Page 97 of Never Kiss and Tell

Bailey’s eyes go wide. “You want me to tell her we’re only sleeping together until I go home?”

I shrug. “You’re giving her too much power.”

“She’s my best friend.”

“And she still will be when this is done. It’s none of her business. She knows that. She can be angry, she can say whatever she wants, but I’m not stopping.”

I hold out my hand to Bailey, waving my fingers for her to come to me.

Reluctantly, a smile breaks out on her face and finally, she slides her fingers through mine.

“You worry too much.” I pull her back into me and press a kiss to her jaw. She moves to sit down, but winces.

“I feel like I scooted through sand paper.”

I chuckle and pull the plug on the water.

“Come. I have cream that will help.”

Her eyes glimmer as she smiles at me. “You’ve done this before.”

“No.”

“You’ve never spanked a girl before?” she asks, leaning back from me shocked.

“No.”

“So, none of your other conquests have ever needed to bepunished?”

I shrug. “Or I just didn’t care enough.”

She stares at me for a beat too long, searching my face. It’s too much, too soon. I slip a hand under her and pull her closer to me and nip at her jaw.

“No more worrying. I’ll have to punish you for that too.”

She wrinkles her nose, laughing. “Maybe I should. I kind of liked you losing control.”

She reaches between us, her delicate fingers dancing up my cock that’s already semi-hard. I clasp my fingers around hers and move her over my cock until I’m rock fucking hard, again.

“You’ll be the fucking death of me, woman.” I force her to her feet and grab a towel.

“Done so soon?”

“We’re just getting started, baby.”

It’s not the inviting aroma of Bailey that wakes me in the morning. It’s smoke. I lay there for a moment, my eyes still shut, and try to pinpoint what it is I’m smelling. Then, when I realize it’s a fire, I surge from the bed, almost toppling over from standing up too quickly.

Bailey isn’t in bed anymore, and for a split second, I wonder if she left me there to bake while she ran from the fire. Then I come to my senses and follow the trail until it leads me to the kitchen.

I stop at the doorway, watching Bailey dancing around in nothing but a t-shirt and underwear, singing some old tune on the radio in one of the most off-key voices I’ve ever heard. I smile, despite the smell of the charcoal pancakes she’s attempting to make because it’s kind of . . . adorable.

Fuck, I’ve never used that sentiment for anyone other than kids or puppies.

It’s not until she spins to grab something from the fridge that she notices me and drops her spatula on the floor with a squeak.

“Jesus Christ, Charlie!” she snaps, clutching at her chest. She looks sexy as fuck with her hair a mess and her lips swollen from last night.

“Cooking, princess?” I ask, raising a brow. Behind her is a stack of pancakes that are just a hair lighter than the dead ofnight.

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