Chapter Twenty

Sebastian

One of us has to be the brakes tonight, and since I already lost control in her car, it'll have to be me.Not that my body agrees.

It'd be easier if she'd stop staring at me across the table with those siren eyes and sexy black frames, biting her lip as she concentrates, and playing like this simple game is of Olympic importance. It's a little too cute how seriously she's taking this.

She leans forward to reach for the puck, and for the umpteenth time since we started this game, I spot the red lace of her bra. That image is going to be burned into my subconscious.

Tonight, if she's merciful enough to visit me in my dreams, I'm not letting myself wake up.

"Whoops," I say blandly as I let her sink another goal.

She points an accusatory finger. "You barely moved to block it."

"Must've been distracted."

"Relatable." Her smoky gaze holds mine across the table. "It's kind of surprising our paths never crossed before all this. Before you came into my work, I'd never even seen you at a grocery store. Where do you shop?"

Before she can so much as blink, I sink a goal. "Instacart is a hell of a drug."

Her laugh is incredulous. "Fine. Keep your secrets."

"I shop at North Shore Farms once a week because Nella likes a certain kind of produce. I live with her in Spruce Heights. Her house needed a lot of work, and I wanted to take care of it. Plus, since Great River was always a short-term plan, I wanted to enjoy my time with her."

"I get that." The loud, obnoxious sound of the puck ricocheting off the wall feels at odds with the tone of her voice. "I don't know how you do it. All that starting over."

"Kinda nice to know so many people in so many different places." I work to keep the defensive edge out of my voice. "Like if I'm ever in the swamplands of Florida and don't want to eat at Mr. Bell's Biscuits alone, I'll have friends to drag along with me. And fresh starts are fun. Why do you think so many people make New Year's Resolutions?"

"The allure of change and very good marketing by Peloton and 24 Hour Fitness?"

I spit out a laugh. "Fair enough."

Her smile is good-natured. "I bet you two have a great time as roomies."

"We've got our things. Poker once a week with Alessia and whoever else we can wrangle. I keep her company while she watches the worst hour-long dramas you've ever seen in your life. She's a fantastic cook, so I exploit that. Her red sauce kept my teammates on my good side in high school. Seriously, I think they liked me only because I had them over once a week for dinner and she spoiled the crap out of them with baked ziti, spaghetti, you name it."

"I wish my cooking had that kind of power. I'd love to be able to impress people. Think she'll teach me what's in her sauce if I befriend her at the pool?"

I grip my striker harder as the image of her and Nella cooking together bursts to life in my mind with alarming clarity. "Good luck. Nella won't even teach me."

I barely try to block her winning shot. Game over.

It's for the best; any more of her red lace peep show will wreck me when I'm already fighting several consecutive days of pure, unresolved need when it comes to her.

"I win!" she squeals."I never win."

The hockey table powers down, the noise of the air jets falling away. But a loud steady sound persists. We blink toward the roof in unison.

I scratch the stubble forming on my chin from exactly nine hours of not shaving. "Rain."

That weather phenomenon shouldn't thrill me as much as it does. But if Nora wants to go back to her room, I want her to go.

There's no disappointment in her eyes as she takes a step backward. "Guess we're trapped here a little while longer. Want to let me win at darts next?"

My body moves forward, keeping the distance between us small but safe. "I didn't let you win."

"Nah, you just did everything in your power to lose."

"History is always written by the victors." I take a few large strides to retrieve my red darts from the board. "How's your darts game?"

She removes a set of blue from the caddy on an adjacent wall. "Let's just say I'm worried for the structural integrity of the board and everything within a ten-foot radius." The fabric of her cute one-piece whatever it is shimmies as she gets in position. She lifts her arm and hurls a dart at the wall without even pausing to line up her throw.

Terrible . "Ah. I see the problem."

"My aim?" Her giggle is melodic. "Yes, I'm aware."

The dull ache that pounds inside me every time she's near grows sharper. "May I?"

Her chin lifts as she transfers another dart into her right hand. "You may."

