Page 20 of Against the Clock

Kelsey’s mouth’s on mine and I never want her to stop kissing me. Her mouth is teasing, and hesitant, and so fucking sweet I’m half-losing my mind over her.

I don’t want to push her.

I’ve never wanted someone this badly.

“Kelsey,” I say again, and her lips brush over mine.

My hands go to her body, her lush curves, and I groan, knowing I should be a gentleman, knowing I should break off this moment and offer her some sweats.

Fuck all that.

Her breath hitches as I curl my hand around the nape of her neck. I want her closer, I want more.

I’m thirty-nine years old, and I can’t remember the last time I wanted something as badly as I want Kelsey Cole.

No—I need to do this right.

I break off the kiss, touching my forehead to hers, trying to stop my racing heart, trying to force some of that control back over myself.

“Kelsey, I don’t want to take advantage of you,” I make myself say. “I need to know you want me to kiss you.”

Fingertips brush against my jawline, and I shudder at the butterfly-soft contact.

“Kiss me,” she demands.

Never have two words sounded better. When my lips meet hers again, there’s no softness left, no room for hesitation or second thoughts. She’s tugging at the buttons on my shirt, her hands insistent and so fucking hot.

I would fuck her right here, right now, if she wanted me to.

I help her hands along, breaking away from the mind-melting kiss long enough to speed things along. The wet shirt sticks to me as we pull at it, and she’s staring up at me from waterlogged lashes, her hair wet and wild.

For a moment I can’t do anything but stare at her, this brown-eyed beauty, sopping wet, her lips red from mine.

“You’re beautiful,” I say, and my voice is hoarse.

“You are,” she says, a shy grin on her face. Her hands trek across my shoulders, mapping the contour of them, the scars that crisscross the one that’s needed surgery twice now. Kelsey’s fingers tip-tap down my arms and I can’t help but flex a little for her.

I want her to need me as badly as I need her.

“What do you want?” I ask, trying to keep my heart out of my throat. Trying to keep some sense in my head.

“Right now?” her voice is breathless and it makes me light-headed with lust.

“Right now. Tomorrow. Forever.” I shake my head. I’m coming on too strong.

I don’t give a fuck. Why shouldn’t I come on strong?

The only game I care about playing anymore is football.

Whatever happens between Kelsey and I won’t be a game.

“Right now?” she answers softly, gaze darting between my eyes. “You.”

I groan, tilting my chin back and inhaling. My entire body’s taut, and then I explode into action, thanking my lucky stars I didn’t take that hit last week and ran into her instead.

Because it means it doesn’t hurt to throw her over my good shoulder and sprint with her to the bedroom.

I don’t think I would feel it even if it did hurt.

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