Page 58 of Playing Flirty

Neema turned to him. “What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling sick again?”

“A little.” He stood before making his way to the balcony.

I wanted to join him, but Neema bounced from the couch she was on to mine. “So, coffee? I’ll set it up for after work one evening.”

“Uh…”

“It’s just coffee. Unless there’s another reason stopping you that I don’t know about?” I couldn’t tell if I was imagining it, but there was a knowing tone to her voice.

“Coffee’s fine.” Panicking, I stood, needing to be near William. Immediately.

Out on the balcony, William leaned over the rail. All the color and mischief that had been missing from his face yesterday returned in full force. He glanced at me with eyes alight with thatdesireI lived for.

I slid myself between him and the rail, enjoying the way he reacted to me. He lowered his head and kissed my neck, taking my breath away. I allowed it, giving in to the way he made me feel. How I burned for him. How I’d imagined him doing this.

Goose bumps popped out over my arms. I was definitely not imagining this.

His tongue traced my earlobe.

“I want you,” I whimpered.

Clearly disagreeing with me, my brain set off alarms, but my body ignored it.

William’s eyebrow arched, and I bit my lip as he cradled my face in one hand. I shuddered with anticipation.

Did he not hear me? I was ready. I wanted it. I couldn’t want it more if I tried.

He kissed me again, setting every part of me alight. “Not yet.”

“Why?” I trembled as though I may explode. “I need it.”

“Not yet. It’s not the right time.”

I wanted to question him further, to figure out what that meant, but his lips pressed against the curve of my ear. “And,Rose, when we do reach that round, I’m going to need a lot more than these stolen seconds with you.”

My breath hitched.

He took a few steps back and gazed at the sky overhead as he released a long, slow breath. “Besides, what about Wade?”

“Neema was suspicious, so I had to agree to meet him for a coffee. But she’s coming along, and she’ll see I’m not interested.”

William shrugged and pinched his lips up on one side. “You didn’thaveto do anything.” He glanced at me sideways. “What makes you so sure you won’t be interested?”

“I’m very one-track-minded.” I smiled.

His face relaxed at my words. “Okay, but before your date—”

“It’s just coffee.”

“Before your coffee, I want to see you.” His lips curled into something devious, and his eyes held a hint of playful danger, daring me to agree.

And so I did.

Between work and my studies I was swamped, so my coffee with Wade was arranged about two weeks later on my first free evening. I left the office that evening with Shaun, which meant I could easily follow William’s request. I hadn’t stopped thinking about how he wanted to see me before my meeting with Wade, and my skin tingled at the thought of spending a few extra moments with him. He was up to something, which made it even more exciting.

“Hello!” I called out my arrival, my gaze scanning the living area for William but only finding Neema on the couch.

Neema, who looked stunning at all times of the day because her job required it, looked me up and down, her eyes narrowing at my choice of outfit. “I will never understand how you get away with dressing the way you do.”

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