Page 51 of Just This Once

Whip eyed me carefully as if he was measuring his words. Our relationship had been contentious at best, and I was his boss’s daughter, directly asking him about his work.

Finally, he answered. “I wanted to become an EMT.”

When I looked at him with hopeful eyes, urging him to continue, he crossed his bare feet and settled in. “I was on this snowboarding trip my senior year of college when I split from the group to try a side of the mountain I’d never boarded. It was risky, going alone, but I didn’t care.”

Whip’s eyes stared into the rain as if he was lost in thought, recalling that day. “It was an epic run. The snow was fresh and deep in the backcountry. I was cruising through these narrow clumps of trees when something caught my eye. I stopped and looked back, and my stomach dropped when I realized it was the blue tip of a snowboard peeking out from the snow.”

“Holy shit.” My eyes were wide as I inched forward, entranced by his story.

“Yeah. It was bad. I knew in my gut someone was likely buried in the snow, but I had no idea how long they’d been there. I was pretty convinced I was about to uncover a dead body. Myheart was pounding. I had a hard time moving through the deep snow, but I went as fast as I could, using my board to pull me forward. When I got to him, I just started digging.”

My fingers pressed to my lips. “Was he dead?”

He shook his head. “Shockingly, no. I cleared snow from his mouth and nose, and he was conscious. Alive and alert. His friends had been radioing him on a walkie-talkie, but his arms were pinned by the snow. He’d fallen into a tree well, and the more he moved, the harder the snow packed around him.”

“You saved his life.” An ache in my chest bloomed.Whip really is a hero.

“Yeah, I did. But he saved mine, too, in a way. After we got him down off the mountain and my pulse went back to normal, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I finished business school just to have the degree and appease my father, but then I turned around and figured out how to become an EMT.”

I shook my head and smiled softly at my lap.

“What’s funny?”

I shifted to look at him. Something was changing between us, and while I didn’t know exactly what to do about it, I liked it. “It’s just a great story. Full of danger and adventure and a really happy ending.”

I sighed, closed my eyes, and rested against the back window of the truck. I could still feel his eyes studying my face, so I peeked at him from under one lash before closing it again. “My life is not dangerous or adventurous, and based on how things have been going? I’m not sure if I will eventually get that happy ending.” Embarrassed that I’d phrased things that way, I turned my head and smiled at him.

He lifted a shoulder. “The night’s still young.” A smile eased across his face. “Maybe after another orgasm or two, you’ll think differently about it.”

He leaned in, crowding my space. His lips were surprisingly soft and gentle as he peppered kisses at the corners of my mouth. My body hummed to life.

I pressed my hand against his chest. “What are we doing, Whip?”

His eyes searched mine, and he frowned. “Is this theWhat are we?talk?”

“No.” I playfully pushed him. “Yes? Not really. It’s theHow do we keep doing this without ruining both our lives?talk.”

He bit back a grin. “So you want to keep doing this?”

I shot him a plain look and then filled my lungs before putting on an air of nonchalance. “I mean... you’re notterriblein bed.” I shrugged. “I guess we could keep doing it.”

He grinned and inched closer. “Oh, I’m not terrible? Is that right?”

I pressed my back into the cab of the truck, easing away. “I’ve had worse.” Laughter threatened to spill out of me, but I reined it in.

His brows shot up. “You’ve had worse?” His fingers pressed into my sides, tickling me as he pulled me closer. A delighted shriek burst out of me, and I crumpled to the truck bed in a fit of giggles.

“Stop! No tickling! That’s cheating!” I could barely breathe, I was giggling so hard.

His teasing laughter folded over me, wrapping me in warmth as his body covered mine. “Say it.” His fingers danced over my ribs. “Say you think my dick is pretty.”

The ridiculousness of his request sent me over the edge into a full-blown fit of raucous laughter. Tears pricked my eyes as I lost it. Trying to regain composure, I squirmed beneath him, feeling his cock thicken between us.

“Fine!” I shouted into the air. “You’re better than average.”

Whip maneuvered me under him, pinning me down with his hips. “You’re a brat.”

I rolled my lips together, defiance flashing in my eyes. When he motioned to tickle me again, I held up my hands. “I love your dick!”

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