I stared down at her, my heart in my throat with all the things I wanted to say.
I didn’t get a chance. She grinned and ran a hand over my jaw. “You playedsowell last night, Monroe. I’ve always enjoyed watching you on the field, but now that I know a little about what’s in here—” she paused, tapping my chest right above my heart. “You’re amazing.”
I let go of her head and tilted her chin, dragging my thumb over her smooth skin. “Let’s talk about our deal.”
“So you’ve said.”
“I want more.”
A wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows for a second, the concern on her face like a bucket of ice water.
“I’ll be good to you,” I said, desperate for that wrinkle to disappear. “I’ll make you feel good.”
She breathed harder. “I know you will, but what doesmoremean to you?”
“Two nights a week, you’re mine.Onlymine,” I added.Thatpart was important.
“So, the other five nights I can do whatever I want?” She arched a brow, a challenge on her face. “Whoever I want?”
“No.” My eye twitched. “Exclusive friends with benefits. We’re notdating,that would never happen,” I added, to reassure her that she wouldn’t be breaking her own rules.
A shadow crossed her face but only for a second before she licked her lips. That little gesture sent a flash of heat through my body.
It’d only been a few days since tasting her, and my control was slipping.
“I can’t stop thinking about you, your mouth and body,” I said, my voice shaking with need. I ran my fingers from her chin to her neck, over her collarbone and over her chest. “I played the best game of my entire fucking life, so it’d be foolish not to continue this.”
She nodded, her eyes closing as I massaged her neck. I loved touching her. Any part of her, really. Contact with her calmed me down while also lighting me up. It was a lethal combination. She moaned when I found a knot, and I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Please say yes. Ineedyou to say yes.”
She sighed, pushing me gently enough for me to worry. The indecision on her face felt like I was falling through ice, slippery and terrified I’d get hurt.
“I’m a rational person, so I need to recap this, okay? You want us to be friends with benefits, exclusive ones, where we fool around twice a week. We will never date. And you want this so you can play better at your games?”
I nodded. “Yes, all of that.” I gulped, my throat throbbing with pain.
“I’ll think about it.” She clicked her tongue and moved away from me, the loss of her body heat sending a chill through me.
Think about it?Panic clawed up my throat, gripping my voice box. “Tell me what’s holding you back,” I practically shouted at her.
“I have a lot to think about, Monroe, because allyourreasons sound great to you. Besides making mefeel good,and trust me, the sex was incredible, what’s in this for me? If my brother finds out, he’ll be furious, and Ineedto live here until the holidays. You’ve gone hot and cold on me before, so what if I get feelings and you cut me off? It’ll hurt, and I just now got over the last guy. I know football will always come first for you because of your grandma, and I love that so much, but I need to think about me here.”
“I’ll do whatever you want, whatever you need. Please…”
She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her soft, perfect lips against mine way too quickly. The touch of her mouth on mine was a lightning bolt through my body, causing a current of electricity under my skin. I gripped her hips, holding her tight before she broke apart.
She gave me a sad, tiny smile. “How do we make sure we don’t get feelings?”
“We just don’t. We agree to the terms, and that’s that. Neither one of us can afford feelings, and we’re rational adults.” Even as I said the words, an uncomfortable amount of pressure grew in my chest, causing my heart to beat twice as fast. I was so afraid she’d say no that an idea hit.More time together.
“My grandma wants us to visit her tonight. Are you free? Can I drive you up there and convince you to get dinner with us?”
She narrowed her eyes for a beat before she grinned, wide. “Are you using your sweet, wonderful grandma as bait for me to agree to this?”
“Sure am.”
Laughing, she rested her forehead on my chest, her arms coming around my waist. “Playing dirty, I see.”
“I can’t express to you how desperate I am to have you again. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do, to be honest.” The words were true, regardless of if it made me sound unhinged. “So, what do you say? We go visit my grandma, so you can work on your project, and I can spend the entire time convincing you to agree?”
