Round 23

W ith William’s playful energy returning, my mind eased in to the safe state the same way it did when I played games. And the one I played with William was, by far, the best. Every move was calculated for the outcome resulting in the most fun.

I leaned over the center console and kissed the corner of his mouth, which immediately flinched upward. His hand flew from the steering wheel to the inside of my thigh, and my breath caught.

With William’s excellent driving skills, we were in Neema’s parking bay in no time. Rushing out of his car, I dragged him to the stairwell, barely making it up one step before he pushed me against the wall and pressed his mouth on mine, hot and urgent as if he’d been holding back the entire morning.

I had.

Between heavy breaths and roaming hands, we finally made it to the apartment, but still he didn’t slow. His lips roved over every part of exposed skin—my neck, my ears, my arms, the inside of my elbow. Each new kiss sent an electric current to my fingertips, which he also kissed when they weren’t pressed into his skin.

I stumbled backward onto the couch, pulling him along with me, wanting to feel him on top of me. His hands shot out, bracing himself to keep from crushing me.

Leaning over me, he nibbled my earlobe, and my body shuddered. I curled a leg around him and pulled him closer. His hips rocked toward mine, and I reveled in the power I held. I pushed myself against his hard body, relieving some of the tension he caused, but it only created more. My pants threatened to tear. A worthy sacrifice.

Light danced across his dark eyes as he leaned in and caught my mouth with his, parting my lips with his tongue as he hungrily searched for mine.

He released a delicious sigh. For the briefest moment, I wondered how many times he’d done this before with other women, but the thought vanished as his warm mouth pressed against my throat, ceasing any chance of coherent thought.

William released a deep, guttural groan.

Through a thick fog of lust, I barely registered a strange vibration against my thigh.

Bodies didn’t vibrate. Did they?

Oh wait, it was my phone. Probably.

It couldn’t be more important than kissing William.

The vibration continued, and with an exasperated breath, I dug my phone out of my pocket and glanced at the screen.

Neema.

Apparently Shaun had told her I’d gone home sick so she’d sent multiple texts letting me know she was on her way home.

Dropping my head onto William’s shoulder, I held up my phone and showed him the texts.

Releasing a frustrated sigh, William pulled away and pushed himself upright. “It’s probably for the best.”

“What?” The old familiar feeling of rejection sneered at me.

William paced the living room, lines of thought spread across his face. “It’s just… there’s… it’s…”

From a man who always had a comeback, his stumbling words sent a shiver of unease through me.

“Ah!” I grumbled. “Well, I can’t stand the teasing anymore.” Pushing myself upright, I swallowed hard. “You’re all talk and no action, and I’m starting to freak out that, by the time we go any further, it’s going to kill me. Is that your plan to get rid of me? Death by pleasure?”

His dimple made a deep divot in his cheek, and he released a low laugh. I bit my lip—even his laugh was turning me on. I needed a release.

Pausing his pacing, he tilted his head at me in a curious expression. “Wait—so I turn you on, and you come home frustrated. What do you do?” He wore his naughtiest grin now.

“I call my mom.”

William burst out laughing. “Really?”

“It usually does the trick to switch it back off.”

He laughed harder, finding way too much humor in my situation.

I pinched him. “Stop making fun of me, and finish what you start.”

“Believe me, I will.” William’s voice dropped low, the playfulness in his eyes replaced by darkness, unlocking an unexplored side of me. Bringing my hand to his lips, William kissed my fingers. “Because you’re the sexiest woman I have ever seen.” Wetting his bottom lip, he leaned forward and placed his lips on mine, nibbling first on my bottom lip before sucking it gently. His mouth moved to my ear. “But it’s not just about that.”

A key jiggled in the lock, startling us so badly that William and I nearly tumbled off the couch. He scrambled to his feet and pulled me upright. I barely had my blouse straightened properly before Neema breezed in.

“William, you’re in my parking spot.” She turned to me, her eyes softening. “Are you okay? I’m sorry I missed Shaun’s call. He said you were feeling ill.”

“I’m fine,” I said, greeting her with a light hug. I glanced around her shoulder at William.

Face flushed and his hair sticking out with an adorable cowlick, he smiled like he was keeping a huge secret.

Pulling away from our hug, Neema turned to William. “Thanks for picking her up.” Her eyes narrowed. “Are you wearing pajamas?”

He shrugged. “This is what I wear to work.”

“What are you doing here?” I asked Neema.

She undid the top two buttons on the blood-red shirtdress she wore and loosened the belt. “Well, I wanted to check on you. I thought you’d be here alone.” She glanced at William. “Didn’t realize you were going to stay.”

“We had game things to discuss,” I fired out.

Her eyebrows popped up, but her eyes narrowed again. “Okay, if you say so. Anyway, my day is pretty empty, and I wanted to take a moment to start going through the RSVPs. But I can do that in my bedroom. So…” She waved her hands between us. “… continue.”

William shrugged. “It’s okay. I should get going.” Turning to me again, his lip quirked up on one side in a suggestive half smile. “I think if I stick around, Rose’ll explode. I’ve given her plenty to think about.”

Biting my tongue, I managed a polite and sincere, “Thanks for bringing me home.”

His smile was as sweet as sugar, but the wink that followed was full of mischief.

“When are you going to present her game?” Neema asked him, while setting up her laptop.

“In a week!” I walked William to the front door. “I’d like to run through the game once more.”

“Maybe we should play it at game night,” she suggested.

William and I nodded, and I realized I didn’t want him to leave.

“Give me your keys,” I said to Neema. “I’ll pull your car into your spot once William leaves.”

“Oh, awesome.” She tossed her keys at me. “It’s in Tilly’s spot.”

Dangling her keys between my fingers, I followed William down to the parking garage in silence as my thoughts raced through good things, bad things, and scary things. It was fast becoming hard to control anything around me.

William’s fingers weaved through mine as we entered the parking area. He didn’t say anything, but it was enough to slow my thoughts.

I tried to think of what I’d say when we reached his car, but before I could come up with anything, he pushed me against the driver’s side door, his mouth claiming mine.

Too soon, he broke the kiss and swiped his thumb over his bottom lip. “I’ll see you soon.”

William’s “soon” would never be soon enough.

I was so flustered by the time he left that I’d made it up an entire flight of stairs before I realized I hadn’t moved Neema’s car.

This man was all-consuming.

Later that evening, I lay in bed and stared at my ceiling while thinking about William. Everything about William.

Frustrated, and almost angry, I turned onto my stomach and shoved my face against the pillow, willing myself into a dreamless sleep.

But my mind had other plans.

And maybe it was because of the emotional day I’d had, maybe it was because of the thoughts I’d had before bed, but he snuck into my dreams.

A thrill ran through me, and my body tingled while he kissed me, touched me, held me, gripped me. I dreamed of his mouth and that tongue—that stupid tongue he used to lick his pouty lips.

Those lips.

My eyes flung open a moment too soon.