Sighing, she wiped her hand down the side of her face. “Look, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to hear his side of the story. But I swear, that’s it. I don’t have any intention of getting back together with him. Ever. I won’t get caught up in his bullshit lies again. I’ve closed the door on that part of my life.”
“Then why the games?”
She licked her lips, drawing every ounce of my attention to her perfect cupid’s bow. I bit back a groan. Her lips were stunning. Not too full to overshadow the delicate symmetry of her face, yet plump enough that they gave me all kinds of lewd ideas. They reminded me of that pink saltwater taffy shit I couldn’t get enough of as a kid.
She curled her hand around the front of my shirt like she couldn’t decide if she wanted to push me away or pull me closer. “I don’t know what you mean by games.”
I ran my nose along her swan-like neck, breathing her in, searing her jasmine scent into my soul. “You told him we were friends.” I grazed the shell of her ear with my teeth. “Friends. Friends who fuck. Friends who share a bed every night. Friends passing time until somebody better comes along. Is that what you think we are? Is that it?”
“No.” She raised her chin. “Actually, you know what? I don’t have any clue what we are. You’ve never bothered to explain anything. As a matter of fact, you’ve flat out refused to discuss what any of this means on more than one occasion. Should I take a leap of faith and assume I’m more than I’m a convenient fuck? Because from where I’m standing, you haven’t given me any indication that I mean anything to you.”
“Convenient?” I laughed darkly. “There’s nothing about you that’s convenient. If my only goal was blowing off steam, I’d have plenty of options at the club who don’t come with a million and one complications. And you can bet your sweet ass they wouldn’t be best friends with my sister.”
“Then tell me what this is, Gian, because I’m tired of pretending. I need to know if you feel anything. I can’t keep doing this when I feel so…”
My shoulders tensed. Her unfinished thought hung in the air, creating a noxious cocktail of expectation and apprehension. When it was evident she didn’t intend to continue, I decided to show her rather than tell her what I felt. Words held too much power, and I didn’t think either one of us was ready to chisel our feelings in stone. We had too many hurdles to get over first.
I cupped her face, drowning in the familiar pull of her chocolate eyes. “I know. I know.”
Dropping my hands to her waist, I claimed her mouth. Her breath caught, and her back arched. I loved the way she melted into me every damn time I touched her. It was exhilarating. Intoxicating. Addictive.
A yelp tumbled from her mouth when I lifted her up in the air, cradling her in my arms. Her fingers clawed at my shoulders, clinging to me as I set her on the top of the dresser.
I unknotted my tie and yanked on one end, the sound cutting through the air like a knife. The silky material dangled from my calloused fingertips.
“Do you trust me?”
She stared at me, her eyes simmering with lust and a hundred unspoken emotions. Uneven breaths puffed from her mouth, and my attention dropped to her breasts, searching and finding her pebbled nipples beneath her flimsy nightie.
Fucking beautiful.
“Yes.”
I wrapped the tie around her eyes, knotting it at the back of her head. Her body coiled like a spring and a giant stream of air whooshed out of her lungs.
“What are you doing?” she rasped, her chin angling to the side, and her pink-tipped fingers clutching the square edge of the dresser.
“Shh.” One of my hands wound around her slim neck, not applying any pressure. I just wanted to establish I was in control and I would protect her. I pressed a finger to her lips. “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”
I slid one strap of her nightie down her shoulder then the other. The silky material pooled around her waist, exposing her tight rose-colored buds. I cupped them in my hands, strumming my thumbs over the sensitive tips.
“I can’t.”
I dragged her panties down her mile-long legs, the petal-soft hush of lace against skin ringing my ears. Nothing had ever sounded so damn arousing.
“You can.”
I kissed and caressed every inch of her skin, and the tension gradually unfurled from her limbs. She bit her lower lip, and a ragged moan escaped her, and just like that, I knew I had her. She wouldn’t object. My fingers dipped between her legs, smearing her wetness around her clit, bringing her to the brink, again and again.
“Please, Gian.”