“It doesn’t have to.” The words were hard to say, but they were true. It was my sister’s best friend and a girl who said she didn’t want an attachment senior year. I sure as shit didn’t want a distraction during the season. Been there, done that. No more feelings for me, but this attraction? Please, dear god. “It’s checking off your summer list. That’s it.”
“The list.” She licked her lips. “This is for the list.”
“For the list,” I repeated, watching the pulse race at the base of her neck. It sped up. “Now, want to head to the dance floor?”
She nodded, her cheeks pink and her eyes wide. I held out my hand, tense as hell. It felt like eighteen minutes before she placed her small hand in mine. Our fingers intertwined, and an unpleasant, sus thought hit me. When was the last time I’d held hands with someone when it wasn’t leading them to the bedroom?
As I guided us to the dance floor, I went through all recent memories, and the gesture of simply holding Mack’s hand had me in a spiral. Her palm was warm and her grip strong. Her purple ring dug against my skin.
The upbeat dance music pumped through the speakers, vibrating the ground and air around us. It smelled like sweat and regret, and there was hardly any light. The DJ put on an old school mix with a fast tempo, and without overthinking it, I spun Mack around and pulled her back to my chest.
Her list said to grind with someone. And to get naughty in public. We were going to do both as long as she was game.
Dancing wasn’t my thing by choice, but it had a time andplace. Mack’s tiny shirt left so much skin to touch, and my god, it was addicting. With her ass nudged against me, I ran my nose along her neck and shoulder. She shivered, and goose bumps exploded.
“What do you want to check off first, Mallinson?” I whispered, nipping her ear in the process. “Grind against me or do something naughty?”
She ground against me harder. “This is unreal.”
“No. Very real.”
I put a hand on her chest, my other one on her hips, moving us to a rhythm. It was intoxicating. She smelled so damn good, and the whiskey went down real easy. We moved to the beat, her ass nestled against my dick. I was aware of everything—how sweat dripped down her neck, how her thick thighs tensed as she danced, how fast she breathed, and how she gasped when I put my mouth on her.
“Have you ever had anyone touch you on the dance floor?”
“Uh, dancing? Yes.”
“No, I meanttouchyou.” I ran a hand up her hip, over her bare stomach and teased the underside of her breasts. She definitely wore no bra. “Here.”
She shook her head. “N-no.”
“Do you want me to?”
She tensed.
My stomach dropped. If she had a single doubt about this, I would launch her across the floor. I never fucked around with anyone unless they were one thousand percent into it and able to communicate it. “Mack—do you—”
“Touch me,” she demanded. “Do it, Dean.”
Don’t need to say it twice.
The momentary blip of worry morphed into downright lava. This was about the list and my lust.Getting my libido back list.It might be for Mack to go outside her comfort zone and for meto find my groove. This wasn’t serious. The erratic beat of my heart had everything to do with my adrenaline and excitement of being turned on and not at all related to the curve of her spine and feel of her skin.
I cupped one of her breasts, overcome with desire to the point I forgot we were on a stupid dance floor. My jaw tensed, and I bit down the urge to devour her. She gasped as I grazed my palm over her nipple. It was a slow form of torture to just touch her and notseeher, but I wasn’t complaining. This was intoxicating. She leaned forward into my touch, her ass digging into me harder as she urged me on.
I pinched her nipple, twisting and pulling a bit until my cock was hard as a rock. My mouth watered. My skin felt too hot and too tight for my body. The whiskey altered my brain, probably, because Mack was the absolutely the hottest person I had ever seen, ever touched.
Unable to stop myself, I licked from her shoulder to her ear, then growling against her as I bit on her collarbone. I wanted to demand answers from her. Did this feel as good for her as it did to me? Was she excited and wanting to continue this?
It still didn’t mean a single thing. Our touching, attraction was for the lists. I knew that. I couldn’t afford to ever let anyone mess with me again.
Butfuck.“God, I want to lick you everywhere,” I said against her skin. “Is that on your list? Can we add it?”
She giggled and rested her head on my shoulder. “I vote this as an amendment.”
“I’m adding it. I vote yes.”
“Great demonstration of democracy,” she said, closing her eyes as she sighed.
