Page 64 of All We Need

Idowant to,I’mtempted to scream.IfIopen my mouth, whatever comes out will be unpredictable and break whatever spell he’s cast on me.Iwant to savor this moment for a while longer and remain enchanted under the moonlight with him.

SoIstay silent and let my body do the talking.

Pushing my hips forward, his hands fall to my waist, rocking me against him.Themovements are subtle yet turn my legs to rubber.

Then the conversation withHarrietbooms in my head and the spell breaks.

Noticing the change in my body language, he pauses.

“You’ve only looked at me like that once.AndI’mburning,Aly.Whenyou looked at me just then, you wanted my lips on yours,” he murmurs against my pulse point. “Whatchanged?”

I refuse to verbalize my misplaced jealousy. “Ourlips will not be meeting.”

The heat cocooning me disappears as he gently pushes me away.

His eyes glitter with promise, fueling my silent rage. “Theywill.Butonly whenyouknow exactly what you want.”

And then, he walks away.

CHAPTER TWENTY

booth

WhenIreturn,my family has relocated into the living room, where no one bats an eyelash.

I leftAlyfive minutes ago, but beforeIjoined in with the wholesome festivities,Itucked my painful erection into the waistband of my briefs, fighting the need to fist myself asIreplayed her breathy sounds in my head.

HadIgone too far?Atfirst,Ipresumed yes.

Until she pushed as much asIpulled.Backand forth.

She was asking me to take, and fuck, ifIdidn’t want to right there and then in the snow.Tomelt it and have the steam rise above us as we scorched the ground.

She wanted me.

OrIthought she did untilIsensed a hint of hesitation.

Forty-eight hours earlier, she told me she didn’t.Orcouldn’t.Eitherway,Ineeded her to be sure about what she wanted.Ifit’s one night or ten, fine.ButIwouldn’t have her pretend it didn’t happen.

It was torture to feel the thump of her pulse against my lips.Evennow, asIsmile at my family crowded around the fire, her scent lingers on my skin and clothes.

“Hey, where did you go?”Harrietsquishes in next to me on the sofa.

“Had to take a call.”

“OnChristmasDay?”Herface saysI’mfull of shit.

Collapsing into the cushions,Ikeep my voice low. “Iwas checking onAly.”

“Ah, yes.Ialso go and check on the welfare of my sworn enemy.”Shesmirks.

“I never said that.”Ishove her shoulder.

“Um, you absolutely did, andIquote”—she whips out her phone and scans through our texts—“‘Thiswoman’s second job is being the bane of my existence.’”

“Doesn’t sound like me,”Ibrush her off. “Anyway, what does it matter?Can’tIbe nice to a guest?”

She looks at me pointedly. “Doyou want to get into the panties of all your mom’s dinner guests?”

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