Page 9 of The Perfect Spiral
I should have said no. It wasn’t a good idea. But I nodded anyway. With my permission, his lips barely brushed against mine.
“I’m glad I’m here tonight with you, Alex. I miss this,” he said softly, pressing his lips onto mine. It was an intimate, innocent kiss. It started with pecks, then the kisses became longer, leaving me wanting more.
His tongue teased my bottom lip, asking for permission. I opened my mouth to allow him in. Our tongues met, and the kisses became more passionate.
Before we knew it, we were making out heavily, just like at the party. His hand traced down my side until it reached the hem of my shirt. He rubbed it between his fingers, as if debating whether to go further.
My free hand cupped the back of his neck, my fingers running through his short black hair. His fingers trailed up the outside of my leg until they reached my panties, hooking his thumb in them.
He stopped himself from pulling them down and slid his hand down the back of my leg, slightly squeezing my butt.
“Fuck,” he groaned, pulling back to stop things from going further. “We should sleep, Alex,” he said breathlessly, reachingacross me once again to turn off the light.
He kissed me once more and turned off the light. We settled into our positions until we were comfortable.
My back to his chest, I could feel his breath on the back of my neck and his heavy arm draped across my waist for protection. It was comforting to know he was there for me.
“Goodnight, beautiful. See you in the morning,” he said, kissing the back of my head.
Who knew Wes would be the romantic type? No, no, no, Alex! You can’t let this happen. Calm yourself down and sleep for tonight.
I let my eyes fall, and I slept like a baby that night, thanks to Wes’s comforting presence.
In the morning, Wes rolled out of bed and stretched with a sleepy groan, the blanket slipping down to reveal his impressive back and shoulder muscles. I propped myself up on one elbow, watching him pad across the room in nothing but his boxers. His hair was messy, and his eyes were still heavy with sleep, but somehow, he looked hotter than ever. When he turned to glance at me before disappearing into the bathroom, he flashed a lopsided grin and winked. That damn wink.
I was still smiling to myself when my phone started vibrating on the nightstand.
I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and answered. “Hello?”
“Baby doll! Oh, how I’ve missed that sexy voice of yours.”
“What do you want, Knox?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Damn, I’ve missed you saying my name, baby doll. Wanted to offer you tickets to my game again.”
It’s strange how he was pretending the other night hadn’t happened. Like he hadn’t driven across the city to see me. Like he hadn’t almost kissed me. I cleared my throat. “Why don’t you just invite your pop star girlfriend instead?”
He chuckled darkly and said, “Which one?”
I rolled my eyes and muttered, “You’re such a cocky dick, Knox.” Then, softer but more curious, I asked, “Why do you even want me at your game so badly, anyway?”
“I miss seeing my baby doll. Speaking of which, are you going to Savannah for Thanksgiving?”
“Ugh, you’re so infuriating. Quit calling me baby doll! And yes, I’ll be in Savannah for Thanksgiving. I’m guessing you won’t be there because you’ve got practice or some shit?” I crossed my fingers, hoping against hope that I was right.
“You’re in luck, baby girl, I’ll be in Savannah this year. So, I’ll let you sit next to me at dinner.”
I could practically see his smug grin through the phone. “Ew, please. Can’t you stay where you are and convince one of your one-night stands to cook you a Thanksgiving meal? I think that would be better for everyone, don’t you think?” His laughter only grew louder.
“It’s alright, you can admit you miss me. You know how I hate liars. Why would I stay here when both our mothers cook the most delicious food for Thanksgiving? Hmm?”
“Because you’re a man-whore who humps and dumps, fucks and ducks, nails and bails—however you like to call it—and wouldn’t miss a chance to carry out the deed! You can manipulate theminto cooking for you, it’s what you’re good at.” I smirked, knowing this would get under his skin.
Wes walked out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel through his hair. “Who are you talking to?” he asked, already suspicious.
I hesitated, suddenly hyper-aware of who I was talking to and how it would sound to Wes. After a long beat, I said, “Knox.”
Without another word, Wes strode over and snatched the phone out of my hand, his grip tighter than it needed to be. His jaw was clenched, eyes dark with something sharp and unmistakable—jealousy. The easygoing version of him from minutes ago was gone, replaced by something possessive and simmering just beneath the surface.
