Page 38 of Take What You Want

“You’ll do no such thing,” I snap, grabbing her wrist to stop her from leaving.

“You don’t tell me what to do.”

“You’re not going to Reid.”

I love him, but the idea of his hands on her, his mouth capturing hers—a red flash courses through me, and I squeeze her wrist in warning.

“Do you think he’d do it better than me?” I rasp, watching goosebumps erupt on her exposed arm. “Is he who you really want?”

She looks like she’s going to argue for argument's sake, but then thinks better of it as my thumb brushes soft circles on her wrist. She tracks the movement, her breathing picking up with the simple touch.

“No,” she admits quietly, but it thunders through my ears like a war drum.

“You’re damn right about that.”

“Are you going to prove it, then?” She steps closer, so close our chests are almost brushing, and without her heels on, for the first time, I need to lower my eyes to match hers. But she doesn’t close that final inch. As if waiting for me to be the one to do that.

I clench my jaw, my resolve crumbling the longer we stand here, and I watch her every move and every word slip from between those lips. “I just don’t want you to regret it,” I say, in a last-ditch effort.

“Are you sure you aren’t projecting that onto me?”

I cup her face and push her against the edge of my desk. She lets out a small gasp as my body presses into hers, pinning her in place.

“I don’t have regrets, Jane. They’re a waste of time. If we do this, you won’t have to worry about that with me.”

Yes, I don’t like the idea of having a secret from my best friend. He’d kill me if he found I crossed this line with his sister.

Besides the twins’ promise to each other, we’ve our own too. Never let a girl come between the band. And if he finds out that the two of us went behind his back when he’s put his entire trust into us both, it’s not going to end well for anyone.

But right now, staring at the blush on Jane’s cheeks and the way her pale skin glows underneath the soft hue of the night sky, I don’t care.

I just don’t care.

Her heart beats against mine, lulling me into her rhythm and pulling me further into her orbit.

“Just for tonight,” I say. That’s all this can be.

Jane nods, lips parted. “Just for tonight. A friend helping out a friend.”

“A friend helping out a friend,” I repeat, looking at her lips as her tongue darts out to wet them. “Fuck it.”

I crash my mouth to hers, eating up the gasp she lets out. She parts her lips, and I snake my tongue between her, groaning at her taste.

She’s tentative, exploring, as she kisses me back. Her body melts against me, and I tangle my fingers in her hair, deepening everything. She grabs my hips, and her palms are warm through my shirt.

I break the kiss, trailing my lips across her jaw and to her ear, nibbling and teasing. She moans softly, and I smile against her at the delicate sound.

Needing to be closer to her, I find the hem of her sweatshirt and rip it over her head.

“Fuck me,” I groan, taking in the spectacular sight. Her breasts are spilling out of a light pink bra.

Jane brings her arms up and wraps them around her stomach as I stand there, drinking her in. I grip her wrists and uncross them, putting them back at her sides. She starts to protest, but I cut her off.

“Don’t do that with me,” I rasp. “Don’t hide from me.”

She chews on the inside of her cheek and looks at her feet.

I grab her chin and raise her head. “Hey, chin up. You don’t ever dip that down again, got it?”

---