Page 14 of Master Debater

About halfway through, she leaned closer, singing and swaying, and I sat, mesmerized and lost to the gravity of the type of performance a person usually had to pay money to see. The woman who’d tried to drink wine out of a broken bottle was gone, replaced by a fearless, tenacious woman who’d been liberated by the lyrics.

Willa held out the last note, and then her head came to rest on my shoulder. Happiness radiated off her, as strong, beautiful, and intoxicating as her voice. “Man, that felt good.”

The tiniest turn of my head brought my mouth a breath from hers, and my pulse rioted. “It sounded fucking amazing. Saying you can sing is an understatement.”

“Same with you and the piano.” Her gaze lit on mine, the stormy depths reminding me of the sea before a hard rain, and I sat frozen as her hand drifted up to the center of my chest. Under normal circumstances, I’d seize the moment and kiss the hell out of her. But this moment was a tentative bubble drifting along the breeze, and the tiniest bit of interference might cause it to pop.

The tip of her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips, and the lust inundating my system demanded I close the gap, plunder that mouth, and claim it as mine.

Earlier, I’d promised ten minutes and I’d walk her home, and I was a man of my word.

Most days.

The other problem was that I liked her. Honest to God admiration and affection had formed during our limited interactions. If she was onboard with casual, it’d be one thing. Bringing it up might ruin the moment and the night, as well as my chance to bury myself between her thighs. My player days were over, though, ruined after seeing the repercussions when guys had done the same thing to my sister. Now I told women upfront exactly what they were in for.

A groan slipped out, and I lowered my forehead to hers. “Willa…”

“Nathan.”

No one used my full name, but it was the second time she’d done so, and it left my head spinning and my cock stirring.

She glided her hand up my chest and rested it on the side of my neck, much the same way I’d done earlier on the couch. When the pad of her thumb grazed my lower lip, I bit down, giving her a solid nip without inflicting too much pain.

Her jaw dropped, and the whimper that tumbled out was as glorious as the notes of the song she’d hit earlier.

“You’re playing with fire,” I rasped, and the vixen licked her lips again.

“I know. I just…” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “Guess I wanted to see what it’d be like.”

“You’re gonna get burned—that’s what it’ll be like.” I pivoted and braced a hand on the edge of the bench, inches from her ass, daring my restraint to crumble even as I mentally reinforced it. “And me, I’m fine with scorching this whole fucking place to the ground. We can climb on the rollercoaster and experience the ups and downs, but the short thrill ride is all it’ll ever be.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not very good at lasting?”

A growl ripped free as I curled her into my arms and plunked her onto my lap, one leg on either side of my hips and her back against the keys of the piano. This time, I knew exactly what caused the shock in her expression. “What I meant is that I don’t do attachments, not right now. I’m at the busiest point in my career, and no-strings fun is all I have time for. We live next door to each other, so if that’s gonna be a problem, then this can’t happen.”

I arched my hips so there’d be no question of how badly I wanted her. “I also promised you earlier that if you gave me ten more minutes, I’d walk you home. Say you’ve changed your mind, and that’ll be that.”

Time ground to a halt, the world spinning around us, and I glided my hands over her hips and rested them dangerously low on her back.

She leaned forward and looped her arms around my neck, her pussy cradling my erection with divine perfection. “I’ve never felt so powerful before.”

“If you feel powerful now, just wait until I strip you naked and worship your body, every inch from head to toe.” My heart thundered in my chest, providing a steady beat as I brushed my lips over hers. “Are you open to amending our agreement?”

Willa’s eyelashes fluttered and her head lolled back. “Why?” she asked, slowly dragging

her hand down her neck, her breath ragged. “Are you going to hammer out a contract real quick?”

“I’m okay with verbal agreements. In fact, I’m more than happy to just use my mouth.” I grazed the tip of my nose across her cheekbone and sank my teeth into the lobe of her ear.

A tiny mewl came from her as her head fell forward again. Her skirt had bunched high on her thighs, and I hooked my thumbs in the fabric, shoving it up another few inches and getting a glimpse of her panties. Black lacy panties with flowers on them.

I spread my fingers around her upper thighs, depressing them the same way I’d done the piano keys. She shuddered against me, her nipples hardening and straining against the thin fabric of her top. I dipped my head to the curve of her neck and placed a heated, opened-mouthed kiss on the soft skin.

“Oh God,” she whispered, sliding down my lap until her hipbones bumped mine.

I continued trailing a lazy path with my tongue, tasting my way to the swells of her breasts. “Still haven’t heard that verbal agreement.”

“Yes,” she said. “Whatever it was, I agree.”

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