Page 86 of Eight Steps to Alpha

Chapter 31

Her planlegitimately seemed like a good one—appease her curiosity, get him out of her system, but after locking herself in the back-house restroom to freshen up, things suddenly became—real. Was this really want she wanted to do? Was she a freaking lunatic to think sleeping with her best friend was a good idea?

She sat on the toilet lid wearing nothing but her bra and panties, wondering how she would ever have the courage to walk out there like this. They’d lived together for four years, but never once had he seen her in so little. Sure, he’d seen her in a towel after a shower every now and then, but this was different.

She looked down to her small b-pluses, to her nipples that were slightly erect through the thin blue lace, and took a deep breath. In her alcohol induced state, she actually found herself attractive. Sure, her breasts were on the petite side, but so was she.

Standing to her full five-foot-two-inch’s, she caught her reflection in the mirror and smiled. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips still rosy from their kiss. Pushing a strand of dark hair out of her face, she sucked in her stomach, and glanced at the door.

She had no idea how she’d find him. Would he be naked? Would he be—ready? She knew he was ready out on the swing earlier, but that had been at least fifteen minutes ago. Would he have...calmed down by now?

Before procrastination could hold onto her hand another minute, she yanked open the door and stepped into the room. Adrenaline pumped through her veins so hard, she could hardly see straight, but she somehow found him on the edge of the bed, sitting. His shirt sleeves were pushed up over his forearms, and his clothes were slightly disheveled, but he looked sexy as hell. Effortless. Her eyes landed on his collar of his shirt, where the V of his chest was visible.

He pushed himself to stand when he noticed her, and ran his hands over his thighs as though his palms were sweating. “Hey,” he said, looking into her eyes.

“Hey.”

What happened now? Did she go to him? Wait for him to come to her?

Choosing the former, she took a step closer as air expelled from her throat. At some point during her bathroom panic-attack, Elliot had turned on the radio, and Katy Perry’s ’Swish Swish’ was playing through the speakers. It wasn’t overtly loud, but there was enough of a beat that her hips began swaying to the rhythm. Back and forth, back and forth as she continued to walk toward him, tapping her fingers against her thighs before she realized what she was doing. “Why am I so nervous?” she said quietly, forcing her body into stillness. “I mean, it’s only you.”

“Only me?” He laughed, then shook his head and glanced down her body.

She bit her lip, resisting the urge to run back to the bathroom and grab a robe. Because his eyes sent all sorts of sensations pulsing over her entire body. “Are you nervous?” she asked quietly.

His eyes met hers again, and he nodded. “Yeah.”

She felt like laughing and crying all at once, because it felt so right doing this with Elliot, but also so wrong. Ignoring the devil on her shoulder, she turned to the small bedside table, wanting to take some of the seriousness out of the air and opened the drawer. “Choose your flavor,” she said glancing down at a rainbow display of condoms. Her aunt Maria’s infamous collection. Every color, brand, and size imaginable. She turned on her heels not wanting to miss his reaction, but instead of the shock and humor she was expecting, Elliot actually swallowed.

She cleared her throat nervously and muttered. “The first time I found them, I was nine,” she stammered out. “I thought they were party balloons and stuck them to the walls.”

A tiny grin flirted at the edge of his mouth, and he stepped toward her.

“They’ve been replaced several times since then—obviously.” She pulled one out of the drawer to check the date. “Still good.”

Elliot’s hands then settled on her hips from behind, and she immediately closed her eyes. This was really happening. Not tomorrow, or the next…. But right now, in this very moment.

“Rumor has it, my Aunt Maria is quite the pervert,” she continued.

He spun her around, and she locked eyes on his Adam’s apple.

“My cousin told me he found a box of dildo’s in her attic once. I don’t know if it’s true, but I wouldn’t put it past her.”

He tilted her head up to face him, looking deep into her eyes. “I don’t really want to talk about your Aunt Maria,” he said in a whisper. His voice full of gravel and texture.

She swallowed, not allowing herself to look away. “No?”

“No,” he whispered back.

Her insides were like butter, melted simply from the sound of his voice. Rich, and smooth, like warm honey dripping over her entire body. “What do you want to talk about?” she asked.

His face came closer, and everything in the room disappeared. The music, the sounds of the forest, everything but him. “I really don’t want to talk about anything.” he whispered back.

Her heart raced at jackhammer speed, but she only swallowed. “No talking?”

“No.”

His eyes were serious, his mouth set in a firm line, but his hands traveled down to the backs of her thighs until he lifted her.

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