“Did your mom get ham and pineapple?” Rowan looks hopeful.
Austin nods his head. “Of course.”
He rubs his hands together. “I’m in.”
Austin looks to Vaughn who glances briefly at me. I’m not sure what he sees in my expression, but he shakes his head and says, “I actually need to head home too. I have some studying to do.”
Austin nods. “I’m glad you stopped by.”
“Me too.” Vaughn stands, and I feel a sting of disappointment until he looks to me. “Did you drive?”
“No,” I answer while trying to figure out why he’s asking. “I rode with Claire.”
“Are you heading out? I could give you a ride.”
“Yes.” I jump to my feet embarrassingly quickly, then take a breath. “I mean, yeah, that would be great.”
Claire is giving me a knowing smirk when I look her way. Best friends are the worst. I can practically hear her silently taunting me.
“I have a lot of homework,” I say, not quite meeting her eyes.
“Sure. Homework.” She hugs me and whispers in a singsong voice, “Have fun!”
As soon as we’re outside, Vaughn takes my hand, and we hurry to his SUV parked along the curb. He opens the passenger side door for me, and I climb in, fingers still tingling from his touch. He gets in and starts the engine. Cold air blows from the vents.
“Sorry. It’ll warm up quick.” He turns the fan down. “You didn’t want to stay, did you?”
“No, not really.” Not if he wasn’t going to be there.
“Good.” He reaches for me, and I’m moving toward him in the next breath.
Our lips seem to have figured out exactly what to do because there isn’t a single thought in my head as I climb over the Range Rover’s center console to get into his lap.
My right knee bangs against the inside of the door, but I barely feel it.
Have I ever climbed into a guy’s lap before? Not that I can ever remember, but all I can think about is getting closer.
“Are you okay?” he breaks away from my mouth just long enough to ask.
I nod. “Fine.”
Vaughn groans as my weight settles on top of him. His hands move up my back to my hair. He likes running his fingers through it while we kiss. And I’m obsessed with him doing it.
I have a thing for his stomach. It’s really mind-blowing to me that anyone has muscles like he does. When my fingers slide under his shirt, he sucks in. “Ahhh. Your hands are cold.”
“Sorry.” I pull away at the same time as he chuckles.
“Don’t be.” He leans into my touch.
While I trace the lines of his abs, he pulls my coat off my shoulders. I move only to help get it completely off and toss it into the passenger seat, then return to adoring his body.
His hands slip under the hem of my T-shirt, and goose bumps spread across my skin as his fingers glide around my stomach, his palms flattening over the curves of my waist. He moves them slowly up to my bra, letting the pad of his thumbs brush over my nipples.
I’m really glad I changed out of my sports bra after cheer practice today. The thin, lacy material provides very little barrier from his warm fingers.
My body feels like one big nerve. It feels amazing but also like it isn’t enough. I can’t catch my breath, and I have an overwhelming desire to get somehow even closer to him. I arch into his touch, rolling my hips in a way that grinds down into him.
Vaughn lets out a low guttural sound that’s so sexy I want to hear it again, so I move my hips again the same way. A deep ache forms between my legs, and all I can think about is more.
