Page 34 of The Friend

But it didn’t affect her half as much as the way he said her first name, with tenderness, in comparison to his usual teasing ‘Weiss’.

She broke the kiss to cradle his face and stare into his eyes, hoping he could read how important this was to her. “I want you,”

There was no turning back now.

He scanned her face as if seeking reassurance and she smiled as she slid her hands into his hair, tugging him towards her.

“Now.”

His answering grin lit up his face, making her heart flip-flop more than ever. “How can I refuse an order like that?”

“You can’t,” she said, surging upwards to plaster herself against his body, her hands sliding down his torso, frantically tearing at his shorts, desperate to feel all of him.

“Let me help you with that.” He slipped the shorts down his legs and tossed them over his shoulder, where they landed on the fancy chrome lamp by the bedside.

They laughed and Abby could hardly believe how special this was. She’d had sex with previous boyfriends and it had been fun, but nothing like this extraordinary feeling of being totally in sync with someone, completely at ease despite the enormity of what they were about to do.

Sex could be great, but it could also be awkward, stilted, and a purely physical act, yet sharing a laugh with her best friend who was about to rock her world made it all the more momentous.

“Better take that off before it burns,” she said, itching to close the short gap between them and rub her breasts against his chest.

His grinned and slipped a finger under the elastic of her bikini bottoms. “You talking about this?”

“Your shorts off the lamp, wise guy.”

She rolled her eyes, her laughter fading as he slid his finger along her hip before withdrawing. Her breath hitched as he moved away from her to grab the board shorts, giving her ample opportunity to study the breadth of his shoulders, the smooth, tanned expanse of skin, and the shift of muscles beneath the surface.

Gorgeous, and having permission to explore his body was something she’d never dreamed possible.

Until now.

“All fire hazards taken care of. Now, where were we?”

“Right about here,” she said, taking hold of his hand and guiding him back to her bikini bottoms while leaning forward and brushing her breasts across his chest. “As for fire hazards, I don’t know about you, but I’m burning all over.”

“Same here,” he murmured, yanking the bottoms down in one smooth movement, his hand grazing her and sending her into meltdown as she arched towards him.

“Wow.” His reverent whisper thrilled her as he stared at her, his fingers trailing up her thighs with torturous patience, inching higher and higher at a snail’s pace, making her grit her teeth with the erotic torment of it.

As he shifted his gaze upwards, lingering on her bare breasts before shifting to her mouth, she tingled all over like he’d touched her on each and every one of those sensitive spots.

They locked gazes and her breath caught at the depth of desire in his eyes. She wanted him so badly and it looked like the feeling was entirely mutual.

“Judd?”

His penetrating stare hadn’t flickered, and she hoped he wasn’t having second thoughts. She’d moved way past that stage, around the time he first touched her bare skin.

“I’m just admiring the view,” he said. “It’s the photographer in me.”

She smiled and crooked her finger at him. “This model appreciates the sentiment but she’s done working for the day. It’s play time now.”

Chapter Fourteen

Judd didn’t need to be asked twice.

He’d wanted to devour Abby ever since their impromptu roll in the surf. He’d been so close to losing it, so damn horny he couldn’t think straight let alone hold back, and now, with her lying naked in front of him, responding to him, touching him, he could hardly believe his luck.

“I’m all for play,” he said, his fingers continuing the leisurely exploration of her thighs, toying with her as he touched her slick heat, loving how her blue eyes turned midnight with need as he eased a finger inside.

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