My nipples pucker as I pump inside myself, replacing one finger with two. The palm of my hand brushes against my clit with each thrust until I’m twisting on the bed, trying to reach the spot I need. I’m so close, my body is on fire. The orgasm rips through me a second later, flooding my body with pulse after pulse of pleasure.
It’s been too long since I’ve felt the sweet release of a little death—too long since I even felt the desire. August has awakened a need in me I don’t fully understand. What’s worse, he wasn’t even trying to.
AUGUST
It’s almost one in the morning, and I’ve been sitting on the couch with my laptop on this video call for the last hour. My eyes are starting to cross, but missing this meeting wasn’t an option. I take a sip of coffee and try to force myself to appear more awake while Milo discusses phase three of the build. He’s on board with my staying here to look out for his sister, just not at the expense ofSpark. I still have a job to do, but it’s becoming increasingly hard to stay focused with a certain woman occupying most of my headspace.
Josie brought home groceries after work today, and I spent the afternoon sitting on the counter like a lovesick teenager, watching her while she made chicken alfredo. Dinner was delicious too. Maybe the best fettucine I’ve ever had. But the company was even better. We joked and talked the whole evening. She even let me help her grade some spelling tests. And through it all, I somehow managed to keep my hands to myself. Unlike the other night.
Fuck.That kiss. That damn kiss has been consuming my thoughts.
It was pure instinct. I couldn’t shake what she’d said earlier, how it’d been so long since someone had properly kissed her. Then she was standing there in that fucking slip, looking sexy as hell. As my hands gripped her hips, not even the dim lighting could hide the way her body reacted to my touch. It was hard as hell not to ravage her right then and there, show her what she’d been missing all these years being with that dipshit. I deserve some type of award for showing so much restraint.
The plan was to kiss her, tender and sweet. Just a little reminder of what it’s supposed to be like. But when she grabbed my shirt, practically begging me for more, my resolve crumbled like a stale cookie. Kissing her was like tasting sunshine. It was a spring breeze after a cold, hard winter. Her lips were feather soft, her body like putty in my hands.
I remembered myself before things went too far. Or so I thought. Until I watched her bolt out of the kitchen like her ass was on fire. We haven’t spoken about it at all since then, either, neither of us acknowledging the insane sexual tension between us, like the air is thick with electricity. But I’m dying to know what she’s thinking, what she wants.
Milo begins wrapping up the meeting, addressing some of the investors’ questions and concerns about the budget plans without any help from me. I wanted to be there for this meeting. I’ve always felt I’m more personable in person. It’s easier to convey my thoughts and ideas that way. But nothing would’ve kept me from being here for Josie right now. Besides, everything is going smoothly. My partner is capable of handling this on his own.
The meeting ends a few minutes later, and everyone files out of the room except for Milo, his face filling the screen as he sits down. “I think that went well. With any luck, I’ll be able to get everything squared away here in a few more weeks. How are things going there? How’s Josie?”
Sweet as a plump strawberry.
My stare falls, and I pick up my phone, pretending to read a text to buy myself some time. I don’t know how to answer his question without blurting out everything. Milo and I have never hidden things from each other. We couldn’t even if we wanted to.
“Auggie? What’s wrong?”
I force a lazy smile on my face and lift my gaze, shaking my head. “You worry too much. Josie is doing fine.”
His eyebrow quirks with suspicion. “Why do I have a sneaking suspicion there’s something you’re not telling me?”
Guilt coils in my stomach as I debate telling him about kissing Josie. Milo always knew about my crush on his older sister. It wasn’t my best kept secret. He never loved the idea, but it wasn’t like anything was going to come of it back then. She didn’t see me as anything more than her baby brother’s pesky best friend. Things are different now, though, and I’m not sure how Milo will feel when he learns I didn’t outgrow my infatuation years ago. It’s not like I lied to him intentionally. I tried. But fuck... she’s not the type of woman you can easily forget.
“Well... Parker is trying to convince her toget back out there,” I tell him with a shrug, shamelessly trying to distract him.
He chuckles. “You mean she’s encouraging her to go out and get laid.”
“That’s pretty much how I took it.”
“Shit.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I mean... there isn’t any reason she shouldn’t. Josie is grown woman. If it’ll help her heal and move on from that piece of shit, then it’s probably a good thing.”
I can’t help wondering if he’d still feel that way if it was me. A part of me wants to ask for his permission to continue exploring whatever the hell is happening with Josie. He’s my best friend and business partner. The last thing I want is to cause a rift between us. But this isn’t about him. And I’m not certain it would matter what he said.
“Yeah, that’s true.” I yawn, nodding in agreement.
“You look like shit,” he teases. “Go get some sleep, loser.”
“Gladly.” I rub my tired eyes. “But be sure you keep me updated on everything there.”
“Yeah, yeah. I will. And hey, I really appreciate you staying there with Josie. I can take care of everything here. You just look out for my sister. Don’t let Parker corrupt her too much.”
“Yeah, all right.” I let out an awkward laugh, stretching my limbs. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Later.”
I end the video chat and close my laptop, plopping back into the couch. My mind wanders up the stairs, to the room at the end of the hall and the woman sleeping inside it. If Milo only knew. Parker isn’t the one he should be worried about. I’m the one who kissed her—the one who can’t stop thinking about all the things I’d like to do to her gorgeous body. She consumes my every waking thought. Now that I’ve had a little taste, I want her more than ever. And I’m fairly certain this desire isn’t one-sided anymore. It's only a matter of time before this thing between us comes to a head.
JOSIE