Page 38 of Tempt

“It’s sexy. I got half-hard watching your hands, your arms. Watching you work.”

“Get out of here.”

I move behind her, bracketing her against the island. “Feel how worked up I am, imagining those clever fingers wrapped around my cock instead of the knife. And you’d have that same adorable frown of concentration as you stroke me faster and faster, trying to make me come.”

She shivers. “Ah, I see what you’re trying to do, Mr. Distraction.”

I kiss her neck. “Not at all. Just being honest.”

She smiles. “I like it. I want to hear more after dinner.”

I take the hint and move away. “What else should we talk about?”

Her head tilts to the side.

I like that I can read her like a book. “Ask me anything, Hazel. I told you that when you came here the first time, and I meant it. We’ve got ten minutes before the chicken is done.”

“I…” She rolls her lips together. “It’s…”

I get a bottle of wine and two glasses out. She watches me, but she doesn’t say anything else.

Holding my arms out, I gesture for her. “Come here.”

She folds in against me.

“Why did you show up a day early?”

A soft sigh flutters against my shirt. “I was feeling a bit anxious. I wanted to see you. It’s hard to remember that this is real when you’re elsewhere. Does that make any sense in a non-creepy way?”

“Sure. You don’t know if I’m a long term safe bet. I get that. You don’t need to trust that I’ve changed. I’ll show you. All I want is a chance to keep showing you who I am, and how I feel about you. And you know, make you feel good.”

She blushes. “I like all of that.”

“Especially the last part?”

“Yes.”

“How do you want me to make you feel good tonight?”

She gives me a searching look.

I touch my finger to her chin and lift her face so I can lean in and kiss her. Soft, at first, then harder, our tongues sliding and teasing. Arousing. “I’ll do anything you want.”

“Hold me down in bed,” she whispers. “Be big on top of me.”

“Deal.” I suck in a rough breath. “Should I turn off the stove?”

She shakes her head, but kisses me again before answering. “Let’s eat. Let’s talk. We’ll have all night in bed after that.”

I pour the wine and she puts the mushrooms in the oven, then I pull her back into my arms.

“What else do you want to know?”

“Anything. Everything. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Do you want to know about the gambling?” She hasn’t asked. Maybe she never would, so I’m putting it on the table.

She pulls back and gives me a warm, steady look. “Yes. If you want to share.”

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