Page 90 of Brazen Mistakes

We stay close, both of us vibrating with want, the point where our knees touch charged.

Across the room, our phones buzz, breaking the spell.

RJ pops up and grabs our phones. “Not Bryce. You’re going to your dress fitting after we’re done here. Walker will bring you. Apparently, they’ve voted on buddy travel until we deal with Bryce, as his last threat included us as well.”

“Never be alone,” I recite, and RJ flashes me a grin as he responds to the text.

“Exactly.” He tosses the phones back down, coming across to pull me to my feet. “Now onto the fun stuff.”

“It turns out I kind of like the fun stuff. Or at least, it feels nice to punch shit sometimes.”

RJ’s hearty laugh makes me want to get right back to finger licking…and maybe other licking as well. My thoughts must show on my face because RJ’s smile morphs into something sinful as he takes two steps back. “None of that. Not yet.”

“Are you sure? Maybe just a little break?” I ask, following him, not wanting the distance between us to grow any larger.

His grin stretches wider. “I’m supposed to be the predator here, sugar, not you.”

“You should always experience both sides of a new skill, don’t you think?”

His laugh is even louder as he catches my wrists and pulls me flush to him. “Tempting. But safety first.”

“Fun after?” I pout.

His lips meet mine and it’s everything I’ve wanted all morning. Warm, comfortable, with an edge of the unknown and a nearly unbearable want.

I want RJ.

And it’s pretty obvious that he wants me too.

Before things escalate, he pulls back, his eyes already hooded. “Nope. No. Not yet.” He separates from me, shaking out his arms and taking deep breaths, and I can’t help but laugh.

“That bad?”

“That good.” He shakes his head and jumps, muttering “no” to himself, his braids flipping across his face. “Nope. Back at it. I’m going to come at you. What are you going to do?”

“Kiss you?”

“Clara.”

“Fine. Run?”

“Try it.” Without warning, he sprints at me, and I spin, dashing to the corner, my heart racing for a different reason. Once there, I find out that while keeping my back to a corner is great when I’m worried about being snuck up on, it’s terrible for running away.

I hold my arms up like Trips taught me, the only fighting I know how to do flashing to the front of my mind.

RJ skids to a stop in front of me. “Okay, now that I’m this close, what do you do?”

“Punch you?”

“No. We’re doing the basics here. Yell. Scream. Anything that might make people come running. Help, fire, rape, no, leave me alone, get away from me, police, any of those should work. And keep your hands up like you have them. Space between you and your attacker is key. Things get much harder once they have a hand on you. Try it.”

“Yell?”

“Yup.”

“What if someone comes running?”

“Then you’re doing it right. Now yell.”

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