Allowing a wide grin to take over every inch of my face, I meet his gaze. “All right, then. If you insist.”
He chuckles as he kisses each of my dimples in turn. “I definitely insist,” he says before capturing my mouth again.
A sigh escapes as I mould myself to him, my hands finding their way over his shoulders and into his hair. My tongue fills his mouth, and he moans softly. Oh yeah, this is how we should always say goodbye.
Our lips part, but he doesn’t let me go. My head rests on his shoulder as the fingers of one hand play with the chain around his neck. “I suppose I should take this back.”
Ned stiffens. “Why?”
“Because you no longer need it.” Lifting my head, I let go of the chain, but my gaze lingers where the T rests against his breastbone. “I wanted you to have something physical to hold on to at the festival, to strengthen the connection between us. Now it’s over, and the danger has passed, you don’t need a tether anymore.”
“Don’t take it back.” He pulls away, holding the pendent with one hand. “Not yet.”
His reluctance surprises me, unless… “You don’t think Zac would follow you up here, do you?”
“No.” Shaking his head, he stares at the ground between us. “I’m pretty sure out of sight is out of mind there.” He tucks the chain under his t-shirt, as though inspired by his own words. “Maybe I don’t mind being tethered to you, at least as long as we’re together.”
Happiness flutters in my chest. Ned doesn’t want to be free. He really is full of surprises.
“I did say you would be mine as long as you’re wearing it,” I point out, sliding flat palms up his chest. “I suppose it’s only right you should be the one to choose when to take it off.”
I tug the neckline of his shirt down far enough to see my tether still in place around his neck. The sight makes me want to purr in satisfaction. “If you’re mine,” I lean in to place a kiss on his collarbone, “I get to see you whenever I want.” I taste the salt of his skin and he hisses in a breath.
“When?”
“Tomorrow night.”
“I’m working tomorrow night,” he says with a sigh. “But I’m free Tuesday night.”
“Tuesday it is.” I take hold of the back of his neck, just the way he likes, and pull him closer so I can speak low into his ear. “So you know, I have plans to do things to you.”
He shivers, his chest rumbling in undisguised pleasure. “I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”
FIFTEEN
______
NED
I am one hundred percent convinced Toni’s wearing that shirt tonight because he knows what it does to me. For the most part it looks like any other dress shirt. Black. Fitted. Made from some kind of soft, synthetic fabric. Vertical stripes in a thicker black material hide most of what Toni has to offer, but it’s the sheer spaces between the stripes holding my attention as he finishes getting ready for our date. Every other move he makes treats me to a glimpse of shadowed nipple or a hint of smooth skin. Add the snap button front he’s only done up halfway and my brain has officially gone offline.
It would take less than a second to strip him out of that scrap of designer nothing. This I learned the first time I found him wearing it. That was a couple of weeks ago, when I met him here for our third date. We never even made it out of his apartment.
He made me pay for missing the reservations he’d arranged for us at his favourite Vietnamese restaurant. I’d paid until my arse glowed bright red and tears of frustration dripped from my chin. It was fucking glorious.
The next morning, I’d thanked my lucky stars Toni and I generally meet up at his place instead of mine before we head out, given how much closer he is to the city. My housemates are decent enough blokes, but if they ever heard me beg like that there is no way in hell they would ever let me live it down.
Toni, on the other hand, seemed to revel in the desperation of my cries. And now, he’s wearing that damned shirt again. Is he after a repeat performance?
He’s tucking his wallet and phone into his pockets when I approach him from behind. Reaching around him, I slide a hand into the open neck of his shirt. His right nipple hardens quickly beneath my fingertips, like a small pebble. I want to play with it. With my tongue.
Toni takes hold of my wrist, removing my hand from beneath his clothing. “Now, now, none of that. We’re going out.”
Leaning down, I nuzzle his neck. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are to me?”
“If I’m lucky, I’m as sexy to you as you are to me.”
I grin, both hands finding their way back to his body. “How do we ever manage to keep our hands off each other?”
