I let out a gentle laugh. Dammit, I could so easily fall for this man.
“I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position.”
“What’s awkward about it?” He offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet. I’m unsteady and fall against his chest—not that I was trying all that hard to stay balanced. Marshall wraps his arms around me, holding me there against him as though he has no intention of letting me go. That woodsy spice scent surrounds me, like a warm, fuzzy blanket. A blanket that’s making me so wet it’s practically dripping down my inner thighs.
The last thing I expect to feel around womanizer Marshall McCray is safety.
But I’ve never felt safer anywhere else…ever.
And it’s turning me on in ways I never realized were possible.
“I’m going to have to fake an orgasm now, you know that right?” I’d rather light my Christmas decorations on fire than face Hillary in the morning if I didn’t make good on my promise—however unhinged that promise might have been.
“It’ll be fun,” Marshall says, his tone so easygoing.
I watch Gram retreat to a pile of blankets in the corner and settle himself in for bed. The pup is no doubt tired after a long day of running errands.
“Fun’s not exactly the word I had in mind.” It’d be one thing to fake moans if I was by myself. Like, if Marshall crawled outthe window and went home until morning. But the thought of making those intimate sounds with him in the room is too much.
“What word would you use?” he asks, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. My entire body shivers. I should probably shrug out of his intoxicating embrace before I make a really bad decision. But dammit, I like it here.
“Embarrassing makes the top of the word choice list.”
“Would you feel less embarrassed if you didn’t have to fake it?” he asks.
“Yeah, but we already concluded that’s not an option. If it’s too quiet in here?—”
“I meant I could make you come,for real.”
I’m suddenly all too aware of the wetness pooling between my thighs, the swell of my breasts desperate for his touch, and his impressive erection pressing into my belly. I’ve wanted Marshall since the first moment I laid eyes on him in his gym months ago. But I knew better than to get tangled up with a man who could charm the pants off any woman he desired. It’s only a matter of time before some new chick moves to town and captures his interest with alarming ease.
Tonight, though, I don’t seem to care. I want him to charm me right out ofmypants.
“Marshall—”
“If I crossed a line, you can tell me. I’ll back off.” He pauses, as though waiting for me to pull away. But when I don’t, he adds, “I’m crazy about you Hope, in case that wasn’t clear. It would be my honor—mypleasure—to make you come so hard you leave your body. And if we can make your asshole sister uncomfortable, that’s just a bonus for both of us.”
A whimper escapes my throat.
I’m certain I’ve had a naughty dream or two recently about this man that started much like this.
“If you want me to sleep on the floor, I’ll pretend not to listen as you fake an orgasm,” he continues. “It’s up to you.”
“Okay,” I say, my decision a rushed breath of air.
“Okay?”
“Let’s see what you got, Marshall. Give me a real orgasm,” I say before I lose my nerve.
“Gladly.” His hand slides up my shoulder and settles onto the side of my neck in a possessive way that makes me all tingly inside. Only a thin layer of fabric—aka my Christmas PJs—separates my nipples from Marshall’s touch. I yearn to rip the shirt from my chest, just so I can feel his skin on my skin.
He walks me back to the bed, pulling back the covers and guiding me to lie down. I’m still fully clothed, but I let him take the lead. For once, I don’t want to think any of this through. I just want to be. And for some reason I can’t quite pin, I trust the very man I shouldn’t.
Marshall tugs off his shirt and drops his jeans to the floor. His black boxers have a couple of crossed candy canes on one thigh, next to red letters that spell outit’s not going to lick itself.
Fuck me.
He crawls into bed beside me, those boxers still on but not doing much to hide the weapon of mass destruction inside them, and scoots up to my side. His hand slides up my throat again, and my bones instantly turn to liquid as his lips find mine.
