Page 74 of Against the Clock

“You cooked,” she says. “I can clean up.”

“Nah, that’s not how this is going to work tonight. I made you uncomfortable by taking you to that stupid concert, and now I’m going to clean up while you keep me company.”

“Are you sure?” Her forehead furrows in confusion, like she can’t quite believe I’m happy to do both.

“Babe, I want to take care of you. Do you want a glass of wine?”

She shakes her head, an incredulous look on her face as she tip-taps her way back to the barstool, her heels loud on the floor.

Fuck, her legs look sexy in those heels.

“I like to help,” Kelsey says, and I glance at her over my shoulder.

Her gaze drifts up to mine and she scrunches up her nose, looking guilty.

“Were you checking out my ass?”

“I’m allowed to check out your ass.”

“You are. What did you think of it?”

“I think you have a grade-A ass,” she says.

“Not an A plus?”

“Mmm. I’ll have to do some more investigating before I can bump your ass grade up.”

“Ass grade,” I say, then laugh, turning back to the dishes.

“Do you know Savannah?” she asks out of the blue.

“Who?”

“Oh, one of the cheerleaders. I had a weird call with her today, and I keep thinking about it.”

“Honestly, I don’t know any of their names,” I say, scrubbing at a spot on one plate before sticking it in the washer. Cleaning up for two is easy, and it takes all of ten minutes to clean the kitchen and put the extra food away.

Kelsey’s on her phone, the blue light illuminating her heart-shaped face, the swoop of her cupid’s bow into her lips tantalizing.

I could stare at her all night.

She looks so fucking good in my house.

I like having her here. Fuck, I’m excited to spend the day with her tomorrow. I knew asking her to do girly shit like pick apples and drink wine would work. She’ll get to do something she wants, and I’ll get to do her.

Win-win.

“I have to say,” I drawl, drying my hands on the kitchen towel, “I’m fucking glad you decided to beg me for sex already.”

Her eyes go round and the blue light dies, her phone sliding against the counter as she puts it down.

“Is that right?”

I stalk towards her, Kelsey the only thing on my mind. Not football, not cooking, nothing but Kelsey.

“Kelsey, I would have waited as long as you wanted. But am I fucking glad I get to touch you? To taste you? Hell yeah.”

Her hair falls over her face as she slides off the barstool, and I catch her up in my arms as she closes the distance between us.

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