Page 34 of Tempt

We’ll see if she’s too casual to care when I sink inside her, filling her up with every stroke…

The climax starts at the base of my spine, barreling down on me like an unstoppable train.

Fucking hell.

I spill all over my hand.

I come for what feels like forever. As if I was waiting for exactly this excuse to wring every ounce of physical pleasure from an act that’s been perfunctory for years.

Finally, I drop back against the pillow and stare up at the ceiling. My heart jackhammers in my back.

When it slows enough that I can hear more than my own racing pulse, the house is silent.

Nothing changed tonight, I tell myself.

I’m lying.

11

KAT

“So I called because mom’s birthday is coming up,” I say into my phone as I reach the doors of the campus bookstore. I flow inside following a stream of traffic. “I was thinking we could get her one of those Pandora bracelets. At Christmas, she said they were cute. Want to go in on it with me?”

“She was dropping hints about Cartier last month,” Clay responds.

I wedge my way through crowds of students, some enthusiastic and others cursing, toward the psych section.

“Dad made about a thousand times as much money as I did this year. He can get her Cartier.”

“Just send me the link and I’ll buy it. Don’t worry about the money.”

I roll my eyes.

My brother plays basketball, and he’s good.

Professional good.

He’s been making bank since getting drafted first round. He also works his ass off, no matter what he’d have anyone believe.

I scan the shelf labels, trying to find my course.

Topics in Psychology. Psychometrics.

“How’s the new gig? Aren’t you starting your season soon?” I ask.

“Next month.” His frown is practically its own syllable. “I won’t be here forever.”

“None of us are.”

Advanced Social Psychology.

Bingo.

The last copy.

I lunge for the book, tripping over another student to get it.

“Helpful, Kat. Really. You should be a therapist.”

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