Page 71 of Playing Flirty

She undid the top two buttons on the blood-red shirtdress she wore and loosened the belt. “Well, I wanted to check on you. I thought you’d be here alone.” She glanced at William. “Didn’t realize you were going to stay.”

“We had game things to discuss,” I fired out.

Her eyebrows popped up, but her eyes narrowed again. “Okay, if you say so. Anyway, my day is pretty empty, and I wanted to take a moment to start going through the RSVPs. But I can do that in my bedroom. So…” She waved her hands between us. “… continue.”

William shrugged. “It’s okay. I should get going.” Turning to me again, his lip quirked up on one side in a suggestive half smile. “I think if I stick around, Rose’ll explode. I’ve given her plenty to think about.”

Biting my tongue, I managed a polite and sincere, “Thanks for bringing me home.”

His smile was as sweet as sugar, but the wink that followed was full of mischief.

“When are you going to present her game?” Neema asked him, while setting up her laptop.

“In a week!” I walked William to the front door. “I’d like to run through the game once more.”

“Maybe we should play it at game night,” she suggested.

William and I nodded, and I realized I didn’t want him to leave.

“Give me your keys,” I said to Neema. “I’ll pull your car into your spot once William leaves.”

“Oh, awesome.” She tossed her keys at me. “It’s in Tilly’s spot.”

Dangling her keys between my fingers, I followed William down to the parking garage in silence as my thoughts raced through good things, bad things, and scary things. It was fast becoming hard to control anything around me.

William’s fingers weaved through mine as we entered the parking area. He didn’t say anything, but it was enough to slow my thoughts.

I tried to think of what I’d say when we reached his car, but before I could come up with anything, he pushed me against the driver’s side door, his mouth claiming mine.

Too soon, he broke the kiss and swiped his thumb over his bottom lip. “I’ll see you soon.”

William’s “soon” would never be soon enough.

I was so flustered by the time he left that I’d made it up an entire flight of stairs before I realized I hadn’t moved Neema’s car.

This man was all-consuming.

Later that evening, I lay in bed and stared at my ceiling while thinking about William. Everything about William.

Frustrated, and almost angry, I turned onto my stomach and shoved my face against the pillow, willing myself into a dreamless sleep.

But my mind had other plans.

And maybe it was because of the emotional day I’d had, maybe it was because of the thoughts I’d had before bed, but he snuck into my dreams.

A thrill ran through me, and my body tingled while he kissed me, touched me, held me, gripped me. I dreamed of his mouth and that tongue—that stupid tongue he used to lick his pouty lips.

Those lips.

My eyes flung open a moment too soon.

Round 24

Good morning, Rose,” Mr. Markham greeted me as I entered the office kitchen. His eyes traveled down my body, but he said nothing else and left immediately after.

Still, I recoiled.

I had awoken wanting to feel sexy, which resulted in me wearing a little black dress I hadn’t worn since Neema hosted a Spice Girls–themed party. Now, after Mr. Markham’s eyes were on me, I regretted it. Never mind wanting to rip off the dress, I wanted to rip off my skin so he’d have nothing to look at.

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