Page 27 of After All

“You know what I mean.”

For a moment, he thought she was going to tease him further, but instead, she nodded. “Okay, fine. But if you do something regular, then I get to do something sexy,” she said. “It’s only fair we keep this balanced and get an equal chance to make our case.”

This was hardly going to be balanced or equal. It wasn’t as if she needed to talk him into wanting the sexy stuff. But hedidneed a chance to make his case for more, and this was the best shot he had. “Fine.”

She straightened one leg, stretching the limb across his uninjured thigh. “So should we lay down some definitions and rules?” she asked.

“Definitions and rules?” he repeated, trying to ignore the smooth, toned thigh on his lap and the silky stocking covering that thigh. “That hardly sounds like you.”

“Yeah, well, neither does playing nursemaid or letting a guy romance me on purpose, but here I am.”

Damn, he liked that. He liked her doing new things with him—forhim. He liked getting her outside of her comfort zone. He loved the idea of romancing her…and her having to take it. Again, that didn’t sound all that romantic and sweet, he knew, but he couldn’t help it.

Even as his hand settled on her thigh, Scott knew he was making a mistake. “Give me a for instance,” he told her.

She thought about it for a second, and Scott ran his palm over a few inches of the silky stocking under his hand. Just a few inches. Just for a second.

“Okay, if you send me a sweet text that says ‘thinking of you’ or something, then I get to send you a text back. That’s not sweet.”

Scott had about a million things he could text that would fit that bill. And, yeah, a few dirty texts in return would be only fair, he supposed. He also supposed he was full of shit when he said that he didn’t want that stuff. He did. He just wanted ittoo. Along with the rest.

“Okay. But if you greet me at the door in a skimpy costume that makes me instantly hard, then you have to sit down at the table with me for dinner and have an actual conversation,” he told her, running his hand over the stocking again. Just once. Or twice.

She nodded seriously, as if they were negotiating a multi-million-dollar business merger. “Right. The meatloaf thing. Fine. Then if you want to cuddle on the couch,” she said, reaching up and running her fingers up the back of his neck and into his hair, “I get to touch you the entire time.”

No woman’s hands had ever felt as good on him. He simply couldn’t find it within himself, even knowing that he was staring at a huge Peyton victory by the end of their two weeks, to say no to that. “Okay. But if I call you during the day, you can’t turn it into phone sex.”

There was a tiny quiver at the corner of her mouth, indicating that maybe she was fighting a smile. “Okay, but if I call you during the day for phone sex, you can’t turn it into a real conversation.”

God, he liked her. He wasn’t sure they’d ever teased quite like this before. And even if they were technically in a battle of wills, he couldn’t help but think they were playing for the same final outcome. More time together. More to what was between them. Just more.

And he was going to be easy for her. So very fucking easy.

But he didn’t have to admit it. He could put up a small fight. At least initially.

“Fine. And no worries about couch cuddling tonight,” he said. “Think I’ll head to Kyle’s to watch the game,” he said.

She lifted both brows. “Okay.”

She was surprised. She hid it quickly, but he saw it. He fought a grin. That would also be key here—keep her on her toes and off-kilter.

“Then I can run home and get some things done then,” she said.

“Sounds good.” He paused. Then, knowing he probably shouldn’t, said, “But you’ll come back over later?”

She smiled. “I’ll be cuddled up right next to you all night.”

Right. Like he’d forgotten for one second that she was going to be sleeping in his bed. He wouldn’t last one night. As it was, he was about five seconds away from tipping her back, covering her with his body, and reaching under that skirt.

Before he could reach for anything, though, she swung her leg off of his lap and unfolded from the couch. “So how about some lunch?” she asked.

“Um…” Scott couldn’t help but watch her move. “Isn’t that kind of a normal couple thing to do?” he asked, more than a little distracted by all of that skin.

“Well, I figure it will balance this out,” she said.

“Balance what—” But he froze as she bent over to pick up her shoes.

Because of course he’d been looking at her ass. He looked at her ass every chance he got. And it was right there. And that skirt was so nice and short. Okay, he’d been hoping for a glimpse of cherry-red panties. Or really any color panties.

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