Page 9 of Good Girl and Grinches

“Calm down.” Ruckus holds up his hands. “Let’s just go in there, start with the easy stuff on her list. No need to jump straight to sex… and that’s exactly why I should do it.”

“But I lead.” I release Flame’s arm as we laugh at Ruckus’ point.

Sabrina pokes her head out. “Are you coming in or what? The viewing window’s getting crowded.”

Fuck. I glance over to see several men and a few couples gathering. Great. An audience for my first time… if I can convince my two brothers to back off.

I step in front of Sabrina, wrapping my arms around her waist. Her light hazel eyes meet mine, flickering with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. I pull her a touch closer to convey a sense of intimacy. It’s not just about ticking a box on her list; I want to claim and protect her.

Her lips part slightly, and I can’t help but notice the way her breath hitches. She’s notunaffected, and neither am I. Myheart is about to break out of my chest, and my cock thickens uncomfortably.

Fuck, this is hitting me harder than I expected. I lean in, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. She makes a soft sound. A moan? I pull back just enough to stare into her eyes again.

Time seems to slow as we stand there, locked in each other’s gaze. My cock is rock hard, straining against my zipper. There’s no way she can’t notice, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, her cheeks flush a delicate pink, and her tongue darts out to wet her lips.

“I guess we can check that off the list.” Her voice wavers.

“I’m willing to do it again to make sure it was good enough.”

“Oh, it was. You made it feel real.”

I tug her into my waist. “Who said it wasn’t?”

Her shoulders bunch. “I’m not complaining, but I understand we’re doing this for the auction.”

“Is that what you want?”

She nods, but I’m not convinced. We have all night to figure this out, so I proceed with her list.

I’m about to whisper sweet nothings into her ear and trail kisses down her neck, when Flame steps behind us. He leans in close to Sabrina’s ear. “Your list escalates pretty quickly,” he says, his voice low and husky, “I’m ready to give you everything on it plus long walks on the beach at sunset, romcom marathons, and whatever else makes you happy.”

Damn him.

Movement beyond the viewing window catches my attention. It’s Ty.

Six

Sabrina

Sandwiched between Ghost and Flame, I swear my body has caught fire. The wetness between my legs is a futile attempt to douse the flames. What is happening? And the way Ruckus is watching, extra hot! His eyes, usually so kind, now burn with an intensity that ignites something inside of me.

Ghost leans to the opposite ear, his breath hot on my skin. “We have all night, Sabrina. The blizzard isn’t letting us go anywhere. How about those full-body caresses? A massage?”

“I’d like that, but I’ll need help with the zipper.” I motion over my shoulder.

“Leave your clothes on.” He guides me to the bed.

What? My feet drag. “Is this a stepwise thing? Massage with clothes on, then get naked?”

Ghost nods toward the window. Ty. Flame excuses himself and leaves the room. My hands get clammy until he turns the opposite direction from where Ty is. I thought he was going to start something.

The icky feeling takes up residence in my stomach. “Oh, does that mean we’re not going to… um… you know… finish the checklist? The contract?”

Ruckus says, “I can’t imagine Ty will let us get out of here without upholding the contract.”

I’m confused. “You think he’d force the issue of us having sex?”

Ghost says, “You can’t think rationally when dealing with people like him. He wants to be in control—whatever twisted form it takes.”

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