Page 73 of Recon Rendezvous

“You can say it, but it’s unnecessary. I go where you go now. I meant what I said earlier. Let’s see where this goes because I’m nowhere near done with you.”

My heart flips over at his words and the intensity in his dark eyes, but I give a noncommittal shrug as my hand finds his face, stroking the soft stubble along his jaw. “I think I need more convincing. You’re pretty and all but—”

Warm lips find mine and if I didn’t already feel transported away in our little bubble, the first sweep of his tongue along the seam of my lips sends me to orbit. Smiling at the soft groan and slow caress of his lips, I sink deeper into the swirling, dark water and let him consume me.

CHAPTER TWENTY

XANDER

“Fuck you, guys! I’m done,” I exclaim, as I head over to the bleachers.

It’s our weekly game of basketball and it’s finally warm enough to play on our preferred outdoor court and these guys have run me ragged.

“Don’t be a sore loser,” Ty calls to my back as I grab my bottle of water.

Tossing a middle finger over my head, I chug my water.

Did I play like shit today? Maybe.

Do I give a fuck? Not a single one.

Does that have everything to do with the beautiful distraction that is London Cameron? Absolutely.

Blocking out all their shit talking, my mind wanders back to London, her smile, that sass, the softness of her body against mine that night in Seattle. After we sucked face like it was what we were put on this earth to do, she’d walked away, leaving me hard and aching. I watched her go, dick in hand as she climbed the stairs before turning to look over her shoulder, mischief lighting those beautiful eyes, before rocking me with a fucking dynamite smile that promised me so much more.

Like the fucking idiot I am, I waved, wanting nothing more than to climb the stairs behind her, track her through the house, finally getting her into bed. I want her stretched out beneath me, to be skin to skin. Those long legs tangled with mine. Fuck that, I just want to hold her. Talk to her all night and wake up with her in my arms. But my time will come. One of these days she'll let me in completely. Until then, I'll keep working, proving I’m the man for her.

I’m picturing those alluring eyes when a towel snaps, thethwapshooting fire over my ass.

“Fuck!” I jump a mile and try to block any additional onslaughts with my hands.

Drew grins at me as I whip around, Ty and Eli still shooting around on the court are doubled over in laughter.

“Sorry not sorry. I had to snap you out of your funk.”

Scowling, I rub my sore ass. “What funk, asshole?”

“The one you’ve been in since we got back from Seattle. Let you tell it, you had all theseplans. What happened?”

Flopping down on the bleacher, I wince a bit at the contact before saying, “I definitely have plans, some damn good ones. But what if they scare her off? I finally have her attention and how do I know if I’m coming on too strong or not strong enough?”

Dropping down next to me, Drew pulls out another towel from his bag and wipes his face. “Did you just hear yourself? You finally have her attention. Think about how you got it.”

I nod, considering his words.

“Right, by being you. All loud and in your face, so I guess she likes that shit. If I were you, I wouldn’t stop now. I’d be full steam ahead. Think about it, you’ve finally found someone who likes you for you. Even when you’re a cocky bastard, she thinks you’re hilarious. The rest of us, not so much, so I say, go hard. Harder than you went today on this court, and you’ll be fine.No, but seriously, I watched you guys together and the roots are there. Now, you got to water that shit.”

I turn to him, because I can’t tell if that was super profound or the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. We burst into laughter at the exact same time, falling back on the bleachers, and I expel a breath.

“Alright, alright. I’ll decipher what that all meant, but the biggest takeaway is to water that shit…”

“Yes, you know exactly what I meant. Be you, she obviously likes you, and if she doesn’t, at least you’ll know now rather than months down the line when you’re already too invested.”

Shit. Where was he a few months ago? It may be too late for that.

Who knew that fucker could be right about anything other than recommendations for a good steak dinner. Taking Drew’s advice to go big or go home, it’s been a whirlwind of dates and stolen moments. London is my future, my home, and I want to make sure she knows it.

We’d been out to dinner a few times, and he was right, I just had to be myself. Deciding to text her, I started with a dinner date.

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