Page 17 of The Right Player
But somehow, I managed to keep the game plan in place. I wrapped my hands around her arms to stop her advance, putting some much-needed space between us.
“I have cheesecake for dessert,” I said.
But Belle was persistent, and she closed the space between us again, her lips pressing against the hollow part of my neck.
“I think dessert is right here,” she whispered, nipping at my earlobe.
Dear God.
I inhaled a searing breath, grabbing her arms more firmly and putting two feet between us.
Belle’s pouty lip and wrinkled brow nearly had me throwing in the towel, but I cleared my throat, mentally reminding myself that it would be worth the wait.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, chest heaving, tongue skating out to lick her lips as her eyes fell to mine.
Fuck me.
“No, not at all… It’s just… I’m kind of old-fashioned,” I said with a grimace, rubbing my thumbs along her arms before I released her. My hand grabbed for the back of my neck next, and I kept it there, watching the confusion wash over Belle’s face.
“I don’t understand.”
God, she’s really going to make me say it.
“I don’t want to have sex tonight.”
She blinked — once, twice, then a flurry of blinks like she was sure she misheard me.
“I know it’s kind of dated,” I admitted. “I just… I want to get to know you, Belle.” I was already regretting my next words before I said them. “I like you. And I don’t want to fuck that up by going too fast.”
I waited for her to laugh, or to press, or to grab her purse and leave me in her dust. But after a long pause, she inhaled a breath and let it out slowly. Her smile was the only relief I found. “Okay, then.”
“Okay, then?”
She chuckled. “I’ll behave. Promise.”
I smiled, ignoring how my heart flip-flopped in my chest like a freaking teenager.
“Alright,” she said on an exaggerated sigh, motioning to the fridge. “Get the cheesecake before I change my mind.”
I hated how fast dessert went by, and hated it even more when Belle was standing at my door, high heels back on, clutch in one hand while the other held mine.
“I had a really nice time tonight,” she said.
I snorted a laugh. “Hopefully the conversation was better than the dinner.”
“It was delicious,” she lied, but then her hand squeezed mine. “Maybe next time, though, we go to a restaurant.”
I laughed. “Deal.”
We stood there for a long moment, her eyes searching mine, my thumb brushing circles on her wrist.
She hadn’t even left, and already, I couldn’t wait to see her again.
“I’m going to call in some orders this weekend, just some essentials, so we can get started on Monday.” She arched a brow. “We’re starting with the bedroom. It’s a crime that a man your size is sleeping on an air mattress.”
I chuckled. “No arguments here.”
“I’ll send over a couple of options in the morning, and we’ll go from there.”
“Sounds good.”
Belle bit her lip. “So, goodnight, then.”
“Goodnight.”
But she didn’t move. Instead, she huffed, hanging the hand holding her clutch on her hip. “Do I at least get a kiss?”
I chuckled, leaning in and pressing my lips to her cheek. I held them there longer than necessary, inhaling everything that she was before I pulled back and released her hand, too.
Her little mouth popped open. “Oh, you are cruel.”
“Waiting is half the fun.”
“Says you.”
I smiled, reaching for her hand again and pulling it to my lips. “A hui hou,” I said. “Until we meet again.”
She sighed, brushing my cheek with her thumb before she pulled away, and with one last wave of her fingers, she disappeared down the hall and into the elevator.BelleI burst through Gemma’s door at seven on the dot the next morning.
“We have a problem.”
Zach and Gemma were both in the kitchen, their hair a mess, sleep still in their eyes, Gemma mid-yawn while Zach hadn’t even poured the coffee grounds into the filter yet. He cocked a brow at Gemma, who managed a smile before leaning her hip against the kitchen counter and addressing me. “Well, good morning, Belle. Happy Saturday to you, too.”
“I know we agreed I couldn’t come over before ten on the weekends, but this is an emergency,” I said, nudging Zach out of the way and taking over where he was in the coffee-making process. I’d barely slept, and if I didn’t get some caffeine in the next ten minutes, I’d become a monster. “Shoo.”
Zach chuckled, throwing his hands up and backing out of the kitchen.
“What’s the emergency?” Gemma asked, wrapping her arms around Zach’s waist when he joined her.
“He didn’t want to have sex with me.”
Their silence was my only answer, and I huffed, slamming the top of the coffee pot closed as I thrust the carafe under the faucet and turned it on.
“I’m confused,” Gemma finally said.
