Page 82 of Seven Year Itch
“Oh, that reminds me. Debra... you can come on out now.”
Dakota’s eyes widen as she jerks her head to look down my hallway.
“I’m fucking with you, Ace.”
“Jesus.” She presses a hand to her chest.
“But I do have a doctor in the bedroom ready to do our STD exams if you decided you wanted an updated one.”
Her eyes widen.
“Fucking with you again. Jesus, you need to relax!”
“Sorry, I’m just...” She inhales deeply. “This is just a lot.”
“Is it too much?” I ask, moving my computer off my lap and hopping off the floor to join her on the sofa.
“Maybe?”
I shrug and stretch my arm around the back of the sofa behind her. “That’s no problem... we’ll cut some shit, then. I went a little overboard to try to show you I’m not as awful as you think I am.”
Her eyes snap up to mine. “I don’t think you’re awful.”
“You do too,” I argue. “You call me Killer Calder because you think I ruin everything I touch.”
She chews her lip. “I’m sorry. I’ll try to be less of a... what did you call me, prudey brat?”
“Prudey bitch,” I correct her with a grin.
She grins back, her eyes holding mine for a long, drawn-out moment that makes all the blood rush to my cock once again. All this talk about fucking and we still haven’t fucked tonight is really messing with my head.
I pull back to break the sizzling spell we’re under because we have other business to discuss. “Listen, you don’t have to agree to this tonight. Give it some serious thought. I can email the presentation to you, and you can make changes or tell me to fuck off. I would totally understand.”
“I’m not going to tell you to fuck off.” She laughs and glances at the TV screen. “I’m impressed. You put a PowerPoint presentation together. Who the hell are you?”
My brows lift as I point back to the TV. “Refer to slide two. With great power comes great responsibility.”
She laughs at my lame joke and gives me a little shove, her hand lingering on me for longer than necessary, which has me exhaling with relief. Knowing Dakota, this all could have gone a very different direction. I half expected her to tell me it was predatory and fucked-up and she’d drive away and never come back. And if that was her decision, I would respect it.
But the realization that I’d have been fucking crushed with disappointment is a little alarming.
Chapter 26
I Waxed for This
Dakota
If I leave here without sleeping with Calder Fletcher tonight, it would be a crime against humanity. There would be riots in the streets. Forest fires would erupt all around us. Tsunamis would wipe out towns. Tornados would decimate the Midwest. Earthquakes would crack the earth’s core.
Perhaps I’m being a touch dramatic.
But there’s a roaring fire in the fireplace for goodness’ sake! I did not get another wax job and put on these sexy-ass boots just to leave his cabin and wait for an email from Calder to consider his proposition. Is he crazy?
I’ve been waiting my whole life for this. Not Calder specifically, but this moment. This opportunity to just... have casual sex. Something I never let myself do. I was always the responsible mom of the group, making sure my friends were safe during high school and college. Designated Dakota was my nickname, so I missed the fun, adventurous casual-sex time in my life.
I think that’s why I was attracted to Randal when we first met. He was a bartender with long hair and stayed out late, and he felt like all the exciting things I hadn’t experienced yet. Not unlike Calder and this sex-periment we’re about to go on. The only difference with Calder is this has an end date, and there is zero chance of falling in love and marrying the wrong guy. Been there, done that. Threw out that T-shirt.
Steeling myself, I shift closer to Calder on the sofa, my legs making an awkward squeak on the leather. I place a trembling hand on his thigh, and he glances down, shifting underneath my palm.
