Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 58992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 295(@200wpm)___ 236(@250wpm)___ 197(@300wpm)
I want that too. So badly. I’m so close.
Fuck, honey. You taste so fucking good.
Pressing his hands on my thighs, he spreads my legs wider, then drapes them over his shoulders.
Gripping the strands of his hair harder, I tug him closer still. My belly tightens, and I near the edge.
Then, I’m chanting oh God, oh God, oh God over and over as I rock my hips into his face, curl my hands tight around his head, and shatter beautifully.
I come undone on his lips in a wild frenzy.
He figured me out. He cracked the code with his sex hack, and I feel so damn good about the chance I want to take with him.
19
THE GLOAT
Drew
I’m feeling pretty cocky as I devour the food porn. I laugh, shaking my head with each bite of the cheesy chicken and cauliflower.
“What is it?” she asks.
I wiggle a brow. “Just thinking that I made you come hard.”
“And that makes you gloat?”
“Fuck yes,” I say, then I dive in for a kiss. “I thought about our deal a lot. I wanted to give you what I’d promised. And it helps that I think about you naked pretty much all the time.”
“Were you thinking about me naked at the Skee-Ball machine?” she asks as she takes a forkful of the dish.
I laugh. “Oh yes. I saw you, and I undressed you mentally. Hope you don’t object,” I say.
She dips her face, shaking her head.
She clearly enjoys the sexy compliments, but I don’t want to dwell in sexy land. “You know I want more than the sex,” I say, setting down my fork. “I want to give you a kiss when you show up at the Whac-A-Mole game. Put my arm around you in between Skee-Ball rounds. Take your hand in mine as we leave together.” I hold her gaze and tell her, “I don’t want to sneak around, Brooke.”
Her brown eyes sparkle, emboldening me to go on. To share my heart. God, I hope she returns these feelings. “I was going to ask if we could make a go of things in the off-season, but—fuck it. I want you now. I’ll do whatever it takes for us to make things work. Do you want to?”
“I do, but I worry too,” she says, fingering her necklace.
“I know you do.” I’m the gambler between the pair of us. I take chances for a living. I can lend her some of my faith and confidence. “Would it really be such a bad thing if we were together? I thought so at first, wondering how it would look if anyone found out I come over here at night. But we’re not just messing around anymore.”
“We’re not,” she says, emphatic.
Yes. Fucking yes.
“And that’s why I don’t think the player and the executive is such a bad look after all. I’m just a twenty-eight-year-old guy who’s got his shit together and wants to go out with a woman he works with—a woman who has her act together too,” I say, taking her hand.
“Imagine if the press found out I—gasp—am teaching you to cook?”
“Or if they heard we saw a cute sports flick together?” I say drily.
“And how about that time”—she goes full-cringe—“we went for a walk?”
“The paps would have a field day, especially over the chicken and cauliflower.”
She threads her fingers through mine, grinning confidently now too. That fuels me, pushes me on to seal my case.
“The team is strong. We’ve played like rock stars, and this secret thing hasn’t hurt me on the field at all so far this season.” I can’t mask the hope in my voice. “Plus, did you see how Stephen looked at you, then at me tonight? It was almost like he was pleased to see us together.”
Her mouth curves in a conspiratorial grin. “He seemed intrigued. Curious.” She licks her lips and shrugs happily. “I don’t know what’s next. But I want to try with you.”
I pop up from the stool, cup her cheek, and kiss her.
Then, we make a plan. She’ll feel him out at work. We’re supposed to have dinner with him at a new restaurant in Venice tomorrow night. We’ll tell him then, together.
Then, my gaze drifts down to her necklace again. That’s new. I touch the book charm. “Where’d you get this?”
“My friend Rachel brought it over for me. She owns a jewelry shop and thought of me when it came into her store. ”
“Because you love to read,” I say.
“Yes, but it also reminded me of the day I met you.”
“When you were doing one of your favorite activities,” I say, smiling.
“Yup. But let’s do another one of my favorite activities now.”
I toss her over my shoulder and carry her to the bedroom.
20
HOW TO SAY MASTERMIND
Brooke
As I park in the stadium lot in the morning, Cara’s name blinks on my phone.
I answer right away, jumping at the chance to poke fun at my hearts-and-flowers sister. “Are you calling to tell me about your latest amazing date with Patrick?”