hear her shuffle around, bumping into the bed in the process.

“It’s unprofessional, Parker. Mathias would have my head if he found out.”

As much of a hard-ass as our manager might be, Mathias couldn’t give a flying fuck about our personal lives. That’s why he hired Syd in the first place.

I roll over and reach out, grabbing her arm and pulling her onto the bed. She lands centimeters away from my face. Her dewy skin glistens in the faint moonlight, and it takes what little sanity I have left to not run my thumb over her cheek. Her lips haven’t been this close to mine in years. Not since That Night.

“Get in the bed, Sydney.” My voice takes on a low growl.

Her lips part slightly before quickly pursing. “Fine.” Her gaze flickers over my face. “Just make sure to keep to your side.”

She tugs out of my grasp and shifts back to her side of the bed. Grabbing one of her pillows, she positions it in between us and attempts to fluff it a few times. I try not to laugh at the action, but it’s kind of cute.

Once she’s happy with its placement she scoots so far away that I wouldn’t be surprised if she fell off the edge of the bed during the night.

“Good night, Sydney.”

She turns her back to me. “Good night, Parker.”

SEVEN

PARKER

The subtle smell of cherries surrounds me, and a tender warmth cups my body. I dip my head into the soft waves, chasing that comforting scent. My hands curl around the heat source, desperate to keep it near. Something brushes against my dick, and I groan, my grip tightening.

The responding light moan has awareness flooding through my body.

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