Page 84 of Forbidden Game

But it’s getting smaller and smaller the more time we spend together. Because as her feelings for me get louder, that voice gets softer. I know I’m getting close; I have to be.

Because as much as I like Sydney, sitting in this halfway zone with her is taking a toll on me. I didn’t think it would, but it is. I told myself that getting even a slice of her affection would be enough. But it was easier to survive when we were dancing around our attraction since there was nothing more to compare it to. Now that I’ve held her in my arms and tasted her lips and seen her come, it rips something inside of me when she brings the shields back up.

Syd wins against her silent debate, and her hands come up to rest on my chest. My body sings in relief at the contact.

Little by little. Piece by piece. She’s coming around. As much as I complain about how slow this process is, it really is worth it. Anything regarding Sydney is worth it because she’s a priceless gem.

My dick twitches, and I ignore the urge to push her back onto the sheet and devour her. Instead, I lean forward and plant a soft kiss on her mouth. She sighs into me, and I melt against those pillow-soft lips.

“I’ll see you downstairs, sweetheart.”

I give her ass a cheeky slap before forcing myself to step away and collect my clothes from around the room. With a final—very naked—bow, I leave her room.

In hindsight, I probably could have spared the extra few seconds to put on my clothes before darting across the hall.

But I’m Parker Covington, and I really don’t give a fuck.

SEVENTEEN

SYDNEY

This is karma.

I feel like absolute crap.

My entire body aches, and my lower back specifically feels like someone has taken an axe to it. It is as though they are hacking at the muscles, over and over and over. The pain just won’t stop.

And don’t even get me started on the headache. It was the first thing to appear two days ago. I thought it was nothing. Just brushed it off and went about my days as normal. A little pain wasn’t something to fuss over when there was so much to do.

Now, it’s like a truck ran over my brain and squished it. I’ve taken every pain med under the sun, and it just keeps coming back. My throat hurts a little, but it’s nothing compared to everything else.

This is what I get for lying about being sick and hiding a naked man in my room.

I manifested the sickness.

Groaning, I slink out of my bed and drag myself into the kitchen.

Fluids.

I need fluids.

I flick on a light, but the brightness stabs my eyes and causes my brain to pinch.

Nope.

I whack them back off. It’s not that dark. The microwave glows the time into my blurry vision.

3:30 p.m.

God. I’ve been in bed all day.

Cracking open my fridge, I pull out my filtered pitcher and pour a glass of water. The cool liquid instantly soothes my hot body.

Since when was I hot?

I pour myself another glass and somehow make my way back into my bedroom. I slip the glass onto my nightstand and grab my phone instead. A few notifications litter the screen, and I tell myself to reply to Lee’s text as I crawl back under the covers. But as I squint at the light, trying to get myself to focus, nothing really makes sense. It’s all a glowing fuzz.

I shut my eyes for a few seconds, hoping it will clear my vision.

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