Page 74 of Rebel Romeo

I was pretty sure it was my mom… now texting on behalf of my dad. I shook my head and grabbed a single kernel of popcorn, tossed it into the air, and caught it in my mouth. “Nope.”

“Well, it sounds like someone’s trying awfully hard to reach you.”

I shrugged. “Maybe. But I’m busy.”

I might be an asshole in a lot of ways, but I wasn’t the guy who spent the night texting other people while I was hanging out with someone—whether that someone was a girl I liked or just a buddy of mine. It was one of those small pet peeves that drove me crazy.

“I’m just saying, if you need to answer?—”

I gently pressed my finger to her lips to shush her. Holy fuck, was that a mistake.

Note to self: do not touch the silky lips of a girl you’re desperately trying not to kiss. “Watch the movie, Katherine.”

She smirked against my finger, causing her lips to push out, almost in a puckering kiss. “Yes, sir.”

Fuck. Me.

Did she do that intentionally? No one is that innocent and naive, right? A shiver of delight rattled down my spine with those words. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t focus on the damn movie.

I leaned forward and whispered, “You know, if we were still playing our little Venmo game, I would have increased your bank account for calling me Sir like that.”

Her tongue darted out and she snapped her head to the right to look at me. “Our little Venmo game?” she repeated.

“Mmm. It was fun, wasn’t it? Sending pictures? Videos? Being just a little bad?” Scooting just a little closer to her, I added, “C’mon. You can admit it.”

Her eyes glazed, lowering at my words. “It was… a little hot.”

I snorted. “A little?” That was the understatement of the century.

She swallowed another gulp of tea, her grip on the mug tightening. “It doesn’t matter. We can’t do that anymore. It makes me a…”

My gaze dragged down her body. Even though she was half-covered with my favorite blanket, I could picture her lean, toned legs beneath and feel the smooth skin of her thigh brushing my own.

What color panties did she have on beneath that skirt? Something lacy and pink? Sweet but sexy? Or cotton. Practical. Innocent… just like her?

The pink polo shirt hugged her curves, and even though she’d mostly dried off from coming in from the rain, I could still just barely make out the outline of her nipples through the woven cotton. A hint of makeup lined her eyes, making the blue hue pop, and a sheen of gloss highlighted her plump bottom lip. A little noise emanated from her throat and caused me to snap out of my needless stare.

“If it’s consensual, it doesn’t make you anything. Except maybe… turned on?” When she didn’t answer me, I slid even closer, whispering, “What if I wanted the panties you’re wearing tonight?”

Slowly, she turned to glance at me. “Then I’d say, there are ways to get them that don’t involve an exchange of money.” Her brows arched gracefully over her bright blue eyes.

Holy. Fuck.

“But the transaction is what makes it so taboo. It’s so wrong… and therefore feels so damn right. Come on. Tell me how much?”

She thought for a moment before leaning forward to set her mug on a coaster on the coffee table. “Three.”

“Three…? Three hundred dollars?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Three dates,” she said with a smirk. “Three dates with me and you get these panties.”

A swallow stuck to the back of my throat.

Now that was expensive. Money I could toss away easily. Burn through. I had it in spades to use as I wanted to. But my time? Me on a date with Katherine? When I’d only just come to terms with the fact that I wanted her. Three dates was a contract I wasn’t sure I could commit to. “Two,” I countered.

She shook her head. “Three. But tonight can count as one of them. The other two have to be out in public.”

This girl. This fucking girl. Why did I crave her so badly? What was it about Katherine that called to me. “Can I see what I’m buying?”

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