Page 10 of Between the Lines

There’s a thick outline through the fabric that I can’t look away from. The room isn’t warm. But it suddenly feels blazing hot, and I reach for my wine.

As if it will cool me down.

Aiden sits back down on his chair, arms draped along the armrests. Legs spread and his body on full display. “Your turn.”

“What do you want this time? If I lose?”

He shuffles the cards a little and then lets his hand hover over the top card. “I want to see the vibrator.”

The air feels thick, and I look down at his hand, fingers curled around the edges of the deck.

“All right.” I lean forward and revel in the way his gaze drops down to my bare chest. “Turn the card.”

It’s a three. I look at it for a long moment and then shrug lightly. “Lower.”

He chuckles. “I see how it is.”

He flips the card, and it’s an eight. Naturally.

“What a shame,” I say and rise from my seat. I can sense him watching me as I walk to my suitcase, and I feel like someone else, someone I rarely am. Nighttime Charlotte, who drinks wine and indulges in handsome men, and who travels from city to city. Who has no insecurities, no hang-ups. Who knows what she wants and takes what she deserves.

“Damn,” he mutters behind me.

I smile and rummage through my bag. The vibrator is in its usual silk bag, and I turn to find Aiden watching me.

“Catch.”

He does, easily, and pulls out the thick black vibrator. “Ah,” he says. “Interesting.”

“It’s watertight, so I could have used that instead of the showerhead.” I don’t return to my spot on the sofa. I sit down on the bed instead and lean back with my hands on the comforter.

Aiden turns the vibrator over in his hands. “It’s a good size, I think.”

“Are you an expert?”

“Mm-hmm. Of some things.” He looks from the vibrator to me. “How do you usually use it?”

A thread of nerves slithers through me. I don’t usually talk about this sort of thing with guys I sleep with. It’s never this drawn out, foreplay rarely consists of conversations like this.

“On my clit.”

He lifts an eyebrow, and the look he gives me is so full of heat that I have to swallow. “I see.” He reaches for the cards and flips up a jack. “I want to kiss you, Chaos. Higher or lower?”

“Lower,” I whisper.

It’s a queen. “Damn,” he says and rises from the chair. He feels big, standing when I’m seated, and another thread of nerves punches through me.

His hand brushes my cheek, coming to cup my face. His skin is warm and just a bit rough, and my eyes flutter closed. He waits another delicious moment and then he presses his lips to mine.

Shivers race through me at the faint touch. His lips are warm and taste like whiskey at first, and then just him.

I reach for him and rest my hands against his chest. His bare chest. Warm, firm skin against my fingers. I slide my hand up over his broad shoulders.

He groans against my mouth and then deepens the kiss. His free hand finds my own exposed skin, curving over my waist, and he kisses me like he could do it all night. Like it’s his favorite thing.

I’ve never been kissed like this before.

Heat floods through me with every touch of his lips. Makes me feel lightheaded and loose-limbed.

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