Page 51 of Highball and Chain

He sat beside me and tapped the side of my head. “What’s going on in there?”

“We’re friends?” I met his gaze.

“Yes?”

“Just friends. We’ve fooled around a little, so that makes us friends with benefits, but this isn’t a relationship, right?”

He stretched out beside me. “A friendship is a relationship.”

“You know what I mean.”

He furrowed his brow as if struggling to find the right words.

My heart broke a little more with each passing second. “It’s a simple question.”

“It’s hardly a simple question, Shanna.” He scratched the stubble on his jaw. “I’m in this with you. Whatever it is, but I despise the term friends with benefits.”

“Me too. Let’s not label it. Let’s just see where whatever this is goes.”

“I like the sound of that.” Pulling me against his chest, he kissed my lips—likely to shut me up.

Enzo drew my bottom lip into his mouth and bit until I moaned. That’s all it took for the two of us to turn into a tangle of limbs. That was the problem with skipping labels and going with the flow. Our river was full of rapids and led straight to a freaking waterfall.

He broke free long enough to tug my shirt off and toss it to the side. “Take your jeans off.”

I stared awestruck as he reached over his shoulder and pulled his shirt over his head. Holy eight-pack, Batman. I’d seen plenty of cut guys, but Enzo took sculpted abs to an entirely new level. Tanned skin, a dusting of hair between his pecs, and ripple after ripple of muscle. For the first time, I understood why he’d wanted me naked in the limo. In fact, I could get behind Enzo in his birthday suit twenty-four-seven.

“Shanna…” Standing beside the bed, he grinned and ran his hand down the front of his pants. “…your jeans.”

“What is it with you ordering me to undress?” I managed to undo the top button before he distracted me again. Seriously, how’s a girl supposed to concentrate when a man like Enzo Marchionni takes off his pants?

“What is it with you arguing with me on every turn?” He reached for me, but stopped short when I scrambled out of the bed and dropped to my knees.

“I’ll take them off in a minute.” I curled my fingers around the waistband of his boxer briefs and pulled them down his strong thighs. I wasn’t exactly a stranger to his cock, but he’d remained mostly clothed during our previous encounters. Much like my reaction to the plane, I was ill-prepared for the reality of coming face-to-face with it. Most men had either length or width, some had neither, but Enzo… He had both, so much so, I rethought my decision to give him a blowjob.

He ran his hand over his length and the damned thing grew larger.

Not helping. Gripping the base, I rolled my tongue over the tip.

He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath. Curling his fingers in my hair, he hissed, “Fuck…”

I glanced up at his face, winked, and got down to business. It took me a few seconds to get my rhythm, but when I did his entire body trembled. He seemed to be holding back as if afraid to lose control.

We can’t have that, now can we?

I increased the tempo and tightened my grip.

A deep rumbling groan spilled from his lips. “Stop.”

I didn’t stop until he finished.

He jerked his hips back, grabbed my shoulders, and hoisted me to my feet. Slanting his mouth over mine, he parted my lips with his tongue and kissed me like he meant it. I’m talking a full body kiss with groping and grinding.

My body sparked like a downed power line. I stepped back, turned around, and popped each button. Bending at the waist, I slid my jeans down my legs.

“I’m so fucking glad I didn’t give you a quickie in the backseat of the limo.” Enzo lowered his voice to a sexy growl. “I’m going to spend every minute of this flight exploring every inch of your body.”

The knowledge that this incredible man wanted me so fiercely thrilled and terrified me. He wasn’t just a hot guy at a masked ball anymore. I knew him. I knew his secrets and his fears. If we crossed the line, if we gave in to the passion, I didn’t think I would survive it if he ghosted me again.

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