Page 66 of Second-Rate Superstar

Dakota’s black eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks before her eyes met mine. “I think she would have liked you.”

I gave her a small smile. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. I can hear her in my head sometimes. Especially since you came along. She’s always going on about how I should give you a chance.”

Smirking, I mused, “Sounds like a smart lady.”

“Either that, or she’s still riding high on the athlete train. With the exception of a few linemen, they’re usually pretty ripped.” She bit her lip playfully.

My chest rumbled. “You been checking me out?”

Batting her eyelashes, she protested, “Me? No way. Does that strike you as something I would do?”

The mood sufficiently lightened, I threw in for good measure, “I know between your mom and Bristol, you’ve seen some guys use their celebrity status to treat the people you love like shit, but those guys upstairs? They would burn down the world for the women they love.”

“And you?” She peered at me, hope shining in her brilliant blue eyes as the unspoken question hung heavy in the air.

Stroking her cheek with my thumb, there was zero hesitation on my part. “Just hand me the match.”

Dakota closed the distance between us, and I was caught off guard when she placed her lips against mine.

Am I dreaming? Is the girl I’ve been chasing for months, patiently working past her defenses, kissing me?

For a moment, I sat there, stunned, but as soon as Dakota’s tongue swiped against the seam of my lips, demanding entry, I was lost—lost in her, lost in us, lost to everything I’d been searching for and never thought I would find.

Our tongues battled for dominance. I already knew who would win, but it gave me a thrill allowing her to take control before I stole it back.

Her soft mewls did me in, but nothing prepared me for her to shove at my chest and climb onto my lap, straddling me. She swallowed my groan,sinking her fingers into my hair and tilting my head so she could taste as deeply as she wanted.

Reality crashed down hard when she rocked her core against my throbbing cock. I remembered where we were and how we’d gotten here. Breaking the kiss, our pants filled the heated air.

“Fuck, Firefly,” I breathed out, eyes still closed. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted a taste of your sweet mouth.”

“Then why are we stopping?” Dakota peppered kisses along the corner of my mouth, trying to tempt me into resuming our impromptu make-out session.

Tangling my hands into her curls, I eased her head back enough to look at her. And damn, what a sight it was. The girl occupying every available space in my brain was staring back at me with heavy-lidded lust-filled eyes, flushed cheeks, and kiss-swollen lips.

“I don’t want you to think I’m taking advantage of your vulnerability.” Fuck, I sounded like a pussy. But it was the right thing to do.

“You’re not. I kissed you, remember?” she teased, blue eyes glittering.

“I’ll never forget it,” I vowed and was rewarded by the pink gracing her cheeks spreading down her neck.

“I want more. Please,” she begged.

And I want everything.

I was taking a risk, I knew that, but what better time to shoot my shot?

“Be mine, Dakota,” I demanded more than asked.

“Yours?”

Gliding one hand down, I brought it to rest against the side of her neck. “I don’t want to be a regret you have in the morning.” She raised an eyebrow at the implication, and I laughed. “Not like that. I want more with you than just ‘hanging out.’ I want our time spent together to meansomething, to hopefully lead somewhere. I want to hold you in public, to say you’re my girl. And maybe have you be proud to call me yours as well.”

This was it. I’d laid my cards on the table, and she knew exactly where I stood regarding my feelings. If she said no, I would keep working to win her trust, if not her heart. I knew this wouldn’t be easy, and it seemed even more challenging now that I knew the root cause of her distrust. But I was willing to put in the time and effort to show her I was the real deal, that I wasn’t going to use her and leave her. I wanted so much more.

She opened her mouth, and I held my breath. “You’re sure you want me? When you can have your pick of any woman out there?”

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