You and Everything After(32)

“Oh, you’re in trouble all right,” he says, constantly coming closer until he can reach forward and put his hands on my knees. His touch is a faint tickle at first, but soon his hands have a firm grip on the tops of my legs.

“You started it,” I say, tilting my chin up, keeping the volley going. On instinct, Ty turns and looks at my dresser, remembering his small prank. He curls the side of his mouth into the sexiest smile, the dimple in his cheek shaded by the dark stubble.

“Yeah,” he says, bringing his eyes back to mine. “I sure did.”

I push myself back on the bed, and Ty slides his hands so they’re resting on either side of my body, and then begins to lift himself so he’s hovering over me. I succumb and lie on my back while he pulls himself completely from the chair—holding his chest above mine with his massive arms. They’re perfect, and his biceps are working so hard that his T-shirt looks as if it’s about to rip from his arms, the white fabric hugging it so tightly.

Unable to stop myself, I run my hands up his forearms, onto his biceps, and under the sleeves of his shirt until I can grip his shoulders. Every curve of his body is warm and smooth, the muscle underneath so powerful. “You have the most unbelievable arms. Like, seriously—when I have to write a thesis paper, can I use you as my subject?” I say, letting my gaze wander over his biceps while my hands slowly stroke his skin, admiring every dip and ripple. I know I sound gushy and corny, but seriously, I love his body. It’s a masterpiece.

“Well, fuck,” he says, dropping his forehead to mine and shutting his eyes. He chuckles lightly and shakes his head softly from side to side, our foreheads rolling together. “How am I supposed to be mad about a little pink room when you say shit like that?”

I drag my hands back up his arms until they’re around his neck, and then I let my fingers glide over his jawline, my thumbs in heaven against the rough texture of his chin. God, I swear this man is a lumberjack. “I’m sorry I tricked you,” I say, my lips twitching with nervous energy, just begging him to kiss them again. I have to tuck the bottom one under my teeth just to mask my quivering nerves.

“Yeah, that wasn’t very nice,” he says, licking his lips lightly, his breath hot against my mouth. “I thought that kiss this morning was real.”

“It was,” I say quickly, tilting my face just enough so he’s forced to look into my eyes. I know we’re playing a game right now, but it’s important to me that Ty doesn’t think I’m the kind of girl to give kisses out freely and dishonestly. I’m not that girl anymore, and I’ll never be that girl again. “The only part of this morning that I made up was the part about being locked out of my room. The kissing you part, that was just a perk.”

“Yeah? So I’m, like, on your list of benefits?” he smirks.

“Yeah. It goes: medical, dental, PTO, and Ty Preeter,” I say.

“PTO? What the hell is PTO and how is it before me on the list?” he asks, pushing me flat on the mattress, slowly letting the weight of his body cover mine.

“Uh, paid time off? Like vacation? Sorry, but I need my vacation. I have plans…BIG PLANS! Like Tahoe, the Hamptons, Venice, and London,” I say with a false shrug. Truth be told, Ty’s number one on my list—and he might be the only thing on it at this very moment.

“Well, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you don’t get vacation. You’ve been a very bad employee,” he says, and his eyes flash this devilish look that warms my entire body.

“What, are you going to write me up or something?” I ask, trying not to break character despite the desire to giggle.

“Something like that. Let’s just say this is all going in your file,” he says, his hands combing through my hair while his lips graze mine, his touch faint, but leaving behind a trail of fire.

“I’ve been written up before,” I say, every muscle in my body weakening, beckoning, and begging for him to take over.

“I think we’re going to need to schedule you some more on-the-job training then,” he says, his laugh slipping through the serious face he’s trying to hold. His smile is perfection, and it melts me completely. “I’m sorry, this whole bad-boss act isn’t working for me. I’m just going to stick with what I know.”

His kiss comes hard and fast after that, his hands strong on either side of my face while his tongue tangles with mine. His body is so warm, and all I want to do is touch every inch of it, my hands instinctively moving to his back and lifting his shirt until he rolls to the side and lets me remove it from him completely. He takes advantage of this move, pulling me on top of him now—kissing me with even more force while he works his fingers slowly around the arch of my back, his thumbs grazing the bare skin just above the waistband of my shorts.