Page 23 of Shockproof

“You tellin’ me you didn’t?”

“Touche.”

Laughter leaves us both, yet it’s Slater who speaks first afterward, “How about this, Foxy Arley? Each time you successfully execute one of the maneuvers we’ve been workin’ on,I’lltake somethin’ off. And each time you make a mistake,youtake somethin’ off.”

Lightly moaning over the idea of where this isfinallygoing can’t be helped. “Like a game of strip poker?”

“I’ll poke whatever you like once one of us is naked.”

“Done, son!”

The tiny sneer I’m flashed receives a light snicker. “What did I say about callin’ me son?”

“That was bro!”

“They’re in the same fuckin’ category.”

“Alright, old man,” I juvenilely taunt, confidence suddenly soaring, “how do you wanna get your ass kicked first?”

“Palm strikes.”

Those are easy.

Almost a littletooeasy.

I wonder what he’s up to.

With my widened stance and palms upward, fingers together but not locked, I hold my ground upon his short approach. I flex the wrist of my dominant hand, aggressively strike upward near his throat area – making sure to avoid actual contact – and swiftly yank it away which in theory will cause the attacker’s head to snap backward. Slater demonstrates the motion of the action thatshouldoccur next prompting me to use both open palms to gently tap his ears – again not actually trying to hurt the man I can’t wait to see naked again – in a follow up hit. Lastly, I lift my foot and gently touch his inner thigh with the tips of my toes to imply a forceful kick to the balls.

“Impressive.” My boyfriend slightly retreats in an amused fashion. “Really impressive.”A quirked eyebrow makes an appearance in his expression.“You been holdin’ out on me, Angel Cake?”

“Of course. There wasn’t nakedness at stake.” Wide mouth chuckles precede him preparing to take his shirt off, an action that immediately summons an objection. “Ah. Ah. Shorts first, Cowboy. I don’t need added distractions yet.”

His head tips mirthfully to one side. “You find me more distractin’ with my shirt off than my pants?”

“Only because you’ve still got on underwear.” Ego gets the better of me again. “You know.For another minute or two.”

“Oh, that mouth on you, baby,” he wickedly taunts while wiggling out of his bottoms. “Gonna have to teach it a lesson when it’s on me.”

Whimpers are properly suppressed by one set of lips pressing together yet the other, the set that hopeshis mouthtouches it for a very long and hard lesson, forces me to briefly clamp my thighs closed in order to keep it from throwing in the towel too early.

We gotta win this thing.

Not just to save face – although saving face is important – but so that the part of my best friend that still thinks of me as something so delicate it can’t even be put in his carry on with six rolls of bubble wrap can sleep a little easier tonight.

“Let’s do a side headlock.”

“You think you’ve still got on enough deodorant for that?” I playfully torment during my repositioning. “I mean an hour ago it wasquestionable.”

Slater narrows his gaze, swings his arm around my neck, and attempts to lock me in place. Rather than allow a choking mock to begin, I turn toward him as much as possible, tap his inner thigh to indicate a kick to the nuts, and the instant his hold loosens, I slip out. Step behind him. Lightly thump his black boxer brief covered ass cheek and watch him fall to the ground once more demobilized.

The glance I’m thrown over his shoulder is devious and delectable. “Now, can I take my shirt off?”

Victoriously nodding is attached to tightening my frizzy, high ponytail.

Slater slowly rises to his feet making sure to enslave my stare during each exaggerated motion in the removal process. Lifting up the very edge of the white article has me unconsciously leaning my face to one side in anticipation of seeing the slick skin being sheltered underneath. Inch by painstaking inch, he reveals abs that Adobe should add to their airbrushing features.

This time I don’t even bother hiding my soft moan. “God, you’re like looking at a caramel covered biscotti. I just wanna dip you in coffee and let you melt in my mouth.”

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