Page 62 of The Perfect Distraction

“I should go,” he said, eyeing her longingly.

She ran her hands over his chest, feeling every muscle on the way down. Her eyes followed the path of her hands, and she swallowed hard when she saw his erection straining against his shorts.

“I wish you didn’t have to,” she admitted, her voice reflecting the desire she felt inside.

“Soon, we’ll have a whole weekend together.”

“I can’t wait.”

“Me either. One more kiss, and then I really have to go.”

She closed the distance between them, and this time, she took the lead, nudging his lips apart to deepen the kiss. It felt intoxicating to be held, kissed, and desired, and based on Colton’s moans, he agreed.

Remembering that they’d almost been caught once, she ended the kiss before they got carried away. She wouldn’t want Joey to see them like this and be confused. Besides, she was already confused enough for the three of them.

Colton sighed. “Looks like it’s going to be another cold shower for me tonight.”

“Sorry,” she said with a smile.

He kissed her gently on the cheek and then turned away, padding back across the yard in his bare feet. Once he reached his deck, he gave her a brief wave before he slipped inside and turned off the porch light.

Once again, Beth was plunged into darkness, but this time, her heart felt light, and her entire body hummed with energy. She practically skipped up the stairs and into her bedroom. Setting her phone on the nightstand, she went into the bathroom and brushed her teeth, and when she returned, she saw his text.

Thanks for the goodnight kiss. The fireworks came early this year.

She thought for a minute and then typed: That was just the preshow.

When he didn’t respond right away, she slipped under the covers, thinking she should shut off the phone and go to sleep, but then it pinged again.

Looking forward to the grand finale.

She hesitated for a second and then typed: Me too.

Then, deciding that she’d gone far enough for one evening, she shut off her phone. Every time she was around him, her worries flew right out the window. She was like an overeager teenager (or an undersexed woman), and it would have been embarrassing except that Colton seemed just as smitten.

Maybe things would settle down once they rounded all the bases. Maybe, once they released their pent-up sexual frustration, they could go back to being friends and neighbors. Maybe the sex wouldn’t even be that good between them, and they’d be cured of their desire. Or maybe it would be so spectacular that it would make it even harder for her to leave. Maybe, maybe, maybe!

At this rate, she’d never get to sleep. Her options were simple. One: she could pick up her book and try to read. Two: she could pull up her go-to fantasy about Chris Hemsworth. Or three: she could think of something benign, like what Joey’s next reading lesson should be.

She decided to go with the third option. Forcing herself to think only about the lesson and not her student’s father, she finally lulled herself to sleep.