Page 77 of Shootout Daddies
This was supposed to be once. But as I glance at her, flushed and beautiful beside me, I know I’ve already lied to myself.
Her skin is soft under my hand, silk stretched over warmth, and I can’t stop touching her. My fingers trail lazily down her spine, feeling every curve, every little shiver that runs through her.
She’s sprawled half across my chest, hair tumbling over my shoulder, smelling faintly of shampoo and something sweeter underneath that I can’t name.
“So what’s the deal with you guys?” I finally ask, voice low. “Is this… an open relationship kind of thing?”
She shakes her head quickly, pressing her cheek against me. “No. It’s not open. It’s just… it’s us. It’s fun. And it’s what’s working for us right now.”
I hum, letting the words settle, though curiosity pushes harder than restraint. “How is that, though? Getting it on with two guys?”
She stiffens, the muscles of her back tightening under my palm. Her head lifts, and she gives me a wary look, lips parting.
I raise my free hand in surrender. “I’m not judging. I swear. I’m just curious. Honest curiosity.”
Her eyes narrow slightly, still cautious.
“I swear I’m not. In fact,” I add, because the truth is already on the tip of my tongue, “when I saw you with them that first time on the balcony, I ended up jerking off. Couldn’t get you out of my head. So seeing it from the outside looking in, fucking phenomenal. But I wonder what it feels like for you. Do you like it? Aren’t you, like, sore? And I get why they wouldn’t want to leave you for one second. I’ve fucked you once and all I can think about is fucking you again… and again… and again… “
Her breath hitches. I watch her face carefully, the little flicker of heat she tries to hide but can’t. Her pupils dilate, her lips part. Desire paints her features in ways she probably doesn’t realize.
“You never struck me as someone this crude,” she whispers, her voice a mix of reproach and something warmer.
“You don’t know me at all,” I murmur back. My thumb grazes her shoulder blade. Then, silently, I add to myself: I didn’t know I could be this way either. “All you know is that I fucked you good, didn’t I?”
Her gaze flicks over my face, like she’s trying to read something that isn’t written there.
“You’ve got a filthy mouth, Mr. Shaw.”
The words slip out before I think them through. “My ex-wife would disagree with you on that one.”
She blinks, startled. “Ex-wife? You were married?”
I cock my head, smirking faintly. “You never Googled me?”
She lets out a laugh, shaking her head as she swats my chest lightly. “You’re cocky, you know that?”
“I’m a lawyer. Comes with the job.” I catch her wrist before she pulls her hand back and press a kiss to her knuckles. “And you are too, in your own way. Always ready to argue.”
Her cheeks flush at that, though her smile lingers.
For a moment, we lie in silence, the rhythm of her breath syncing with mine. But the thought still itches at me, so I ask, “You said you won’t be here after the summer. Can I ask what that means?”
Her lashes sweep down as she nods slowly. “I have a contract in New York. Starting in the fall. With Kellerman, Chase & Harlan.”
I let out a low whistle. “That’s one of the biggest entertainment firms in the country.”
Her lips curve, proud but shy. “Yeah.”
“Congratulations,” I say, and I mean it. “Landing a job like that is no small feat.”
She looks at me, eyes sparkling. “Careful, Landon. If you keep talking like that, I might think you actually like me.”
I hold her gaze. “I already told you I like you.”
Her smile deepens, soft and disbelieving, and before I can add anything else, she rolls over, straddling my waist. Her thighs press against my sides, her hair falling around her face as she looks down at me.
“Is that so? What else do you like about me?” she teases, her tone playful but her eyes searching.
