Page 65 of On the Line

I lick my lips, holding in a smirk before I answer. “From now on.” I reach back over and graze her leg with the back of my hand. Then my fingers brush her naked thigh, dangerously close to her sweet, perfect cunt. “No condoms.”

She lets out one single shocked laugh, but I don’t miss the subtle opening of her legs. “Okay,” she says, elongating the last part of the word for emphasis, clearly chewing on what I just said. Then she counters. “But, no condoms means no fucking anyone else.”

“I’m not fucking anyone else, princess,” I answer immediately. “Areyou?” I mean it as a flippant joke. God, I hope it's a joke.

“Me?” She laughs. “I’m not the one with the slutty reputation.”

Finally at her place, I park the car on the street, my hand still on her thigh. Her comment stings. The label never bothered me before, but hearing James describe me as just that makes me wonder if that’s all she sees me as. Someone who can get her off.

I sit with the feeling for only a split second and then shake it off. There’s not much I can do about that now. Turning toward her, I cradle her pussy with my palm for just a few seconds.

My voice turns deep, and slightly mocking. “I don’t remember you complaining about my slutty reputation before.”

Her eyes go wide, the tiniest of breath hitching in her throat.

I want to devour her whole.

Her blue eyes rove over my face, studying me until finally, she whispers, “Okay, deal.” And then adds, “But I don’t want anyone knowing about this at Orso.”

The sting returns, like salt in an open wound.

Does she not want to be seen with me?

I’m usually a fan of sneaking around but with James? All I want is the world to know that I’m with her. Although—our relationship clearly means a lot more to me than it does to her. Am I being delusional? Maybe. But if it allows me to spend time with her, then I’ll gladly stay delusional.

For a loaded moment, we stare at each other.

“Deal,” I finally say, holding my hand out for her to shake.

She does and then the car falls silent.

Leaning my arm over the steering wheel, I wait for her to say something.

“Are you …” She clears her throat. “Do you want to come in?”

“Can’t tonight,” I say as gently as possible. I avoid telling her I need to check up on my two younger siblings. Fun and casual doesn’t include my family bullshit.

She looks disappointed but composes herself quickly. “Okay. See you Monday maybe?”

I smile “See you Monday.”

She returns the smile. “Thanks for the ride,” she says, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before climbing out of the car.

“Anytime, baby.”

She waves goodbye and I give her one back. I stay parked until she enters her building and only then do I drive away. Visions of pink hair and blue eyes follow me all the way home.

26

OZZY

Two days later, I roll over in bed, my head throbbing with a hangover. Groaning, I push a palm into my eye and pat for my phone on the bedside table. Seeing the time, I curse under my breath. It’s almost noon. I didn’t plan on sleeping so late on my only day off.

I was hoping to see James today since it’s Monday.

She didn’t work last night, and I can’t pretend that I didn’t miss her. After work, I went out with Alec to a bar I can’t remember the name of and missed her even more after a few pints of cream ale. In the bar bathrooms, the red lights cloaked the space with a crimson hue. I couldn’t help but think it would make a nice backdrop for a picture, and after a few Fernet shots, my inhibitions were low enough that I ended up sending a far too serious selfie to James.

Now in the harsh glare of the morning sun, I’m nearly drowning with mortification at the thought. Although, it must not have been that embarrassing because despite it being late, James reciprocated with her own selfie, hers a lot more alluring than mine—nude from the waist up, her armbanded over her naked tits. I jerked off to it as soon as I stumbled back home.

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