Page 113 of Anything But Lonely

A laugh bubbles in my throat. “Careful what you wish for, rockstar. I’m not exactly the type to turn down a good thing when it’s offered.”

His smile turns softer. “Yeah?”

I shrug. “I have flaws, but saying no when the rich, world-renowned Mateo Lane wants to spend his money on me isn’t one of them.

He shakes his head, closing the distance between us, still smiling. “Good to know.”

“Don’t sound so relieved. I’m about to ask for a private jet.”

“Okay.” He takes another step closer.

“And a trip to Greece.”

“Done.” Another step.

“And other super expensive things.” Ones I can’t seem to think of right now.

His lips are just inches from mine, his hands settling on my waist. “Whatever you want, baby,” he says, pulling me a little closer.

I swallow. “Good. Because I’m not wasting this newfound access to ridiculous amounts of money.”

His laugh is quiet, warm, and close enough that I feel it more than I hear it.

“There’s no winning with you, is there?” he murmurs, more to himself than to me.

“And yet,” I reply anyway, letting my hands slide up his chest, “you seem pretty committed to keeping me around.”

“Absolutely,” he says without hesitation.

The teasing fades for just a second, replaced by something warmer. Hotter. And a shiver of anticipation passes through me.

“So,” I whisper, “just to be clear…”

His eyebrows lift. “Yeah?”

“If I decide I want something, I can just tell you?”

A smile tugs at his mouth. “Yes.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

I narrow my eyes. “That feels like a dangerous amount of confidence from someone who just admitted I always win.”

He grins. “Maybe I like losing. As long as it’s to you.”

And then he kisses me before I can come up with a response, which is probably the smartest thing he’s done all night.

His tongue dances with mine as his hands roam my body, from my waist to my ass, holding me against him so tightly, I don’t know where he ends and I begin.

Then he’s lifting me, and my legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he carries me to the couch, setting me down carefully before he breaks our kiss.

His eyes bore into mine, darkened with lust as he begins to undress me. He starts with my coat, slowly pushing it off my shoulders. Part of me wants to tell him to hurry the fuck up. But another part of me basks in his attention, the way he’s so gentle, so careful with me.

He drops my coat to the floor just before he slowly shifts his focus to my top. I’m wearing a sheer mockneck over a lacey bralette, and he takes his time gathering the fabric in his hands and bringing it over my head, leaving me in my skirt and bralette.

I toe off my boots as he kneels in front of me, his thumb lining the top of my leather skirt before he helps me shimmy out of it.