Page 81 of The Backup

I glance up at him, my lips parting as I take him in. The taste of him, the way his hands tangle in my hair, the low groan that escapes him as I move—every detail sends a thrill racing through me, fueling my own desire to please him.

“That’s it,” he mutters, his voice strained as his fingers tighten in my hair. “You’re so good at this. So fucking perfect.”

His breaths come faster, his body tensing as he nears his release. I brace myself, my hands resting on his thighs as he finally lets go, his low groan filling the room as he spills into me.

I swallow every drop, savoring the way his body shudders beneath my touch, and when I glance up, the look in his eyes—sated, unguarded, and still completely focused on me—makes my chest tighten in the best way.

“Come here,” he murmurs, pulling me to my feet and into his arms.

I rest my forehead against his chest, my body still trembling as his hands slide up my back in a soothing motion.

“You’re going to ruin me,” he says softly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I smile, closing my eyes as I let myself get lost in him, even just for a moment.

twenty-four

. . .

Asher

The light whirrof the engines fills the cabin as the plane taxis down the runway. I lean back in my seat, my headphones around my neck and my phone in my hand, scrolling mindlessly through playlists as I wait for takeoff.

Across the aisle, Joe DeRollo leans forward, his elbows on his knees and a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. I can feel his eyes on me even before he speaks, his tone dripping with fake casualness.

“So,” he says, loud enough to cut through the chatter of the team. “How’s it feel to be the golden boy?”

I glance at him, raising an eyebrow. “Feels pretty good, Joe. Thanks for asking.”

His smirk widens, but there’s no humor in it. “Don’t get too comfortable. Everyone knows you’re just a placeholder.”

The jab lands, but not as hard as he wants it to. I’ve heard worse from him. I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. “Funny. I don’t feel like a placeholder.”

Joe leans back in his seat, crossing his arms as he stares me down. “You’re a phony, Knox. It’s only a matter of time before everyone figures that out.”

“Sure,” I say, sliding my headphones over my ears, pretending to settle in. “Whatever you say, man.”

But of course, he doesn’t stop.

“By the way,” he says, his tone sharpening, “who’s your new girl?”

That gets my attention, and I glance at him, my jaw tightening.

“What?”

“Your girl. You’re not as sneaky as you think, Knox. You’ve been distracted lately, and it’s not hard to figure out why.”

My first instinct is to shut him down, tell him he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. But I catch myself, forcing a small smirk instead.

“Jealous?” I ask, leaning back and folding my hands behind my head. “Don’t worry, Joe. I’m sure there’s someone out there for you.”

The muscle in his jaw ticks, and I can tell I’ve hit a nerve. He mutters something under his breath, but he doesn’t press further, and I let myself relax as the plane begins to ascend.

Once we’re at cruising altitude, I pull my phone out again, flipping to an incognito browser. My thoughts drift to Sloane, and an idea starts to form, a grin tugging at the corner of my mouth as I type in the name of a lingerie website.

Scrolling through the options, I imagine her reaction—how she’d blush, how she’d try to act annoyed but wouldn’t be able to hide that little smile. I settle on a delicate black lace set with a matching garter belt, classy but undeniably sexy, and add it to my cart.

The site asks for a note to include with the delivery, and I hesitate for a second before typing:

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