Page 100 of Fundamentals in Flirting

Right, well thank the actual fuck for that.

We stared at each other, and I began to unwind, my body thrumming with a different intensity now. Anxiety and humiliation slid away to be replaced by a swirling maelstrom of desire and something else, something wholesome and fulfilling, that wrapped around the spiky bits, softening the barbs almost unrecognisably.

I brushed away the single, static tear that decorated the corner of my eye and with a wobbly smile I said, “Unequivocally unashamedly?”

“I am completely unequivocal about my unashamed loving of you, Dr Hannah Havens.”

“Mmmm-hmmm.”

“Do you unequivocally and unashamedly love me in return?”

“Undoubtably.”

“Thank fuck for that.” Blowing out a long breath, Teddy ran his hands over his face. His arms flexed as he leant backwards. “But…”

Ah yes, there’s always a but.

“But?”

“But I don’t want to be the one to stop you following your dreams. I don’t want you to commit to something with me and give up your chance of the research career you deserve.”

He was being sincere, willing to walk away so that I could be the best I could be. “Who told you?”

“Clara.”

“Let’s see what happens after the interview. Bristol isn’t a million miles away, and I’m not even sure if I want the job, even if they do offer it to me.”

Getting up from my seat, I padded over to him, only stopping when we were almost touching. When he moved to close the gap, I placed my hand in the centre of his chest and pushed firmly. A little huff of air escaped his lips as he hit the door behind him with a thump.

“But before we go any further, let’s get something straight here, Edward Fraser.” He gulped, his eyes widening in shock. “I promise not to get those emasculators out, if you promise never, ever to mess me around. Deal?” He nodded. “Then we’re good. Now, let’s get to thenicestuff, shall we?”

And I finally did what I had been dying to do since that very first kiss fifteen years ago. I pressed my body firmly against his and ravaged his mouth like a porn star possessed.

ChapterThirty

There was nothing sweet about this kiss. It was all grasping hands and hot, wet mouths, frantic teeth and tongues, and it left me breathless and gasping. It was fraught and messy, and bordering on violent. It was chaos and carnage, yet it seemed to calm and soothe me at the same time. And Teddy met me every step of the way, pushing and moaning against my lips, his hands reaching down and firmly gripping my backside, hoisting me off the ground.

Wrapping my legs around his waist, I held on with a monkey-like death grip, roughly ripping open his shirt, popping a few buttons clean off. I pushed it down his arms and feasted on the skin of his neck and shoulder, sucking and licking and biting.

Was it wrong that I wanted to devour him? That the feel of his pulse hammering under my tongue, his breathing quick and erratic in my ear, were the hottest things I’d ever experienced? Or that I was acting like a rabid badger in heat and running on pure instinct? I had never in my life wanted to actually climb inside someone else’s skin, but in this moment I couldn’t physically get close enough to Teddy.

“Shit, Hannah. Is this your porn star A game? Fuck!”

I huffed a laugh against his throat, fascinated as his Adam’s apple dipped and bobbed.

“Yeah, who’d have thought someone like me could kiss like this, Ted?”

“Oh, I always knew you’d kiss like this, Hannah. And I’ve thought about it a lot.” He paused to nibble my ear. “Mmmm, this is so fuckingnice.”

“Nice, huh? You’ve not seen anything yet, sunshine,” I replied, burying my hands in his hair and tilting his head backwards, running my tongue over his chin and along the seam of his lips.

“Fuck me,” he groaned.

“I fully intend to.”

Sliding back down his body and out of his grip, I prised his shirt off over his hands and stood back to admire him. He was beautiful, as I’d imagined he would be. Chiselled and firm, and quite hairy, which I was definitely down with.

“You’re looking at my chest like you might be having me for dinner.”

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