Page 81 of Play Pretend

Her face turned bright red. “What?” she squeaked.

“Were you planning on going commando?”

“No!” She looked scandalized, and I huffed out a laugh.

“It’s just some fabric, shortcake. Nothing I haven’t seen before.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to hear about your sex life.”

“What sex life?” I laughed again. “I haven’t been with anyone in a decade.”

Fuck. Why did I say that?

“Really?” she breathed, and I shrugged as I slid my hands into my pockets.

“Yep. Pretty pathetic, I know.”

“It’s not pathetic,” she murmured. “Why not? You’re—any woman would be eager to sleep with you.”

The corner of my mouth kicked up in a smirk. Maybe if I couldn’t make her forget about tonight, I could distract her. Even just for a little bit.

“Would they?” I took a step closer to her. Only a few feet separated us. “Wouldyoube eager, sweetheart?”

A tomato-red blush bloomed across her chest and up her neck before settling on her cheeks. “I—I—I would.”

I took another step closer, just a foot separating us now.

She tilted her head back, her gaze locking with mine. Slowly, her tongue traced along her lips, and my gaze followed the movement. My heart hammered in my chest as she stumbled closer, nearly closing the distance. Tension, thick and palpable, settled between us.

“I really want to kiss you right now,” I admitted, my voice a rough whisper that barely reached her.

Her breath caught. “I really want you to kiss me.” Her voice was as breathless and raspy as mine was.

Slowly, she pressed her shaky palms against my chest. I settled my hand over hers, stilling her tremor as my thumb brushed over her knuckles. My other hand slid against her smooth cheek, cupping it. She leaned into my touch, the pulse in her neck throbbing wildly. Her eyes searched mine, wide and questioning. I held my breath. What did she see? What was she thinking?

“You’re sure about this?” My voice was softer now, almost reverent.

Her lips parted on a shaky exhale.

“Just kiss me,” she whispered.

So I did.

Our noses brushed, and her eyes fluttered shut. There was a sharp inhale—hers, mine, or both, I didn’t know—and then our lips met. Softly at first, just a whisper of a touch, and her fingers curled into the fabric of my shirt.

My world narrowed to this moment, to her. She was sweet, and addictive, and a high I knew I’d spend the rest of my life chasing.

She was stiff for a heartbeat, but then she melted into me. Her mouth moved fluidly against mine, like we’d done this a million times before. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her against me until there was no space between us. My fingers rested against the curve of her ass, and my cock throbbed in my pants.

She whimpered as I trailed my tongue along the seam of her lips, silently begging for permission. They parted, and my tongue swept into her mouth. I swallowed her next moan as my hand moved even lower, cupping her ass possessively.

Goosebumps rippled along my skin as she slid her hands up my chest and wrapped them around the back of my neck,tugging me closer. My fingers tangled in her hair, gently angling her head for a deeper kiss.

I never wanted this kiss to end. I wanted to freeze time and live in this moment with her forever.

We lost ourselves in the kiss until air became nothing but an afterthought, and when I finally pulled away, her lips were swollen and her eyes glazed. I grinned down at her, at the wildness of her hair, the flush of her cheeks.

“How was that?” I whispered.

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