Page 38 of One Day Like This (Excess All Areas 1)

He saw her shoulders relax. “Okay, I won’t be long.”

Matt turned on the bedside light and killed all the others so the room was lit in a warm glow. He also used the time to take a few deep breaths. Mixed emotions roiled through him. The thought of Harry with his hands on Izabel made him sick. While he’d never show it, Harry’s words had cut deep.

He’d not wanted to think of Jase and Izabel tonight. This was his and Izabel’s day, and he needed a moment to cleanse the thoughts of her with anybody else from his mind.

It wasn’t the fact she had a past that bothered him—hell, he had a long one too. It waswhoshe’d been with. He needed to clear the ghosts ofthemout of the room. With a tug, he pulled the curtains wide to the night sky and opened the window.

He thought back to the day they’d met. To the day Luke had taken him home to the two-bedroom house on Willaston Close. The house with the bright blue door and the staircase with the big white handrail that ran along one wall of the small living room. He’d been twelve and Izabel nine. And somewhere along the way, she’d changed from being Luke’s annoying younger sister to Luke’s beautiful and compassionate little sister to Iz.

Iz, who only had to smile at him to set his heart on fire.

Iz, who asked smart questions and reminded him of what he’d achieved when he could only see what he hadn’t.

Iz, who was currently taking off her makeup so he could take her to bed.

Iz, who made him feel like he was more than enough, rather than the guy who hadn’t quite made it.

If it wouldn’t cost him his band, his best friend, or even his brother for all his failings, Izabel would be the easiest yes in the world.

He took a deep breath. Then another.

When the door to the bathroom opened and Izabel stepped out, wearing nothing but lacy underwear the same shade as her dress and a smile, his dick stood to full attention and ached. “Hey,” she said.

He walked toward her. “You’re perfect.” He slid his hands into her hair and kissed her. Gently at first, an exploration of her lips, before turning heated. Their tongues duelled.

Izabel gripped the bottom of his shirt and tugged it from his pants before sliding her hands beneath it to stroke his skin.

He could have sworn his dick started leaking at the first touch of her. But it wasn’t enough. He wanted her skin on his.

Fuck responsibilities.

Fuck sensible.

Fuck everything real or imaginary that stood between them.

Quickly, he stepped back, opened enough buttons to tug his shirt over his head, and threw it to the floor. When he pulled Izabel back into his arms, he groaned. “God, you feel good.”

With one flick of the hooks, Matt undid her strapless bra and pulled it from between the two of them. Her round nipples, a dusky pink, stood to attention, and he ran his hand along her waist and ribs until he could rub his thumb lazily over one erect peak.

“Matt,” Izabel gasped.

“You like that?”

“Yes.”

He bent slightly and sucked it into his mouth, swirling his tongue around and over her nipple. When this night was over, he’d never forget the sounds of pleasure she’d made as he sucked on her. The way the gasp caught in the back of her throat, the way her breath warmed his shoulder.

In one simple motion, he picked her up, and Izabel wrapped her arms and legs around him as he carried her to the bed and laid her down on the cool sheets. Even though his body urged him to strip them of the remainder of their clothes and dive into the heat of Izabel’s body, he stood back and looked at her.

Blonde hair spread messily on the covers. Without the makeup she wore, he could see the dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She looked up at him through fair lashes as her tongue ran across those plump lips of hers.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Everything is perfect, Iz.” He reached for her panties and slid them over her hips, inhaling the musky scent of her as he did so.

Christ, he wanted her so badly he could practically taste her. But if this was all they could ever add up to, the sum of this one night, then he intended to squeeze everything out of their time together. He wanted to kiss her, lick her, and suck her. He wanted to make love slowly on the bed and fuck her standing up against the wall. He needed to create enough memories to last the rest of his life.

Matt removed the rest of his clothes, knowing the next time he touched Iz, they’d both be naked. “You got any preferences, Iz? Anything you really want us to do?”

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