Page 31 of Sweatpants & Sweet Tea

“I didn’t keep watching,” the assurance tumbled out of my mouth.

“Why?”

“I felt like a pervert.”

“Did you want to watch?” he asked.

I nodded.

A low groan rumbled from his chest as he took himself in his hand and stroked up and down two times. “I give you full permission to be a pervert with me any time.”

I smiled as he lowered himself back on top of me; when he positioned himself at my opening, he froze.

“What?” I whispered.

“Protection,” he gritted out.

“Oh.” In the thirteen years I’d been sexually active, I’d never forgotten about protection. What was this man doing to me?

“Fuck.” He rested his forehead against mine for a beat before he lifted his head and stared down at me, wearing a bad-boy half-grin that had me tingling in places his mouth had just been.

“What?” I asked, wondering what had caused his sudden change in demeanor.

He stood and crossed the barn. I watched as he opened a cabinet and took out a first aid kit. When he opened it, he removed a box of condoms.

Right. He probably brought women out here all the time. But if that were the case, wouldn’t he have remembered that he had condoms in the first-aid kit? Did it even matter if he did do this all the time? It’s not like I wanted anything other than tonight. Even if I did, this was all we had.

When he turned back around, he stilled. “What’s wrong?”

All my life, people have told me that whatever I feel is broadcast on my face. I used to get in trouble for my expressions rather than anything I said. I remember getting slapped for literally saying nothing at the dinner table because my father didn’t like the ‘tone of my face.’

I shook my head, trying to mask my inner dialogue. “Nothing.”

Harlan opened the box and pulled out a single package. “Weston found these after class. They’re not mine. I’ve never hooked up out here, or with one of my students, for that matter.”

“Don’t. You don’t have to…” I shook my head, feeling a little silly that he’d noticed my expression and somehow read my mind. This was a one-night stand. Not a relationship. “You don’t owe me any explanation. It’s fine.”

“I know it is. I’m just telling you because I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about me. A lot of people think they know me, but they don’t.”

I’d always been good at reading people. I don’t know if it was a skill I was born with or one I’d developed trying to keep the peace at home, but I was good at it. During college, I’d cleaned up in an underground poker ring on campus. My winning streak in those weekly games had allowed me not to have to work a part-time job. I’d planned on using that skill as an investigativejournalist, but my career path had taken me to an unexpected destination.

I watched as Harlan bit the corner of the wrapper with his teeth and then made quick work of rolling it on. My eyes were fixated on his large hand as he slid the protection down his impressive girth. His hands were ginormous, and yet, in comparison to his erection, they didn’t look it. I’d seen it before, but this was the first time, I wasreallylooking at it and not admiring his entire body.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he questioned. “We can stop.”

I lifted my gaze to meet his, and I realized he must have seen my trepidation.

“No.” I shook my head. “I mean, yes, I want to do this.”

To be honest, I felt a little lightheaded with anticipation. I wasn’t sure what had gotten into me. Or where this walk on the wild side was coming from. I’d never had a one-night stand before in my life. I’d always had long-term boyfriends and then Kale, who was basically a long-term situationship.

This was the first time I’d be having sex with someone I knew wasn’t going to be in my life. The thought of that made me sad. Not the sex part, the not seeing Harlan again. But it also made me feel even more desperate to make the most of the time we had together.

Which probably contributed to making this encounter that much hotter.

He laid down next to me on his side, so he was facing me. I watched as he placed his hand on my thigh just above my knee, then slowly, sensually slid it up my thigh. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers dipped between my legs and ran up and down my opening.

“I want to make sure you’re ready. Nice and wet for me.”

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