Page 2 of Perfect Pursuit

Her hands reach up and clasp my shoulders for purchase. I have to bite the inside of my cheek to avoid howling when the points of her nails penetrate through my suit jacket. Equal amounts of pleasure and pain have me cursing.

Flushing, her face contorts. She rasps, “Dandy.”

Without thinking, I scoop her up. Her hands slide around the back of my neck into my hair. She grasps for purchase even as I stride toward a chaise lounge. “You’re dangerous in those shoes.” You’re dangerous in anything.

“Ethan! Put me down!” she orders.

“After I check out your ankle,” I reprimand her.

Unceremoniously, I deposit her, but just as I’m about to stand, her fingers tighten around my collar before they release. A current of electricity arcs between us. I try to control my breathing just in case I’m the only one who recognizes it for what it is.

Quickly, I kneel and capture her ankle in my hands. My imagination isn’t nothing, judging by the sharp inhale she takes. If I wasn’t already on my knees, I’d be dropping to them within seconds of her reaction to my fingers grazing her perfect skin. Gritting my teeth, I apply pressure in different spots to test for weakness—almost hoping I find some reason to order her out of these ridiculous heels worn to entice the stupid jackasses that are coming to celebrate their graduation tonight.

She allows me to poke and prod for a few moments before finally soothing me. “I’m fine. I just got my foot caught.”

“And almost went flying into a cake,” I say sternly.

“You came to the rescue.”

Not knowing where the words come from, I blurt out, “I always will.”

She reaches into her purse and whips out her cell phone. Immediately, thumbs move. I roll my eyes. “What? Are you telling Austyn about this?”

Giving me her patented smirk, Fallon drawls, “Hell no. I’m just marking the date and time in my calendar so I can use it against you in the future.”

“Oh, give me that,” I growl before swiping her phone out of her hands. Knowing I’m not just going to hell, I’m making a reservation for my space, I program in my phone number before sending a text to myself.

Fallon quirks her brow. “And you did what, exactly?”

“When you and Austyn get into trouble at UT, text me. Do not contact my sister or your mother. They’ll have a heart attack at your shenanigans.” My experience with the high jinks the two young women could get into sends chills down my spine when I picture the number of times I’m going to be hit up for bail money.

Instead of laughing, Fallon’s face sobers. I’m about to rescind my offer when she whispers, “Why am I not surprised? Before you, no one’s ever tried to rescue me before.”

Straightening to my full height, I stare down at the crown of her head. I’m rocked by the admission this strong-willed reincarnated goddess lets slip. But now’s apparently not the time to explore it. The back door to my father’s house bursts open, and a plethora of kids spill out. In most cases, proud parents file out right behind them.

Fallon locks away her momentary fragility before bounding out of the chaise and enthusiastically greeting her friends and fellow graduates.

As for me, I berate myself for showing even a modicum of weakness toward a girl who has no intention of looking back once she leaves Kensington.

CHAPTER TWO

Could a Tweet by a pop star change the outcome of the 2020 presidential campaign? Taylor Swift shared a 38-word Tweet upbraiding President Trump for his provoking comments about the Minneapolis riots.

– StellaNova

I’m afraid to stand up, terrified I’ll be sporting a wet spot on my silk dress when my pussy began leaking after feeling Ethan’s hands on my bare skin after he checked out my ankle.

Christ, now how am I supposed to take one of these stupid high school boys seriously when they try to make a move on me later? It’s going to be impossible now that his strong hands have smoothed over my skin letting me feel both the tenderness in the gesture as well as the callouses along his fingertips—something unexpected. I would have predicted his hands would have been smooth as he’s a man who works with computers day in and day out.

I’m so glad I’m wrong.

As I stare down at his bowed head, I’m not entirely certain I’m breathing as another surge of lust blasts through me. Up until this moment, I’d always categorized the way I fantasized about my best friend’s uncle much the same way I lust after Beckett Miller—the world’s hottest rock god—or his country counterpart, Brendan Blake.

Something any female would turn to her partner and say, “They’re on my celebrity hall pass.” That’s how gorgeous Ethan Kensington is. Celebrity or not, the man absolutely makes my top five.

What I felt before was something I had no problem falling asleep to when his emerald-green eyes flashed behind my closed ones, and his face flashed into my mind as I orgasmed in my room late at night. My attraction was something completely controllable.

That is until he touched my skin with his hands.

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