Page 30 of Craving

“This is supposed to be a sex-free zone,” Marlon continued, his body still pressed against hers.

Her eyes flared, surprising him. She let out a shuddering breath.

She bit her lip, her hands kneading his shoulders. And Marlon realized their silly house rule was turning her on. She liked this tension, this teasing. She’d told him just a few minutes ago that she’d never been as horny as she was since she’d moved in.

Lust slammed into him like a freight train. This woman was made for him, Marlon was sure of it, but he wasn’t ready to take the next step with her. She’d want too much from him—or maybe he’d be too eager to give it to her. It killed him, but he had to stop. For his own sake.

He pulled himself back together and scooped her bra back where it was supposed to be. His thumbs brushed the soft flesh above the bra’s lacy edge as Camilla’s eyes fluttered shut.

If she liked being teased, he could hold back a little bit longer. He could let their craving reach another peak. It would give him time to figure out if he was ready to go there with her, to face the consequences of opening himself up to this woman more than he already had.

“You’re evil,” she complained when he dropped his hands from her breasts. She scowled at him, cheeks red. “And you’re right. It’s not the house’s fault.”

He let out a low chuckle and nearly threw their rule book out the window. Instead, he picked her shirt up off the floor and kissed her while he pressed it into her hands.

They hadn’t quite crossed the line. Not yet. But as her blue eyes met his, Marlon knew he was getting very, very close.

TEN

“A sex famine,” Scarlett cackled. “And it’s your own fault.”

Camilla lay on the gym’s exercise mats in a puddle of her own sweat. She groaned, not able to look her friends in the eyes. Her four-times-weekly bootcamp sessions had moved indoors when the weather cooled, but they hadn’t gotten any easier. Chet the personal trainer had a sadistic streak. He was over there, laughing and joking with other bootcamp members like he hadn’t just spent the last forty minutes tormenting them all with a big smile on his face.

Camilla sat up and scowled at the trainer, then turned to Lucy and Scarlett, who were in fits of giggles beside her.

“It’s not that funny.”

“Girl, just get your vibrator out and go to town,” Scarlett said, motioning in the general area of her crotch. “Take care of business.”

“You think I haven’t done that?” Camilla answered darkly. “I’m going to wear the damn thing out.”

She remembered the way Marlon had pressed her against the wall, the way he’d kissed her like he’d been dying to do it all week. She could still feel his hands on her body. And the way he’d stopped—like he liked the thought of denying her the pleasure—had brought her to orgasm three times since yesterday afternoon. She’d needed it. She was losing her mind.

Camilla sat up. “I need to get home and shower. We’re prepping, priming, and painting so we’re ready to pick up the furniture next weekend.”

Lucy turned on her side and propped her head on her hand. “So…what’s going on there?”

“I told you. I’m helping him redecorate his living room.”

Scarlett and Lucy exchanged a look. Lucy pursed her lips. “Hmm.”

“Maybe we should call Amelia,” Scarlett suggested.

“Amelia is on her honeymoon. Why would we call her?” Camilla knew she sounded shrill, but she hadn’t been able to help it. “We don’t need to bother her.”

“Wouldn’t Leo want to know what his brother is up to?” Scarlett wiggled her eyebrows. “Marlon did push you up against the wall and kiss you when he’s supposed to be housing you.”

“His brother isn’t up to anything,” Camilla grated out, which was a blatant lie. “We should just let Leo and Amelia enjoy their first couple weeks of marriage. Yesterday was just… I don’t know what it was.”

“Amelia sent me a picture of her hotel room, and her laptop was out on the desk. I saw a spreadsheet on the screen,” Lucy said, eyes glimmering. “If she has time for data analysis, she has time to learn that one of her besties is engaging in some questionable behavior with her new brother-in-law.”

“I’m going home.” Camilla stood and glared at her friends, who fell into another spasm of laughter. Scarlett hooted so loudly Chet looked over with that gleam in his eyes that said he wanted to prescribe more burpees. The sadist.

“Enjoy your ‘renovations.’” Lucy wiggled her eyebrows as she put the last word in finger quotes.

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” Scarlett sat up on her elbows, grinning.

“I hate you,” Camilla lied, then stomped out of the gym.

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