Page 46 of Tickled Pink

Fuck, I’m in trouble.

Words fall to pieces on my tongue. I can say only vowels now as wave after wave of vibrations turn my body to jelly.

“Say it,” I hear over me.

I come again. And again.

“Say it, and I’ll stop.”

I squirt onto his thighs. I come again. Probably.

“Thad—” I gasp.

He raises the vibrator an inch off my clit. “Yes, my love?” he asks.

“Thad…”

“Yes?”

He moves it within a centimeter, and I jolt.

“Thaddy,” I say, moaning it for him.

Thad smiles as he turns the vibrator off. “Was that so hard?”

He leans down and kisses me softly. In a moment, he unlatches my wrists and I touch him. I feel down his body. His thick arms and toned abs. My Thad. My beautiful and filthy blue-eyed boyfriend.

I kiss him, still trembling from that string of Os.

Thad chuckles. “Someone’s happy.”

I nod. “Uh-huh.”

He wraps his arms around me, and I pull him closer.

Chapter Thirteen

Phoebe

I tie my robe and take a quiet step away from the bed. Thad is out cold on his side with one arm stretched out toward the middle — reaching for me.

But Max’s side is just cold.

I tiptoe into the hallway. My slippers whisper across the hardwood floor, softly creaking the stairs of our brownstone home as I make my way down to the first floor.

It’s dark and quiet, but I detect the light tap of fingers on laptop keys in the living room. I follow the sound and the lone lamplight of the room until I catch sight of him on the couch.

My Max. My dream guy.

His back is to me. He sits with his laptop open on his knees and a pair of headphones over his ears. I linger in the alcove for a moment to admire him. He’s always been so concentrated, so focused. I’ve always loved that about him. He walked out on his father’s company back home in Los Angeles — his legacy by birthright — to come to New York City with me. He paved his own path, became his own man.

My heart flutters.

I walk up behind him, catching the attention of our dog resting at his feet, Stinky. She raises her brown head and blinks her tired eyes. I bring a finger to my mouth, telling her to remain quiet. She makes no noise as Max absently reaches out and scratches her behind the ear.

I touch his shoulder, and he flinches.

“Phoebe,” he says with an instant smile.

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