Page 57 of Solitude

She’s grinning at me, nose scrunching as she looks up at me. “You’re an idiot.”

“But I’m your idiot, right?”Please just say yes.

She purses her lips and jumps onto her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck suddenly. I catch her, my arms automatically going around her waist. She brushes a piece of damp hair off my forehead and says, “Yeah. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding at her words, and I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest as I gaze down at her. Her honey colored eyes are bright and sparkling tonight, and I crush her closer to my chest in hopes to feel her heart racing against my own rapidly beating heart.

“Let’s get out of here.”

She swallows and nods, unlocking her arms from behind my neck then grabs my hand in her own as she pulls me along, and I realize I’d probably follow her anywhere.

Something is different between Winnie and me tonight.

Even though I could feel it in the air between us, supercharged and shocking as we drove back to my townhouse, I wasn’t fully convinced Winnie felt it, too.

Needless to say, I am one hundred percent sure Winnie feels the tension between us now as she launches herself at me as soon as I shut the front door. I’d planned to ask her if she was hungry or thirsty because I’m a gentleman.

Now she’s wrapping herself around me like a fucking koala bear, and I’m so caught off guard that I don’t respond for half a second before kicking myself into gear. Her arms are locked around my neck, hands in my hair as she yanks on the strands to guide my mouth to hers. She squeezes her legs around my waist as she thrusts her tongue into my mouth, no preamble or easing into it.

She’s just taking, and I’m more than happy to give.

My hands land on her ass, kneading her flesh through her shorts as I spin around and push her back against the wall. She grunts into my mouth, and I swallow it, my tongue darting into her mouth as she tries her damnedest to pull me closer like I’m not already close to crushing her against the sheetrock.

“Winnie, baby…”

She grabs a handful of my hair and jerks my head back, licking over my throat, and I groan, a litany of curses leaving my mouth as I walk us toward the stairs. The thought of climbing an entire flight of stairs right now feels like a true test from the universe.

By some miracle, my feet move, determination coursing throughout my body as I realize I’m going to have this beautiful woman one way or the other. It takes entirely longer than it should to make it to the landing at the top because Winnie refuses to stop rubbing and teasing and sucking every piece of exposed skin within her reach.

Her hands, hot and soft, dip beneath the collar of my dress shirt before finding their way back into my hair. Every time she lets out a frustrated huff, a sound so small I don’t think she even knows she’s making it, I lose focus and push her back against the wall like a neanderthal.

Like I said…

Test from the universe.

By the time I shove the door open with my foot, we’re toppling inside in a mess of limbs and laughter. Winnie’s wild hair smacks me in the face as she drops her feet to the floor and jumps onto my bed, making herself right at home in my sheets, twisting her fingers in my comforter with a grin on her pretty face.

God, she’s beautiful.

I stare at her, blinking slowly, as all the pieces begin to slot together inside my brain. Winnie Carmichael, my next-door neighbor, the girl who once upon a time would run away anytime I glanced her way, flew to Texas to watch me play in one of my best games of the season. Winnie Carmichael, the best and most unexpected thing in my life, is lying in my bed with sparkling eyes and a smile so bright and happy it makes my chest hurt.

“What?” She asks, sitting up. Her smile fades as she wipes at her cheeks. “Do I have something on my face?”

Shaking my head, I step closer and crawl onto the bed, sitting on my knees in front of her.

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m speechless. Reduced to revenant stares by your presence.”

“You don’t seem to be too speechless right now,” she points out softly, and my eyes dip to her mouth. Her lips part, and her warm breath coasts over my skin as she lifts her eyes to mine.

Sitting back on my heels, I lift my hands to cup her face, angling her head just right so I can lean down. Her eyes flutter closed as I brush my lips over hers. I can feel her eyelashes flickering against my skin, and I pull away to study her, document all the ways she’s absolute putty in my hands right now.

“Beck…” she whispers, blinking her eyes open. “Are you going to touch me?”

I swallow. “I’m touching you right now. I’ve been touching you. Can’t keep my hands off of you actually.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

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