Page 49 of The Game

“Will do.”

The door shuts behind them with a soft click and I turn to Cole, nibbling on my lower lip. “Maybe I should go back to the party. Find my other friends. I invited them, after all. Wouldn’t it be rude for me to just ditch them with all these strangers?”

He snorts. “They’re grown adults, Coffee Girl. I’m sure they can occupy themselves at a college party. They wouldn’t have come if they weren’t up for it.”

“I guess. I just hate to be rude.”

He squeezes my biceps. “I get it and I love how much you care for your friends, but now that you’ve put the offer on the table, I can’t stop thinking about tearing this costume off of you. Especially if this is a one-night pass. But if you want to, I’ll go back with you.”

He shifts on his feet, looking uncomfortable at the idea. It seemed like he was enjoying himself, but he does always seemmore at ease when it’s just the two of us. Shoulders lighter, smiles more free and easy.

I glance over his shoulder one more time, searching. Rob’s massive figure is hard to miss. He’s dancing away, surrounded by a crowd of girls and a couple of other large guys that I don’t recognize. I nod. They’re good. Cole’s right. And honestly, I think it’s time I take something for myself. I want this. He wants this. What the heck am I hesitating for?

“Let’s go.” His lips curl into a smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes, painting his face in an innocent joy I haven’t seen too many times before.

He grabs my hand, bringing it to his mouth, and a shiver runs through me at the soft press of his lips on the sensitive skin.

That’s it. I’m his. At least for tonight.

He slides his hand down my arm, twining his fingers with mine as if he needs the contact just as much as I do. I follow him away from the crowd toward the stairs.

My heart gallops as we make our way up. His fingers trace a ticklish pattern on my palm.

I barely notice the hallway as he leads me to a white door. My hands wrap around his waist as he fumbles with the key to let himself into his room.

“You get a lot of intruders in your house?” I ask, wondering why he needs to keep it locked.

“It’s usually fine. My roommates can be nosy fuckers, but they wouldn’t go in my room without permission. But when there’s a party, you never know who’s going to end up in yourbed. I learned that lesson in my freshman year. A threesome. Had to wash my sheets three times. Never again.”

“Gotcha.” Makes sense. At home, I had no privacy. Always sharing a room and never knowing when someone would decide to barge in and borrow my favorite sweater when I was out. That’s why I’ve lived alone since I got to college. I love my private space. Even if my apartment is a shoe box, and I could save some money by sharing. “I have my own place, so I never thought about it like that. Not exactly party central. It must be hard for you.”

He swings the door open, one hand sliding down to my lower back as he guides me in ahead of him.

“It’s alright. I’ve got headphones, and I really don’t mind people. Unless they’re spreading their bodily fluids all over my bed. My social skills might be rusty, but even I know that’s just fucking rude.”

“It seems like we’re both in our introvert years. I’ve left behind the chaos of my family to figure myself out, and you’ve isolated yourself from your hockey team.”

His dark brows pull together, and there’s a faraway look in his eyes. I want to reach up and smooth those lines away. This was not what I intended. How did we get here? All the flirtation and teasing has evaporated with the seriousness of a conversation I’m not sure we should be having. This is all supposed to be easy. Fake, right? These things? These are real. Too real for my comfort.

“I don’t know how we’re even having this conversation right now. How can I possibly take you seriously in that bright yellow onesie?”

He glances down as if I’ve surprised him, letting out a laugh. Like he got so lost in our conversation he forgot where he was, what he’s wearing. I think I did too for a moment.

“You’re right. I’m completely ridiculous. Get over here, Jessie. I think it’s time I let you catch me.”

I feel anything but trapped when he reaches over my shoulder, boxing me in against the door as he clicks the lock. It sounds very final. Very official. Like there’s no turning back. I know that’s not true. There’s no doubt in my mind that if I told him to stop, he would, but I want it so much. Too much, probably, but there’s time to worry about that later. Tonight is Halloween, when anything is possible, and you can pretend to be anyone you want. So I’m going to pretend I’m a brave seductress, and hope he doesn’t laugh at my efforts. I wish I wasn’t so unsure of myself. I never used to be. Before… But he is the last person I want to be thinking about right now.

I take a deep breath, flick my eyes up to the dark chocolate depths of his and let my lips curl up at the corners in what I hope is a sexy smile. My hands grasp the hem of my top and I drag it over my head in a swift move that pulls his gaze to my chest. The sheer lace of my pink bra hides nothing. His tongue darts out to lick his lips and I seize the invitation, leaning in to taste it for myself. He tastes like chocolate and salt.

His lips press back, but his hands remain braced on the door on either side of my head, as if he’s afraid to move. Looks likeI’m going to have to help him out here. I wiggle out of the tight skirt, and he swallows hard as the tiny piece of fabric falls to the floor.

“This needs to go,” I say, pulling back to grab the zipper he pulled back up to his chin when we were on the porch. “There is absolutely no way I can fool around with Charizard.”

His laugh turns into a groan as I rip the zipper down and slide a hand down the satiny smoothness of the shorts he’s got on underneath. He’s impossibly hard under the fabric, and large. Holy shit, he’s big. It swells, twitching under my touch.

“Shit, Jazz. Keep that up, and I’ll lose it in my shorts.”

“We wouldn’t want that, would we?” I say, reluctantly releasing my hold on him to pull the rest of the fleecy costume off.

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