Page 53 of Blame it on the Kiss
“Not so fast, sweetheart.” His fingers splayed over her bottom and lower back, up her smooth sides. He followed the trail with his lips and tongue. She writhed and moaned, reached behind her to touch him.
When his body covered hers, his mouth at her nape, he said in a low voice, “It means you’ve earned the Bryce Special.”
She laughed as if that were the funniest thing she’d ever heard. The bed shook with her amusement. “That’s…” she let out a breath, “that’s the best line of B.S. I’ve ever heard.” She buried her face in the sheets to muffle her continued chuckles.
Yeah, he’d walked right into that one. “You think you’re funny, huh?”
“I think you’re funny,” she sputtered.
Good thing she couldn’t see the smile on his face. It would ruin his next move. He wrapped an arm around her middle and lifted her onto her knees. His erection pressed against the sweet spot between her legs. She stopped laughing.
“Remember what I whispered in your ear earlier?”
“Yes.”
“It’s gonna be harder now. Dirtier.”
“That’s good.” She wiggled her behind, arched her back. “Because I want everything you’ve got. I want you so deep that I lose my mind.”
He groaned. “Count on it.”
After he’d made her lose her mind several times and the rain had stopped pounding the windows, Honor had challenged him to a game of Scrabble. One game had turned into best two out of three when she lost the first one. She kicked his ass on the next two, but he didn’t care, the words they’d created and argued about had fueled another round of the hottest sex of his life.
Now, they lay nestled together atop her comforter on the floor in front of the fireplace, the game board and pieces scattered around them. The flames cast a warm glow throughout the room, but it didn’t come close to capturing the radiance around her.
His sunshine on a rainy night.
He lifted up onto an elbow and gazed down at her. Her blond hair tumbled around her shoulders in a sexy mess. Scratch marks from his stubble marred her neck, collarbone, and swells of her breasts.
She cupped his cheek. “I loved your B.S.” The affection in her eyes and in her tone belied her claim she had no interest in relationships.
Fall in love.The last item on Payton’s list sprang to mind. He and Honor had talked about everything else and while he’d gotten over his initial hurt at discovering Payton might not have loved him like he’d thought she did, he wondered how the request affected Honor. She’d been mad about the tattoo. Was she angry about that, too?
He drew lazy circles on Honor’s chest. “Can I ask you about the last wish on Payton’s list?”
Honor’s eyes widened and she quickly sat up, reaching for the blanket haphazardly lying at their feet to cover herself up. “What about it?”
He rolled onto his back and laced his hands behind his head, hoping his relaxed position would unknot the tension rolling off her in waves. “It’s a big deal, and I’m assuming Payton knew how you felt about it.” Had Honor ever been in love? Had someone hurt her and triggered the guard she rarely let down? Did they also have that in common?
“She did. I confided in her about everything.” Honor’s gaze settled on the orange-red flames in the fireplace.
“Do you want to fall in love?”
“No.”
He wasn’t really surprised, but he was curious. “Why not?”
She looked away. “Because I’ll fail at it.”
And therein lay the reason she hated to let her guard down. Bryce didn’t let the risk of failure stop him from going after what he wanted. But if Honor didn’t believe she deserved success, she’d never stop running from it.
…
Honor cracked open one eye. Sunshine seeped through the slats of the window shutters, but the last thing she wanted to do was wake up. Muscles that had never been sore before smarted in the best possible way—the multiple orgasm way. Bryce had worshipped her body from head to toe and she’d responded like never before. He’d loved her thoroughly. Completely. Naked in each other’s arms, every fear, doubt, barrier between them, had ceased to exist. For a little while longer she wanted to enjoy lying on the floor wrapped up in those delicious memories.
She didn’t have to roll over to know Bryce was gone. She felt his absence in the stillness, the chill at her back. They’d had their one night stand and he’d slipped away. A flutter filled her stomach and head. Best night ever, even if she’d been hoping he’d stick around for coffee.
Better he hadn’t.
