Page 56 of Rewrite the Rules

“Probably not…because I wouldn’t know how to explain things.”

“Mmmm, how about—I’m sliding my mail into my assistant’s slot. I’m letting my assistant handle my briefs. I’m foreseeing aggressive growth at the office…wait I swear I have better ones…something about a stapler?” Adler’s shoulders bounce up and down playfully. This time I break down and laugh.

“You overcompensate with humor when you’re nervous.”

“What?” she squeaks then clears her throat. “I don’t do that.” She forces a lower decibel.

“Sure, Baby Spice. That was very convincing. Tell me honestly, does the lack of relationship bother you? Do you want a boyfriend?”

“It’s Friday night, and you could be out but you want to be here with me, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then, that’s enough. But since you brought it up…why are you so adamant against marriage? You were going to tell me before I stormed out the night you found out about the book. I was a little nervous to ask, like it wasn’t my business, but now that I’ve seen your disco stick, it’s all fair game. I’d even ask if you wax your ass at this point.”

“Once…but never again.” I recoil at the painful memory of a lost bet in college. I couldn’t sit comfortably for days. Adler grabs her ribs as she snickers. “But as for the marriage stuff—it’s complicated. I’m not convinced it brings out the good in people. In fact, based on everything I’ve seen, I’d argue it brings out the worst.”

Speaking of mood killers.

“You know what?” Her humorous expression sobers. She places one hand on my cheek and smooths the strained lines on my forehead with the other. “Do you want to table this conversation for another time?”

Adler hikes her knee across my lap and straddles me. She slides my glasses off and neatly folds them before leaning backwards to set them on her coffee table. It gives me the perfect view of her full bust.

“I’d like that.” My words are barely a whisper.

She plants a tender kiss on my lips. Something’s changed. She’s more confident. She traces the back of my neck with the tip of her thumbnail, sending a tremor down my spine. Her perfume smells like sweet, innocent lust. A weird contradiction. Like heaven meets hell.

I wrap my hands around her hips and yank her even closer, so she’s sitting on my growing erection. I can feel the oven preheating between her legs as her breath picks up. She locks her legs around me and we fold into each other like origami. Her damp hair feels glacial against my shoulders, and the sensation is tantalizing. Like ice melting against fire. No. Something more. We’re hotter—super nova.

“I’m going to take such good care of you,” I rasp against her ear. She rocks on top of me as she runs her nails lightly across my hair, tickling my scalp.Damn, I love that.My hand shoots up her shirt and under the wire of her bra. I pinch her nipple between my thumb and forefinger. She arches her back so forcefully I barely catch her with my arm before she falls off my lap. I secure her against my chest and growl in her ear. “I’m going to make you come so hard, so many times, you’re going to need to hibernate after tonight.”

For once, Adler doesn’t have a sarcastic reply. She reaches for the waistline of my jeans. She undoes the button and tugs on my zipper.

I shift my hips, allowing enough room for Adler’s hand to slip underneath my waistband. She grazes my length shyly, so I press against her hand with mine, asking her to commit. “Fuck, Adler, I’ve wanted to do this for so lo—”

The handle turns with an audible clank.

Her front door flings wide open.

Adler rips her hands out of my pants.

Aaahhh! Fuck!

I whip my head to the left to see three girls crowding the doorway, looking as mortified as I feel. They didn’t knock, they gave no warning, they just entered the apartment like they own the place. We’re caught in the act.

Adler slumps her head against my chest and lets out small, rigid heaves. At first, I think she’s crying but then she loudly snorts.

“Shit.” She chuckles. “I forgot about girls’ night.”

“We’ll wait outside, Bear.” The curly-blonde-haired girl reaches in to close the door. The awkward lull sobers us both.

“We need to talk about locking your door from now on. For more reasons than one.”

Adler cups her hands over her flushed face and buries deeper into my chest. “It wouldn’t matter,” she mumbles against my shirt. “They all have keys.”

“Those are your best friends?”

“Yep. The whole crew, except one. But I can guarantee you Mani is already aware of the situation. Ten bucks says they are on the phone with her as we speak.”

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