Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 103102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103102 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 516(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 344(@300wpm)
Then down again.
Up and down.
I reach back for him, but he grabs my wrist to stop me. His touch is hard, rough, but it’s gentle, too. Enough to show force without hurting.
He is stronger than I am. Bigger, if barely taller. He could hurt me. But he won’t.
I trust him in a way I didn’t trust my previous partner here. In a way I didn’t trust any of my partners. In a way I’ve never trusted any man, ever.
He kisses a line up my neck and stops at my ear. “Turn around.” He releases me.
I turn so I’m eye to eye with him. No, in my shoes, I’m taller than he is. It’s funny. For once, I don’t feel tall. Not compared to him. I feel just right, like we align perfectly.
I step out of my shoes.
He steps out of his and brings both hands to my hips. Again, his lips find my ear. A soft brush. The heat of his breath. “Promise you’ll tell me if you want to stop?”
“I promise.”
He presses his lips to my ear. Then my cheek.
He pulls back enough to look into my eyes, to stare at me with those gorgeous, dark eyes.
Then his lids flutter downward, and his lips find mine.
A soft brush. The taste of mint ChapStick and lime.
Then harder.
Hard enough I feel heat everywhere.
My lips part.
His tongue slides into my mouth.
He uses the same slow, steady movements. There’s a certainty to his kiss, like he knows this is exactly what he wants.
For the first time in ages, the world feels simple and beautiful. He wants me. I want him. We both want to try sex this way.
There’s no need to make it complicated.
He backs me into the wall next to the door and he sinks into me. His body against mine, the weight of him keeping me pinned.
Between a rock and a hard place. That’s how they say it. A wall and a hard place, I guess.
What a place.
I need the place.
Again, he kisses me slowly, with patience.
Again, he brings one hand to my chest. Again, my lips part to make way for his tongue.
He kisses me as he toys with me.
Again, and again.
Until I’m shaking.
And then, he wraps his hand around my wrist and lifts it above my head.
One.
Then the other.
He keeps my arms pinned there as he sinks into me again. As he kisses me.
This time, there’s less softness. All hardness and need and passion.
His tongue slips into my mouth and dances with mine.
With his other hand, he toys with my breast. Slowly circles. Then harder ones. Back and forth. Left and right.
Perfect, horrible torture.
I arch my back, rocking into him, trying to feel more of him, all of him. His board shorts are rough against me, but I don’t care. I can feel his cock, hard, under them, and I need that.
No. I need them gone.
I try to reach for him, but he keeps my arms pinned to the wall.
Desire floods my body. He’s actually doing this. Actually leading. No. More than leading. Not quite what Stephan expected of me, but something a lot more than leading.
It’s perfect.
It’s everything.
I kiss him back as I rock my hips into his. Again and again, until he’s groaning against my lips.
Finally, he brings one hand to my hips. My stomach. The top of my pelvis.
And right as he’s going to touch me properly, the doorbell rings.
What the hell?
It rings again.
“Lexi?” A familiar male voice calls. “Can we talk?”
Jake. Shit.
That’s Lexi’s boyfriend. Or kind of ex-boyfriend. Whatever she wants to call him. He came here, instead of replying to my texts. Or maybe I’ve been too distracted by lust. Maybe I’ve forgotten my goal. That’s what River said about love. You act against your self-interest.
But it’s not the only reason we act against our self-interest.
My number-one goal is this app. And here I am, letting a man get in the way.
Shit, shit, shit.
River releases me. Disappointment streaks his eyes, but he still takes a step backward.
“I should go,” he says.
“But—” I don’t want him to go. Even though that’s foolish. Even though talking to Jake is the important thing.
I shake my head, then nod. Yes. He should go.
I need to talk to Jake. I need to figure this out. I need to not sleep with the guy who wanted to sleep with my sister two days ago.
Even if I don’t care who he wanted two days ago.
I just want him.
Now.
“Which room is yours?” He takes another step backward.
I try to bring my eyes to his face, but I just can’t look anywhere except the hard-on straining against his board shorts. “On the right.”
“I’ll grab you something to wear.”
“Okay.”
“Deanna?” Jake asks, from outside. “Is that you?”
“Yeah,” I call. “I just got out of the shower. Give me a minute.” I swallow hard. “Lexi isn’t here.”