Page 8 of In The Game

“You have a lot of unforgettable nights?”

“No, that they’re soaking wet.” I wink.

She gives me a playful shove and glances at my pants. “You’re so full of yourself it’s starting to leak out.”

I grab her small hand and pull her back to my front. “This is a night I won’t forget either,” I mutter, and she swallows.

Her body fits nicely against mine. It’s unlike any other woman I’ve played around with. Our breaths are in sync, and time stands still when I hold her. She has this calming effect on me, even though this night has been a total shitshow, being with her makes it feel more like a fun adventure. As much as I want to get her home, I’m actually enjoying this quiet moment under the flickering fluorescent lights of a gas station.

When her phone dings and the new car pulls up, I reluctantly let go so we can walk out together. The driver gets out of the car, waving his hands.

“No way, dude. Ijustgot this car detailed, I can’t have it smelling like piss.”

I level him with a glare. “It’s water. Unlock the door.”

She attempts stifling the laughter, but her shoulders quake. Shaking my head, I narrow my eyes and bite my lip to keep my laughter at bay. After he releases the locks, I open the door for her. She hobbles in on one shoe and secures her seat belt. While I settle in next to her, she struggles to unfasten the ankle clasp.

“Here, give me your foot.” I hold out my hand, and she angles her body to rest her calf in my palm. Fuck, she has nice legs, they’re toned and athletic.

For the second time, I give my address and we sit in silence. I’m afraid to make a peep for fear of setting off some new weird chain of events that delays our arrival. To my delightful surprise, we actually make it to our destination and everything seems back on track again.

“You still want to come in?”

“After all that?” She gestures behind us. “I think I’ve earned it. Besides, I’m having a great time.”

Her gorgeous light-brown eyes look much darker now under the shadowed awning, uplit by landscape lighting. She’s earned it, all right.

“Good. Me too.” I enter in the code and place my hand on the small of her back to usher her inside.

“Okay, here we go, Bear. Hold your breath,” Raleigh comments, stepping across the threshold. “We did it!” She spins around and jumps in the air, as if we summited a mountaintop by stepping through my front door.

In some ways, it does feel like that. It’s been a bizarre string of bad luck. This has been the worst date I’ve ever been on and I’m loving every minute.

“Come here.” I’ve been dying to get my hands on her all night. “Let’s get you out of that dress.”

“Or what?” She challenges me, raising one eyebrow.

Oh. It’s likethat.Okay, then.

I stalk toward her until she’s backed against the wall and I’m towering above her. She bites her lip and seems to shrink under my gaze. I move in to kiss her but then stop. Her eyes plead with me, and something tells me I shouldn’t.

I spin her to face the wall, holding her wrists in one hand behind her back. Damn, this body, normally I go for much curvier girls, but she’d be gorgeous any size. She wiggles her fingers, trying to stroke me through my jeans. Her touch is almost mischievous, like she’s trying to incite a reaction.She’s getting one.

“You gonna hold yourself against me or are you going to actually do something about that hard cock digging into my back?”

“You have quite the mouth on you, don’t you?”

“Indeed. Want to see what else it can do?”

“Yes.”

“Let me go and I’ll show you”—I release her hands—“but you have to catch me first.”

“Wait—” She darts across the foyer and flies up the stairs.What the fuck?

“Raleigh!” After all this, I’m done playing games. I want her. But why does her little cat-and-mouse trick turn me on?

“Polo!”

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