Page 48 of Stealing Forever

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Even without the lights on, I can see the apprehension in her eyes, but as she glances from her book to me, then back to her book. Then, in a quick shift, it changes into something else: challenge.

Her eyes dart across the room to where Sailor’s asleep on the small couch.

“It’s not appropriate,” she argues, but there’s not a lot of fight in her voice.

“She’s out. I can hear her snoring from here. C’mon, let’s hear some of this book.”

With another quick glance at where Sailor sleeps, she exhales and gives a curt, decisive nod. There’s a slight shake to her voice as she starts to read. “It’shim. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s who was watching me from the roof earlier today. Or was it yesterday? It’s not like I can reach for my phone and check the time. Swallowing thickly, I wait for his next move. My heart hammers within my rib cage as terror clenches me tightly. ‘I’m going to take my hand away from your mouth, but if you scream, I’ll gag you. Do you understand?”

Holy shit, what the hell is Hailey reading?

“With him closer, I can make out the intense lightness of his eyes, so crystal blue that his irises look fake,” she continues. “My heart seizes up, not knowing his intentions, yet I feel myself nod beneath his grasp. As promised, his hand slowly slides away from my mouth and comes to rest around my throat, and he holds it with the same amount of pressure as he did my mouth.”

Fuck, now I’m thinking about my hand around Hailey’s neck. Would she like that? If I put a little pressure on the column of her delicate skin as my full weight relaxed on top of her delicious, voluptuous body?

“‘Who are you?’ I croak, my voice coming out strained and distorted. I clear my throat, not even sure why I’m asking when I already know it’s him, but I need to hear it. ‘Ah, Little Devil. You don’t remember me? You put on quite a show earlier…did you think I wouldn’t come back?’ I’m frozen on my bed. He’s sitting back on his heels now, still straddling my hips but not putting his full weight down. From between his legs, he leans forward slightly to continue holding me in place by my neck while his other hand still ghosts my midriff.” Hailey’s voice strains as she reads, and my dick hardens with every seductive word that leaves her lips.

Who knew reading could be so erotic?

I want to fucking touch her—feel her body beneath my fingertips as she reads this out loud. Is she wet reading this to me? For me? It takes every ounce of restraint not to close the distance between us and plunge my hand into her panties to find out.

“With my eyes fully adjusted, I can see him better. His hoodie is a dark gray, or maybe a worn black. Unzipped halfway, his bare chest is exposed. He’s muscular, so damn muscular, and I want to reach up and trace the outline of his pecs with my fingertip.”

I imagine her nipples are stiffened to tight peaks, and what it would feel like to trace the edge of them against the fabric ofmyshirt she’s wearing. My dick feels like it might combust, and without thinking, my hips rock, chasing a touch that isn’t there.

“‘How did you get in here?’ The words tumble from my lips in a timid stutter. He laughs and presses his body forward against mine, leaning back down to my ear. ‘Do you want me to leave?’ he whispers. Shivering, I swallow past the lump in my throat. Despite the terror I feel, I give the slightest shake of my head.” She stops reading, letting out a small whimper, and the bed moves slightly as she shifts her body. There’s no doubt in my mind that her pussy is aching right now, and I desperately wish I could do something about it. But with my daughter in the same room as us, there is absolutely no way I’m so much as touching this woman’s face in a platonic manner, and trust me when I say nothing about what I want to do with Hailey is platonic.

Her voice is strained and breathy as she continues, and barely audible. Still, I listen intently, because fuck if this isn’t the hottest sexual thing I’ve ever done and I haven’t even laid a hand on her. “‘Because earlier,’ he continues, ‘it sure seemed like you wanted me to come down off that roof and eat your pussy. Or were you hoping I’d fuck you instead?’ Pushing his hand into my pants, he brushes his fingers over the fabric of my panties. My hips buck against his touch and he smiles.’”

“Fuck,” I growl, losing all control when she reads those last couple sentences.

“Yeah.” She sighs, the bed shifting slightly again as she moves her legs. I imagine her pressing her thighs together under the blanket. “I told you.”

As discreetly as possible, I reach under the duvet and palm my aching dick. “Go into the bathroom,” I demand. I need to see her. I won’t fucking touch her, but I need to know this is affecting her as much as it is me.

“Excuse me?” Hailey drops her e-reader against her chest, but I’m wrestling with the blankets to get out of the bed.

“Now, Hailey.”

This.

Fucking.

Sheet.

Finally shoving it off me, I slam my bare feet against the carpeted floor.

“Why?” she asks, but she’s already moving the blankets off her and sitting up.

“Because you’re right, the book isn’t appropriate. And you’re going to read more to me.”

Stalking to the bathroom, I hear the light patter of her footsteps following behind me. My palm slaps against the light switch, turning it on and casting the room in a warm glow.

Once she’s inside, I close the door and lock it for good measure. Sailor’s asleep, I’m sure of it, but you can never be too careful.

I walk to the wall across from where Hailey stands just inside the doorway, wanting as much space between us as possible. Ican’ttouch her. But that doesn’t mean I can’t blur the line a little, either. “This is what you read in your spare time, sweetheart?”

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