I close the distance between us. Her back is an inch from my chest, our bodies two parallel lines that will continue forever without crossing, if I leave well enough alone.

And yet I cup the elbow of her throwing arm anyway. My palm glides up over her forearm as if powered by its own motor. Fuck, her skin is soft. "You have to take your time. You barely even looked at the target before you threw."

Goose bumps skate down her arm. "How long am I supposed to look at it? Until it hops off the wall and gets closer?"

"Smart ass." It takes everything in me not to bury my face in her neck. I lift her elbow higher and cock her forearm back before tapping the her heel with the tip of my shoe. "Slide this back so your stance is diagonal to the board."

She obliges, stopping only when our bodies are flush.

A tornado of wanting tears me up from the inside. I'm fighting for my life even as I move my mouth closer to her ear. "Now throw."

The dart flies through the air, sinking its metal tip into black cork.

A quiet yes slips from her mouth, but she doesn't move. Doesn't put distance between us.

"Eighteen points." My mouth finds its way back to her ear, my nose tucking in behind it. She smells so good I can't stand it. "Not bad. Try again. You've got one more."

Her head turns, and her gaze searches mine. Those eyes are cut with lust.

We stand for several audible breaths, touching without touching.

Eyes on my mouth, she murmurs, "Show me again."

Her request takes a hammer to my resolve. What's left is dust slipping through my fingers as I squeeze the curve of her hip and guide her into the same position she was in before, diagonal for throwing.

This time I hold her there with my hand on her stomach. "Ready?"

Her ass pushes back, putting pressure against where I already hurt for her. Gritting my teeth, I count to five, warring with myself.

She lifts her shooting arm and holds it there.

Just like last time, I slide my palm over her shoulder, down her biceps , greedy to feel as much of her as I can on my way to her hand. When I reach it, my fingers close around her tiny wrist.

I cock her arm back.

She releases the dart. Her head tips sideways, exposing more of her neck, letting out a quiet hum of contentment as it strikes the board.

Temptress.

My mouth moves toward the curve of her shoulder. Heat radiates from her body. With her throwing hand now free, her fingers find my hair, threading and tugging as I tease a path toward her ear with my lips, never fully kissing her. Never pressing.We fit together so well, like our bodies were shaped to stand together, just like this.

"I promised myself I wouldn't make another move and get in the way of what you're here to do this week." I pull back. "If you want this here and now, you need to show me."

She exhales in a shaky gust. "I thought I was." Her hand moves to where I'm still holding her hip, digging in her fingers so I'll grip her harder. "How could I be any clearer?"

"Put your mouth on me, for starters."

In a fluid motion, she spins to face me. Her big bottomless eyes meet mine, reeling me in hard and fast as she places her palms on my chest. "Put it where?"

"Christ. With a question like that?" I stroke her bottom lip. "Kiss me before I get any other ideas."

Her breaths come fast and shallow as she pushes on to her toes. I duck my head to meet her halfway, catching her mouth with mine. The frantic hum of my thoughts settles until it's just her in my head.My hands palm the backs of her thighs, and I lift her in one rough motion. Her ankles lock behind my back.

The kiss is intense and probing from the jump, like we're picking up in the middle of the heated conversation we started back in her car. Her lips are soft but possessive as her hands move to cradle my neck tight. I'm starving for depth, for her sounds.

Her eager tongue circles mine. I give mine back, tasting her.

"I've been thinking about this since the minute we stopped yesterday. I wanted to beat down your bedroom door and kiss you again." I plunge my hand into her hair. "I'm so fucking tired of holding back."

"Stop holding back." Her plea is heated. "Please?"

I walk us toward the nearest flat surface. "I've had dreams about you. This."

"Really?"

I lick the surprise right out of her mouth as I deposit her on the edge of the pool table. She braces her hands behind her on the green felt as I hitch her legs open. I step between them, my palms sliding slowly up her thighs. I grit out a sound of need as my hands tuck under her ass, tilting her up. "You have the greatest legs I've ever seen. And your skin is so damn soft."

