Page 64 of Sin Bin

Mouth lifting in a small smile, she says, “Language. There’re kidsaround.”

“What I want to do to you involves a lot oflanguage.”

Her brow arches. “And otherstuff?”

“Hell, yes, and otherstuff.”

With her hair fanned out around her head, she’s got to be cold on top of the ice. But all she does is watch me, touch the tip of her tongue to her bottom lip. I nearly come just at that. My body roars to life, demanding,wanting.

“As friends?” she asks. “Are we doing this as friends . . . withbenefits?”

No. Being friends with her isn’t enough, not for me. I feel like a starving man, willing to take whatever scraps she can give me. It’s more than just the sex, though I want that too with her. I need . . . Fuck, what I want and need are two different things. I need her friendship, her smile, the way she looks at me as though she’s the only person who can read me, the only person who truly cares to. But if friends with benefits is what it will take to warm her up to the thought of being with me—reallybeing with me—then that’s fine. I’ll roll with it . . . for now. After everything, I don’t want to spook her and send her running in the opposite direction when our relationship is already so fragile. “Yeah,” I tell her slowly, “if that’s whatyouwant.”

For a moment, she doesn’t say anything. Just flicks her gaze away. Then, “Not here. I don’t want . . . I don’t want to do a repeat oflasttime.”

I know what she means immediately. We aren’t going to have sex again where someone could find us. That I agree onfully.

“After the event. I’ll take you home,andI’ll—”

Her eyes narrow playfully. “Language,Andre.”

“Fine, fine.” I pull back, my hands going to hers so that I can help her into a sitting position. “But the minute I have you alone,you’remine.”

I just wish it could be for longer than a singlenight.

I never thought I’d say this, but friends with benefits just isn’t enough for me.Take it slow,I warn myself,takeitslow.

There’s the root of the problem, though—at the end of the day, “slow” isn’t a word in my vocabulary. But to have Zoe as mine? It’s time to leave my impulsiveness at the door. I don’t have another choice if I want her to look at me as anything more than a coldheartedasshole.

ChapterNineteen

ZOE

I’d liketo say that Andre and I are classy people when we leave the rink after the event. That we wave politely to people, and say our good-byes like normalhumans.

Yeah, that’s not whathappens.

We hightail it to our cars, only pausing when Andre grunts, “We’ll take mine. I’ll bring you backtomorrow.”

In surprise, I glance at him. “I’m spending thenight?”

His laugh is low and husky and so many kinds of sexy. “I don’t plan to let you leavethebed.”

“The whole time?” I ask. “Don’t you think we might want some food at somepoint?”

“Fine. Food, but that’s it. Rule has been made.” He swats my butt, and, for effect, I give a good little squeak. Andre rewards me with pushing me back against his car, his big body concealing mine from anyspectators.

“I need to kiss you,” he growls, his hands coming to rest below my breasts. “I’ve needed to kiss you for agoddamnyear.”

If he realizes what he’s said, he doesn’t give more information. And I’m too caught up inhim, the him that’s pinning me to a car, the him that is dragging his lips up my neck, to worry that he may have meantsomethingelse.

His lips finally claim mine, soft and coaxing. The opposite of that first, fiery kiss in a darkened bar hallway after a few rounds of drinks a year ago.Thatkiss was steamy and panty-dropping in its harshness.Thiskiss is heart-wrenching, like Andre is determined to pour every ounce of unnamed emotion intothekiss.

“God, I’ve missed this,” he utters against my lips, sipping at the bottom one until I give in, opening, inviting, warming to the feel of his familiar muscular body under my hands. “I’vemissedyou.”

I tear away from his lips to crack, “You certainly haven’t acted like it. You said this was abadidea.”

“Itisa bad idea.” His hand snakes up to my breast, squeezing the sensitive flesh over the fabric of my shirt. “It’s a bad idea,” he repeats, “and you should stop merightnow.”

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