Page 10 of Faking it With the Player Next Door

I strode to stand in front of the chair, holding her gaze the entire time. Her green eyes sparkled in the evening sunlight, and I felt my mouth grow dry. Absent-mindedly, I popped open my beer and swallowed half the contents.

“Uhm,” she murmured. “Have a seat and let me have a look at your arm.” She stepped back from the chair and held out a hand for me.

“You don’t have to,” I whispered. “It’s fine.”

“Not from where I was sitting,” she tilted her head. “Seemed to be kind of painful.”

“It has its moments,” I nodded.

“Then sit,” she patted the back of the chair, and I circled the table.

Placing the beer bottle on the table in front of me, I sat in the chair. As soon as I inhaled, I picked up on a light floral and sweet scent and knew it was Taylor—either her shampoo, a spritz of light perfume, or, my personal preference, her natural essence.

“What’s the goofy grin all about?” Taylor furrowed her forehead.

“Just nice to have you back home,” I admitted.

“Yeah, it is nice to be back here,” she grinned. “I always swore I’d never come back, but here I am…”

“Here you are,” I whispered.

“So…” She murmured. “Where’s it hurt?” She sidestepped to stand beside me.

“Huh?’ I frowned.

“Your arm,” she shook her head. “Where’s the pain the worst?”

“Oh, my arm,” I nodded. “Yeah, the elbow mainly.”

Taylor squatted down, and when her fingers slid over my skin, I shifted in the chair—just having her so close and touching me excited me.

“Sit still,” Taylor scolded. “Wow,” she murmured. “I didn’t realize how big your scar was.”

“I really have no idea,’ I replied. “Hard to see from my angle.”

“I suppose so,” she said. “What kind of pain are you experiencing?”

“Sharp jabbing along the incision, but it feels like it’s under my skin,” I replied. “Every so often a slow throbbing pain.”

“Seems typical after the surgery you had,” Taylor replied, glimpsing up at me. Her green eyes, with dark brown speckles spattered throughout the irises, were the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

“Uhm,” I reached for my beer, more for something to do than for being thirsty, and when I did that, I must’ve thrown Taylor off balance.

She tried to stand up but seemed to lose her footing from her squatting position, causing her arms to flail outwardly. I reached my arms out to catch her but instead of steadying her on her feet, she ended up on my lap.

My arms were wrapped around her waist, and her hands were splayed on my bicep and chest. Our faces were within inches of one another, and I could feel her warm breath as it wafted across my cheek.

“Sorry,” she murmured, licking her lips and our eyes held one another’s.

“I’m not,” I murmured.

“No…” She whispered, lowering her head and as soon as our lips met, I placed a hand behind her head and pulled her closer to me.

Taylor wrapped her arms around my neck, shifting on my lap and our kiss deepened. Her fingers opened, and she gentlyentwined them around my longer than usual curls. Moving my left hand, I cupped her chin and was just about to part our lips to say something when Hunter’s booming voice broke us up.

Chapter Five

Taylor

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