Page 68 of Craving the Player

“I’msorry, Sierra. Ihave loose lips.” Mom laughs with aslight roll of her eyes. “I’ll leave you two for now. But I’ll be back. Don’tdisappear before Ihave achance to chat with you some more.”

“Wouldn’tdream of it, Tia,” Sierra replies, flashing her agenuine smile that has my heart thumping abit too heavily.

“Well, alright.” My shoulder is squeezed once more as breath tickles my ear. “Ilike her,” Mom whispers and walks away, leaving my chest filled with pride.

Me too, Mom. Ireally fucking like her.

Sierra

“Did Itell you how beautiful you look yet?" Braden asks, the words kissing the skin of my shoulder seconds before his lips do. Itighten my arms around his neck and hide my growing smile in his shirt, welcoming the familiar smell of his cologne. The music playing around us has been slow for the past few minutes now, seeing as we're one of the only pairs left on the dancefloor. Most guests left when Braden’sdad and new bride did, but some hung around, reveling in the classy music and free bar.

Ididn’tmind staying and surprisingly, neither did Braden. We've just been hidden in our own little world, swaying slowly to the music, clutching each other like we fear the other might vanish in thin air if we let go.

"You did. Afew times.” Heat warms my cheeks as Ipull away just enough to stare up at him. There'san unmissable playfulness in his eyes, one that always sparks when he'shappy. Really happy. The thought alone of him feeling so lighthearted and giddy while in my presence makes me feel prouder than Iprobably should.

"Well, I'mgoing to tell you again," he murmurs, kissing my hair tenderly. "You look stunning."

"You're feeling generous tonight." Itoy with the hairs at the base of his neck and grin when he shivers.

"You have no idea.”

"Is that so?"

Much to my surprise, Braden has kept to his word all night, never touching me in anything but agentlemanly way. But as nice as it’sbeen, there have been afew times that I’ve wanted nothing more than for him to reach under the table and slide ahand up my dress. I’mpretty sure that that’sjust my hormones talking, though.

"Give me one more dance. Then Ican show you what Imean."

"Ialready know what you mean," Ipoke, loving the way his lips tug to the ceiling when Itease him. “But I’ll give you the pleasure of one more dance.”

He doesn'treply right away. He pulls me closer instead, close enough that my chest moves with his with every sharp inhale. “Did you have agood time? Iknow that Gracie can get abit nosey.”

“It was great.” Ipress my palm to his chest, directly over where his heart beats. “And you really love to rile her up. Poor girl.”

“Poor girl? Did you forget what she did to me tonight?” Braden looks traumatized as he gags. The repulsion in his eyes makes me laugh, choking on air mid-laugh.

The pissed look on Gracie’sface when Braden gave her anoogie will be forever in my memory. Iwas genuinely surprised when she didn’ttry and attack his balls as payback. That’susually my go to revenge move. However, Gracie preferred amuch subtler form of revenge. She had the chef swap their plates before they were brought out, making Braden choke down whatever vegan meat she ordered while she pretended to dig into his steak. How he didn’tnotice the difference in texture or smell is beyond me. But the way he struggled with the silent retching while gulping down mouthfuls of water straight from the pitcher was hilarious.

“Idon’tthink Icould ever forget.” My forehead falls to his chest as my body shakes with silent laughter. There’sno point in holding it in, Braden can pretend that he’sstill annoyed but Iknow that he loved the whole thing. His playful nature is too strong to be wounded by some fake veggie steak.

Braden’shands move from my hips to my sides before his finger’sare digging into them. Ishove away from him, squealing and swatting at him. “You think it’sfunny that Inearly threw up all over the table? Wait until Iget you home, little fighter. You won’tbe laughing then.”

“Stop! Stop!”

His head falls back with aloud laugh, his eyes twinkling beneath the party lights. Tears blur my vision as my abdomen begins to ache. Our eyes meet and my belly fills with warmth.

Aportrait of pure joy is staring right at me in the form of atruly beautiful man. One with bushy, scarred eyebrows, eyes the same shade as expensive whiskey, and asmile that could turn even the most ruthless of people into apuddle of goo at his feet. Braden is protective in the best ways and also playful enough that in those few moments where you find yourself stuck in the realities of being agrown-up, he can make you feel like akid again. He’severything that I’ve been needing and begging for.

“You’re really beautiful,” Ichoke out before my eyes bulge and then shut. Our laughter slowly dies, and the air begins to fill with an emotion so thick and heavy that Igasp, suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling to clutch my chest.

His mouth falls, and he lets out awavering exhale. “Iwill never hold aflame to your beauty, my little fighter. Ipromise you that.”

"How far are we?" Iask while attempting to hold back my yawn as it tries to break loose. Braden’shand rests comfortably on my thigh, his thumb moving in arelaxing back and forth motion.

We left the reception afew minutes ago, once the music cut and the few stragglers left. The blisters on my feet made it impossible to walk to the car without limping, so of course, like the gentleman he promised to be, Braden swept me off of my feet and carried me the rest of the way. Ithink it made me fall for him that much more—that much deeper.

It also makes my telling him about Toronto that much harder.

The car comes to ajolting stop, my body lurching forward and the fabric of the seat belt digging into my skin. With wide eyes, Iturn to see Braden already undoing his seatbelt, turning the headlights off, and sliding his seat back.

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