Page 86 of My Grumpy Billionaire Soccer Star

“No, let me finish,” I urge, squeezing his hand tighter. “I get your behavior so much better now. I thought you were just this mean and evil bastard—you’re not. I see now you’re dealing with so much. I can see you’re working so hard to protect yourself and everyone around you.”

He relaxes, and the tension in the air shifts. “Thanks for that, but where is this all coming from?”

I take a deep breath, the moment stretching miserably between us, heavy with so many unspoken words. “I’ve been angry and confused about everything that’s happened. The truth is, I care about you, Vaughn. I don’t want to lose you to this mess with Collins. I want to be here for you.”

His eyes search mine. “Rachel, what’s the point of this? Where are you going with it?”

I pause, mulling over my words. “I know you’re afraid of what might happen to your career and what that’ll do to us. I get it. I don’t want to just walk away because of that. Just one more night with you—that is all I want. Before all of this pulls us apart. Please, I need to know you’re close. I need to know we can be us, even after all of this.”

“Rachel . . .” he starts, but I cut him off again, my heart pounding.

“But in return, I need you to use your ability to help me get proof that Collins is the one planting those drugs,” I say. “I’m not letting him get away with this when it could ruin everything for you. There must be a way we can work together, expose him, and clear your name.”

Vaughn’s expression changes, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “You want to spend the night with me when we’re on shaky ground? What if Collins tries to retaliate?”

I shake my head, my resolve hardening. “I’m not afraid of Collins. I’ve already run into him once today, and I’m not backing down now. Together, we can take him on. I just need to know that we’re on the same page.”

I see the conflict in his eyes as he watches me. “You’re serious about this?”

“Yes, I am. I want to fight for us, for what we have. No more fear controlling my actions—I don’t want that.”

Vaughn moves closer, and I can feel the heat through his thoughts. “You’re putting a lot on the line. Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“I am,” I insist, my voice steady. “Never have I been more sure of anything.”

He takes a deep breath, and I can see him working through his thoughts. “Okay. We’ll do this together. I just need you to promise me you’ll be careful. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“I promise,” I say, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “We’ll figure it out together.”

He nods slowly, and I see hope in his eyes. The uncertainty still lingers, though, as he admits, “I feel attached to you on a level I’ve never touched before.” He speaks low and forcefully. “Let’s make this count.”

The tension starts to dissipate. We stand there, knowing we’re on the brink of something new. I lift my hands to cup his face, and our lips meet in a soft kiss that deepens quickly, like a lit match igniting kindling. The heat that had been simmering rises.

“Well, guess what,” I tease him, pulling back slightly.

“Not now, Rachel. What’s that?” he groans.

“I have video proof of Collins planting the drugs in your locker. I recorded him in action.”

Vaughn can’t believe his ears. He spins me around and kisses me like a man savoring his last meal. His lips press against mine with an insistence I can’t ignore, even if I wanted to. His tongue teases the edges of my lips, just dipping inside before pulling back, never quite giving in to what I want.

I find myself pressed against the wall just inside the room as Vaughn peels off my clothing, taking his time to savor each sliver of skin he reveals.

My shirt is the first to go. The blue silk shirt peels away from my skin and makes no noise on the hardwood floor when he tosses it aside. Underneath, I’m wearing a pale pink bra that’s nearly transparent. My nipples are hard points from my arousal, and Vaughn ducks his head and sucks one into his mouth. His perfect lips and that silver tongue work on my nipple before switching sides to give the other equal attention. I shiver at the sensations rolling through me.

He unbuttons my pants with one-handed ease that speaks of large amounts of practice, skating his hands over my flat belly. His fingers dip inside theVof my open fly to lightly tease the edge of my panties before investigating further. When his fingertips touch my flesh, my knees almost buckle, and when two of those searching fingers part my lips and breach the wet inferno of my entrance, it’s only the wall that keeps me upright.

Vaughn plays my body like an instrument. He’s fucking me with his long, slender fingers with maddening slowness,ignoring my clit and concentrating on stroking me from the inside while his lips and tongue trace the contours of my neck.

I give a muffled cry, expressing equal parts pleasure and shock. Hungry for more, I tug at his jacket, pulling until it’s in a heap on the floor. His mouth ravages mine, my hands pulling at his tie as we stumble to the bed.

His muscled frame covers and pushes me deep into the covers, like sinking into a mound of soft clouds; then he takes my breast in his mouth, and I stop thinking entirely.

Before I can regain my thoughts enough to reach for his belt, Vaughn slips his fingers from me and drops to his knees in one fluid motion, dragging my jeans and panties to the floor with him. Standing bare from the waist down, I feel the usual twinges, but they’re quickly forgotten when Vaughn’s mouth finds its way between my legs, and he gives my pussy an open-mouthed kiss that has me gasping for breath.

Vaughn’s tongue is everywhere. The internal topography that he’d been mapping moments ago with his fingers is now the territory of his tongue. Like a serpent, it slides inside me before withdrawing to trace circles around my inner lips before finally homing in on my clitoris.

At his first touch on that swollen nub, I dig my fingers into his shoulder, my nails leaving marks even through the layers of damp fabric. Vaughn flattens his tongue and presses it hard against my clit, and I see stars. Two of those fantastic fingers press into my slit, adding that perfect feeling of fullness that throws me over the edge as Vaughn laps at my clit.

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