Page 73 of Mr. Broody

I nod.

“Say it please.” He tightens his arms and presses his lips to my temple.

“Yes,” I answer. “I’ll date you.”

“Jade, you just made my early morning worth it.”

My heart shouldn’t soar, but it floats, ready to take flight right back into Henry’s hands. I tether it back down. We’re not there yet. I still love him, but those words are for another time. We need to see what this can be.

“I’ll have Kyleigh bring Bodhi to the arena. Your ticket will be at Will Call.”

“Wait. What are you talking about?” I circle around to face him, but neither of us inch apart.

That cocky smile creases his beautiful face. “You owe me a game with Bodhi, but that’s not our date. Tuesday night. Sorry it’s midweek, but I’m not waiting until I have a free Friday or Saturday.”

“You work fast, and you’re just assuming I don’t have plans.”

He steps closer, his arms around my waist. “Do you?”

I shake my head.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow night?”

“This isn’t first date touching.”

He shrugs, and our eyes lock. I wait for him to bend his head, to kiss me under the stars on our old playground. What would those two seven-year-olds think of us now—other than that we’re gross?

“Tell me yes.”

“I already did,” I whisper.

“No.” He shakes his head, his blue eyes glowing under the moon. “Put me out of my misery.”

“I like this begging thing.”

“Jade,” he says with the last ounce of his willpower.

I nod, and his head bends down, his lips meeting mine, and oh shit, my body melts. They feel so warm, so perfect. He wastes no time, licking the seam of my mouth until I open. Then he slides his tongue through my parted lips, and I moan.

His arm tightens around my back, one hand gliding up and cupping the back of my head. I lose myself in the kiss, my stomach fluttering, my body heating even in the cool air. Everything about it is familiar but not at the same time.

How have I not experienced this… him, in three years.

His lips travel to cast kisses along my jaw, and I miss them on mine immediately.

“We should stop. Tell me to stop,” he says softly, not stopping at all, and I’m not about to tell him to. “I shouldn’t have tempted myself.”

His lips remain on me, and one hand moves under the back of my sweatshirt, his cool fingers sliding along my flesh. He runs his hand up my back then down, his fingers tracing the edge of my flannel pajama pants. Capturing my lips again, he thrusts his tongue inside with more urgency now. My fingers grip the back of his sweatshirt, just wanting to feel his skin against mine.

Just as I think we might actually end up dropping to the ground and rolling around on the playground, a light shines on us, and we pull apart.

“Shit,” Henry says. His lips are swollen and pink, and I love that it was me who made him so desperate.

“What are you two doing? This is private property.”

The cops. Of course it’s the cops.

“Sorry,” I mumble as we walk over, my face on fire.

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