Her eyes are hungry as she watches me handle her. "I had a sugar scrub today."

My fingers dig into her flesh. "What the actual fuck is that?"

"It's a spa thing. A woman rubs you down with exfoliants."

"Got it. Give me a name so I can tip them extra for taking good care of you." I take a fistful of fabric in my hand. "And what is this thing you're wearing called?"

"It's a romper." Her lashes flutter as she blinks up at me. "Do you like it?"

"Do I like it?" I jerk her by the hips against where I strain against my jeans, and a shocked sound leaves her pretty mouth. "In case you're confused about how much I like every part of you, here's your proof."

After an awestruck oh , she lunges for my lips, as though my slow appraisal of her body has gone on long enough for her liking. Her tongue and teeth and lips are messy against mine, her sounds fevered as I move my hand to the top of her leg, teasing her inner thigh with light up and down strokes of my thumb.

She detaches from my mouth with a tiny, frustrated groan. "We've got to get out of here. Too risky."

"Okay. Let's go."

But her hand tightens on my hair, guiding me lower. I move to the hot skin at the base of her neck and suck the sweet remnants of her "sugar scrub" right off her. Her back arches, pressing her chest into mine.

When I pull away, her neck is damp and shiny from me. I wish this room was private and locked down. I'd make her damp everywhere with my tongue. "Leaving now?"

Her head tips back and her eyes close. "Uh-huh."

I kiss a path across her collarbone, lower over the swell of her tits.

"Just a peek." I nudge both her romper straps over her shoulders, tugging down until her fancy bra is on display. She's a perfect handful, and I've got big hands.

I lower as if to take one in my mouth, stopping just shy of where her nipple presses against lace. My gaze flicks up to meet hers. "Can't ruin your pretty bra, can I? You probably wouldn't appreciate me ripping it off."

Her chest heaves harder, and she lets out a sound that suggests she might want it torn, after all.

I give the top of her exposed cleavage a teasing lick and kiss on each side. It takes everything in me not to play more, strip her of this bra and suck her until she can't stand it.

She dusts her hand over my abs, moving lower until she reaches the outline of my cock. Her palm rubs against my jeans.I groan her name into her mouth, plundering her with my tongue as she keeps contact with me any way she can, her hips lifting off the table and her hands inside my shirt scratching and grabbing.

I guide her backward with a hand to her chest until her elbows hit the table. I haven't even touched her and she lets out a breathy moan as if I've thrust two fingers inside her. She's hurting for it as much as I am and all I want to do is give it to her. I want to make her forget that her first instinct when I told her I dream about her was to question it.

Her hooded stare is incendiary. "The underwear matches the bra, in case you were curious."

I tip my head back to gather myself, though the gathering is brief because I can't keep my eyes off of her for more than three seconds.

I slide her romper aside. Big fucking mistake. She's barely covered by the red lace.

"You are so fucking tempting," I grind out. "Tell me to stop before I get us caught."

Her voice is shot and her pupils are blown. "Kiss me. Touch me. Something, quick."

I move my mouth an inch from hers. "You want it quick?" I drag her ass all the way to the very edge of the pool table in a rough jerk and spread her wider.

She gasps. "Please."

My knees bite the hard floor as I drop down. I press my thumbs into the groove at the inner apex of her thighs. Her hips lift as she pants. I drag my lips up the insides of her thighs. The light over the pool table makes her look like she's on display for me.

Nudging the lace aside with my fingers, I pause to appreciate how she looks in the low light—perfect, wet, and ready to be worshipped. She whimpers as I trace her soaked entrance with one finger, applying pressure without sliding inside. This is not the time or place to tease her when every second could be our last, but her stuttering breaths are turning me into an animal. "If I'd taken you on a proper first date, would you have spread your legs for me that night? Or would you have made me wait?"

"This." The word is a moan on her lips. "I would've wanted this."

I drive two fingers inside as I drag my tongue over her clit. She cries out full volume, discretion forgotten. If she wants it quick and risky, she can have it.

Nora can have whatever she wants, and I will be the one to give it to her.