Page 60 of Hate to Love You

“I thought you could…I don’t know,” I mumble, wishing I’d kept my big mouth shut and we were back to kissing. That was easy. This, on the other hand, sucks. “Assess the situation,” I finish in a rush.

Just kill me now before I say something else that will make the situation more unbearable. I can’t stuff the words back into my mouth and pretend I didn’t say them.

They’re out there.

Sitting uncomfortably between us.

It’s Brody’s move to make.

My insides feel like they’ve been twisted into a series of painful little knots. My stomach roils. Any moment, I’m going to be sick.

His fingers slip under my chin and turn my face until I’m able to meet his sharpened gaze. I release a shaky, pent-up breath. One side of his mouth curves, making him look even sexier than he already does. I finally understand what the female population at Whitmore has been talking about. To have all of his attention focused on me is powerful.

I feel it straight down to my core.

“So, what I hear you saying is that you’d like some tips and pointers of a sexual nature from yours truly.”

And just like that, the spell is broken. Which is for the best. It really is. I don’t want to complicate matters between us. Nor do I want to feel anything that might confuse me in regards to the guy who now stares smugly at me.

Feeling like I’m once again back on even footing, I roll my eyes. I should have known he would enjoy this.

“Lessons,” I correct, feeling more like myself. Which is a relief.

“Lessons,” he repeats slowly as if tasting each syllable of the word. A slow smile spreads across his face. Another arrow of desire slices clean through me. “Yeah, I could definitely do that.”

Before I can specify the terms of our arrangement, his lips are back to cruising over mine. Just like before, it doesn’t take much for me to lose myself in the caress.

Brody pulls away enough to meet my gaze. “Lesson number one,” he whispers as his eyes fall to my mouth. “Kissing isn’t just about the lips.”

Duh.

Who doesn’t know that?

With an absurd amount of gentleness—more than I would have imagined possible—he presses his lips to the corners of my mouth. A little sigh escapes as he trails soft, butterfly-like kisses along my jaw and down the column of my neck. When I try to slide my hands into his hair, he pulls away and imprisons my wrists with his fingers.

I meet his gaze with a questioning look of my own. He stretches my arms above my head and lays them against the couch cushions.

“Those stay there. You just relax and enjoy what I’m doing.”

His husky words send a thrill spiraling through me. As Brody trails his fingertips down my arms, goosebumps rise in their wake. The way his hot gaze licks over me feels like a physical caress. Heat explodes in my core and I shift restlessly under him, needing more.

“Do you realize how beautiful you are?”

My pulse kicks.

I quickly remind myself that what’s happening between us isn’t real. This is more of a learning experience. Something to help boost my self-confidence.

While Reed isn’t the last guy I was with, it’s been a while.

All thoughts of my ex disappear when he nips my bottom lip with his teeth, tugging it before releasing. A shiver of pleasure rushes through me. It’s a sexy move. Using his tongue, he rims my mouth. I open for him and, without our lips touching, our tongues mingle in an erotic dance. What he’s doing is exquisite torture.

“Does that turn you on?”

“Yes,” I groan. How could it not?

“Good. It’s important to know what excites you. You can’t be afraid to tell your partner what you like or don’t like.”

His teeth sink gently into my lower lip before he sucks the flesh into his mouth.

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