Page 79 of House of Desire

She puts her hand through my arm without a thought and I have to remind myself we are just friends as she leans against me on our way back to the villa.

“Do you want to shower first?” Parker asks as the door shuts behind us. His bow tie is hanging around his neck, the first three buttons of his shirt undone. All I want to do is to get him completely undressed, but I had to be a dumbass and say we should just be friends. But with his green eyes looking into mine, I knew that if I didn’t keep that separation between us for now, I would fall too hard, too fast, and the hurt part of me wants to make sure that he really means it when he says he won’t hurt me like that again.

Then again, he did propose a friends with benefits like situation while we are here and I’m not dumb enough to pretend like that isn’t incredibly appealing.

“Yeah, that’d be good,” I say. He gives me a nod, opening the bathroom door for me before walking into the room, taking off his jacket as he goes.

I press my back against the bathroom door for a moment after shutting myself in the room and try to remember how to breathe. And then, an idea takes form. Before I can stop myself I go out to find Parker sitting on the couch, legs splayed, with a drink in his hand. He looks up as I approach, and the want in his eyes emboldens me.

“Could you unzip me?” I ask, turning toward him. Could I unzip myself? Yes. But in my tipsy state all I want to do is push the bounds of his control, hoping he’ll snap and try to kiss me again. I want to take him up on his proposition, but I don’t want to be the one to break first.

He stands, grabs the zipper, and with excruciating slowness, draws it down my back. One finger traces down my spine, goosebumps erupting in its wake.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice husky as I hold my dress to myself.

“I’m here to be of service,” he says, voice rough.

Moving into the bathroom, I drop my dress before turning on the water, giving it a moment to warm as I look at myself in the mirror. Eyes bright, cheeks flushed, hair in slight disarray. Alluring. But not alluring enough.

The water sluices over my body as I wash myself, imagining Parker’s hands are the ones spreading the soap suds over my skin. I finish my shower before I can do something stupid like invite him in, and wrap up in a towel.

“Your turn,” I call as I move into the bedroom nook. I can feel his eyes on me as I grab my pajamas off the bed. I turn around to see him walking on silent feet to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Part of me wishes that he had come over here and ripped the towel from my grip, but of course he didn’t.

He’s going to follow my lead.

As I hear him move about, I try to keep my thoughts from his naked body and how he looks as he pleasures himself. I crawl into bed, feigning sleep, but my arousal is making it hard to focus.

The shower shuts off and I realize that I trust Parker to not let this affect our relationship. That when he says we can be friends and get to know each other when we get home, even if we do this. That his feelings toward me won’t change, his interest won’t lessen, just because we have sex. But I’m going to have to be the one to initiate anything.

Throwing back the covers, I stand from the bed, hastily pulling my clothes off my body. I lay down on my side, leaning against the headboard, my legs spread. I consider touching myself so he can find me, much like I found him.

I hear the curtain being ripped back, the metal rings holding it to the bar clinking as it collects on one side. Thoughts of Parker’s wet body fill my brain once more and my mouth waters.

Shaking my head, I lay on my back above the covers, one arm behind my head while my other sits on my stomach. His footsteps echo against the floor, my heart racing as they get closer, and I hear them stop as he catches sight of me. But I don’t take my eyes off the ceiling.

“I have an IUD,” I tell him, simply.

“Anastasia,” he says, but I can hear the lust dripping off my name. “What are you doing?”

“Taking you up on your offer,” I say, finally looking at him. I pull my knees up, setting my feet on the bed before letting my knees fall to the sides.

His knuckles are white on the towel, but I can see that he’s hard.

“You’ve been drinking,” he says, his eyes on the space between my legs. “I’d be taking advantage.”

I wait a beat. Two. I slowly close my legs and flip over to my stomach as if I’m going to go to sleep. I hear him take another step toward the bed and smile. Feeling powerful, I slowly raise my ass into the air in invitation, until I’m on my knees with my chest still against the bed. The air is cool against my exposed core, but I don’t care. Embarrassment should be flooding me at such a wanton, desperate display, but all I feel is an insatiable hunger I know will never abate.

This is a bad idea.

I know it is, but maybe if we don’t talk, don’t make a big deal out of it, we can just enjoy the pleasure.

“Take advantage of me, Parker.” Before his name has left my lips, I hear his towel drop to the floor.

The bed dips as he moves behind me. His fingers brush my ankles before traveling up, drawing all rational thought from my brain.

Tomorrow is going to be a nightmare. But his large hands grab my ass cheeks and bare me to his gaze.

I jolt as if tased as his tongue swipes through my pooling wetness.

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