“You’re not a dork. You’re…“ He stared over my shoulder, a dark look crossing his face before he met my eyes again. The darkness was gone, and instead a warm, heated gaze caressed my face. “I can be myself with you. Do you know how freeing that is? You make me laugh. You drive me crazy with your sassy ass comments. Hanging with you reminds me I’m normal, and I really need that.”
“You want a normal, boring girl?” I said, hurt lacing my voice.
“You’re only listening to part of my words here, and that’s pissing me off. Stop picking up on the words that could be taken out of context. Why is it so hard to understand I like spending time with you?” He ran a finger over my ear, down my neck, and over my collarbone.
“Because you’ve never noticed me before,” I whispered.
“I noticed you,” he said, slowly, softly. His finger moved from the base of my throat, up my face until he cupped my chin. “I saw how you treated your friends, how you played like a boss on the field, how you inspired younger athletes in a way that makes me ashamed I don’t do enough. I’ve noticed how thick your muscles are and how loud you laugh—it’s contagious. Now, are you nervous about kissing me? We can go slow. Or is it something else?”
My eyes fluttered as that damn finger kept caressing my face. Suddenly, I was back at the bar, his hands on me and his mouth on my neck. My body heated, and my nipples tightened with need. A soft moan escaped from my mouth. “I-I don’t know.”
“Your body is reacting to me.” He ran the finger down the center of my chest, swirling it around my pebbled nipple. I sucked in a breath, and he repeated the process on the other one. “Mm, I love the feel of these.”
“I’m in a sports bra,” I said, like he couldn’t see with his own eyes. “Not sexy.”
“Uh, hard disagree.” He continued his slow teasing as hegrazed over my breast and to the strap. He dug his finger under it and slid it onto my shoulder. “This is super fucking sexy, knowing you don’t have anything on underneath it. I can see the outline of your nipples and how they tighten every time I do this.”
He ran over the tip again, this time tugging over the fabric.
I arched my back, needing him closer. My body was on fire with need, want, and desperation. We were both fully clothed, yet he looked at me like I mattered, like he really did think I was sexy. “Dean,” I said, my voice gravelly and throaty.
“Yeah, Mack?” He licked his lips as his hand dropped to the skin beneath the crop top. He teased the waistband of my shorts before he met my eyes. His pupils were so large his eyes were black.
His gaze darkened with need, and I felt drunk on power.
“Is this… for the list?” I couldn’t decide if I wanted it for the list or not. I was too overcome with the need for him to touch me, and I didn’t care what the hell he said. “What… what are we doing?”
“I’m showing you how sexy you are and how fucking into you I am.” He kept his slow caress going, moving over my stomach and up my sides back to my neck. He repeated the process, driving me mad without doing more.
I bit my lip hard. This was out of my element. Could I touch him? Could I tackle him? I wanted to, but fuck, his touch felt so good, and the list remained in the back of my head. Make out? Or more than first base?
“You’re thinking too much. I can hear your brain.” He laughed, the deep vibration hitting me in my core.
“This is for the list,” I said, swallowing the lump of unwanted, messy emotions in my throat. I wasn’t going to freak out or overanalyze this. This was supposed to be fun, goddamnit. I was using my shenanigans list to put myself out there. “We’re knocking off the list.”
His eyes narrowed for a second before he nodded. “For the list.”
His gaze dropped to my mouth, and I couldn’t take it another second. I fisted his shirt and yanked him against me in the most uncharacteristic Mack action of all time. I never took charge off the field, but no more. It wasmyturn. He let out a little oomph before I slammed my mouth against his, finally kissing the man behind the fantasy. Fireworks exploded from head to toe, my scalp tingling with an aggressive, delicious want that had me ignoring everything.
I forgot my name, who I was, what breathing was. I just needed more ofhim.
The scruff tickled my face. His full lips had no business being that juicy and perfect as they parted and devoured me. Dean’s hands moved toward my hips as he groaned into my mouth, the growly, deep vibration setting me on fire. He tasted like mint, the light burn of his gum tingling my tongue. Dean didn’t just kiss, he owned. He didn’t just hold me, he gripped me like his life depended on it. His fingers pressed so hard into my hips that my skin burned, but I welcomed it.
He sucked my tongue once, twice, then swirled his tongue deep into my mouth, kissing me blindly into oblivion. My heart pounded against my ribs, his erratic beat as fast as mine. One hand moved behind my head, holding my head in place as he tilted me back. “Your mouth. Fuck.”
He licked my neck, biting my skin as he said, “Perfect. Your mouth is perfect.”
I shuddered as he picked me up and wrapped my legs around his waist to set me on the kitchen table. He ground into me, his erection pressing against my warm pussy. “Dean,” I moaned, my eyes about rolling into my head. Everything wason fire. My mind, my lips, my pussy. My core throbbed with need, my body begging him with an unsaidplease, please, please.
Placing a hand on my chest, he pushed me down as he continued kissing all parts of my exposed skin. He nipped at my neck, collarbone, my exposed stomach. His deep satisfied groans made me hotter as I gripped his shirt and ran my fingers through his hair. “I love your hair,” I blurted out.
“Pull it. Do what you want. Just keep making these sounds, Mack.” He leaned up to meet my gaze, his eyes all black as he ran a finger under the crop top. “Past first base, yeah? That’s the list?”
I nodded, unable to form words. I wanted a home run. I wanted a goddamn grand slam right now, a stadium clearing, walk-off hit grand slam. My mouth dried up, and I arched, wanting him on top of me again. My ideal weight was having Dean Romano on top of me.
“Use your voice, Mack.” He teased the underside of my breasts again, his lips parted and his eyes wild. “Say it.”
“Yes.”
