Page 22 of The Hardest Part

“What if I don’t want to?”

With a raise of his brow, he shot her a look. “C’mon, Em.”

“I’m tired of all this waiting.” Pouting, she laid her head on his shoulder.

Jake held her, his fingers sliding through the silky chestnut locks. “You know the rules.”

“They’re stupid.”

“They aren’t,” he insisted, though at the moment he wanted to toss them out the window. “You’re only seventeen.”

“Jacob Gantry, sometimes I think you really don’t want me.” Emily scooted away from him.

“That so?”

Her arms crossed over her chest, she answered with a nod.

“And what makes you think this?”

Emily turned her head and said in all seriousness, “There’s ways of touching without touching.”

With a shake of his head, he chuckled. “That don’t make a lick of sense.”

“Does so.” Her lips turned up, and looking at him, that gleam in her eyes returned. Emily raised the hem of her dress, fingers inching toward that triangle of lace between her legs. “And lookin’ ain’t touchin’.”

“Emily, don’t…”

“You want me to stop?”

“No.”Looking isn’t breaking any rules.“You’re killin’ me here, but keep going.”

A slow, torturous death, yet one he was willing to suffer. This was his test, and so be it. Jake loved this girl, his wild one. It was as simple as that.

“Tell me what you want me to do, what you’d be doin’ to me if you could.”

I’d be inside you already…

He started the truck and turned the heat on. “Slide them panties off, baby. Show me that pretty pussy.”

In the semi-darkness of the cab, his eyes drank her in. Smooth lips, a patch of dark curls at the cleft. The opening he’d be the first to take, glossy with her sweetness. She wet her lips, her tummy quivering with every breath.

“You’re beautiful, Emily.” Jake took her hand, kissing the back of it. “I want you so fucking bad.”

“And I want you.” She reached for his hair, but squeezing her hand, he stopped her before she could. He’d take her in his arms and kiss her. Fuck, he’d ruin her if she touched him like that, and Jake could not fail this test.

“Play with your nipples.”

Glancing at him, she bit her lip.

“That’s what I’d be doin’.” He closed his eyes, imagining it. “Suckin’ on ‘em. Biting ‘em. Mmm, listening to your little cries.”

When he opened them again, her plump breasts spilling out from their prison of lavender lace, Emily held her nipples between her fingers. Tracing the areolae with her thumbs, they puckered, accentuating her succulent rosy tips. “Like this?”

“Pinch ‘em. Hard.”Damn.He watched them swell. She rewarded him with a whimper. “Yeah, baby, just like that.”

Dying to touch her, his dick strangled inside his jeans. Jake rubbed over the placket in an attempt to assuage the ache. It only made it worse.

Emily noticed. “I wanna see you.”

---