Page 12 of Catching Feeling

Because that’s the same voice that whispered the dirtiest things I’ve ever heard in my ear as he fucked me balls-deep from behind.

He drives me insane. Literally, insane.

My eyes flick down his body to the jeans that seem to be made to fit his thick catcher thighs and sculpted ass, back up to the red Hellcats Baseball shirt that stretches over his chest and hugs every inch of the muscles in his biceps, and up to the two dimples in his cheeks.

Those stupid dimples.

And his stupid, stupidly charming smile.

And his unruly hair that he never brushes, I’m sure. Only uses his fingers to run through the strands and keep them off his forehead.

Stupid, soft, perfect hair that I spent one night tugging on, and now I’ll never forget how soft it felt between my fingers.

Reese Landry is the epitome of a drop-dead gorgeous, powerful athlete, and it makes me want to hurl.

Everything comes easy to him. He’s filthy rich, has the world at his fingertips, and is naturally good at everything. And of course, girls throw themselves at him like they’ve lost every ounce of self-respect the moment he steps over the threshold.

Easy.

“Wow, it’s as if you were summoned. Like a demon or something,” I mutter, dragging my eyes away from him to stare at a space on the wall before flicking my gaze down to my chipped lavender nails, feigning boredom.

You see, the one and only time I let him touch me was a mistake. Obviously, a lapse in judgment that cannot and will not ever be repeated.

He can’t ever know that I still think about that night. He will never know that when I lie in bed and I’m horny and alone, it’s his name that is on my lips as I come.

Never.

A secret that will follow me to the grave.

Guys like Reese love the chase. They want anything that gives them a challenge, and that’s the only reason he’s even interested in me. It’s the only reason he acts like a love- obsessed fool when I reject him. But unlike most girls, I know exactly the game that he’s playing, and joke’s on him—I can play it better.

Better than he could ever imagine.

“Viv, it’s been too long since you insulted me. I forgot how much I missed it,” he says flirtatiously with a wink. When he lifts his hand to brush his hair out of his face, I see a shiny, thin gold chain hanging from around his neck. That looks new.

Of course, rich boy needs new bling to show off his status.

Lane snickers, and I narrow my eyes at him, wiping the smirk right from his face. He drags his hand through his dirty-blond hair, and looks at Hallie, avoiding my gaze.

“Well, please, stick around. I’ve got plenty of insults ready to ruin your night. You know how much I love bringing your ego down a few notches. Someone has to do it. I may even list it on my resume as my community service.”

His smile only widens.

He’s impossible. Undeterred.

Things have been even more tense between us since the night we… were together… over two months ago. Since then, he’s doubled down on his flirting, and I’ve been doing my best to pretend he doesn’t exist.

Impossible when I know that he’s this sex god with the dirtiest mouth. But avoidance is my thing, so I’m going to act like it never happened and pray that eventually my vagina will stop throbbing when he walks into a room.

“I need another drink,” I mumble, looking down at my now empty cup. “You guys want anything?”

Hallie and Lane both decline, so I shrug and turn on my heel in search of something more to help take the edge off.

I’m almost to the kitchen when I feel my phone vibrating in my back pocket, and after ignoring it for the first time, the fact that it’s ringing again probably means it’s something important.

I walk to the end of the hallway, finding a quiet room to duck inside before pulling it out and answering when I see Mama’s name on the screen.

“Mama? Is everything okay?”