Swoop.
My pesky little stomach and heart galloped when I did what he asked, turning around slowly so he could see every mesh part.
He reached out and cupped my ass, groaning. “Are you even wearing anything underneath?”
“Guess we’ll have to wait until you defile me to find out, huh?”
“Goddamn.” He cleared his throat, his eyes flashing as he adjusted the front of his slacks. “You are literal perfection. Every fucking inch.”
“Stop, you’re getting laid either way. No need to lay it on.”
“Not laying it on. I’m done holding back with you, don’t you get it? All these inside thoughts I’ve had for years, fighting my attraction to you, pretending I didn’t want to lick you head to toe. I’m saying what I want.”
“Okay, that’s hot.” I fanned my face, my body heating in anticipation of getting naked later already. “Now I want to know… what else have you thought but never said?”
“Oh, honey.” He held out an arm, and I looped mine through it. “You have no fucking idea.”
22
PRESTON
We took a rideshare to a steak house a few miles away, our fingers intertwined the entire car ride. Instead of nerves or teasing, we argued about the best Pokémon and games out right now. It was actually a heated debate where we yelled and made our cases, and it felt like the old us. A weird pang in my stomach had been bothering me all day, but I blamed it on nerves. This was huge. We were finally going on a date together.
Now that it started though, I needed the pain to settle down.
The trust and genuine laughter and banter between us was amazing. Only now? We could get naked, and I could touch her. It was fucking wild for it to be this easy, but I wasn’t gonna assume a thing. We hadn’t started dinner yet, and I kept waiting for Jordan to freak out.
Because she would. She was a runner.
“Reservation for Charming, please,” I told the host as we ushered inside. Jordan had on a bright red winter coat, and I swore everyone in the restaurant glanced at her in appreciation. She was strikingly pretty, and I wanted to wear a neon hat that saidmine.
“Right this way.”
We followed the host to a back booth with dim lightning. It was romantic and cozy—all things I wanted, but I kept studying Jordan’s reaction. She had never really dated. She admitted it all the time, like she was proud of her anti-dating stance. She studied the table, then the lights, her gaze moving over the restaurant before landing on me. She winked.
“Let me get your coat.” I moved toward her, running a finger down her hair and leaning in to inhale her. She smelled amazing.
“Did you just sniff me?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?” I nipped her earlobe, loving how she shivered. “You smell so fucking good, by the way.”
“I remembered you complimented this perfume a year ago. I bought it with my mom’s guilt money, and you said something like,hey, Dan, you don’t smell like ass today.”
I barked out a laugh as I set both our coats on the hook next to the booth. We slid into our seats, both of us wearing goofy-ass smiles. The pain sharpened, but I adjusted my position to try to ease it. “Yeah, because I couldn’t tell you I wanted to fucking spray it on my pillow every night.”
“You didn’t feel this then, did you?”
Uh oh. This was a situation. I didn’t know how hard to go here. Did I tell her the full truth or half? Or just share small parts? I ran a hand over my jaw, trying to make the best choice. Leaning forward, I moved my gaze from her eyes to her mouth, then back up. “You’re not ready to hear the truth,” I said, holding her attention. Her pulse raced at the base of her neck, and her hand moved to her chest, where she often rubbed small circles when she was nervous.
“But I will admit that I’ve thought you were breathtakingly beautiful since we’ve been friends. I’ve wanted to see your tits since the second I met you.”
“Hm.” She beamed, her leg seeking mine under the table. “Do you say that to all your friends?”
“Ha, no. I don’t.” I reached under the booth and wrapped my fingers around her ankle, caressing the bare skin there. Now that I had permission, I’d never pass up the chance to touch her. “I’ve been attracted to you for years, but I never let it be the focus. I can shut it down. Well, now I can’t because I’ve tasted you and I’ve been inside you.”
“That you certainly have.” She licked the side of her mouth and glanced down, my daring friend blushing. “I’ve always thought you were hot too.”
“You would say it all the time like it was no big deal, and every time I died a little. If you thought I was hot, why not kiss me? Don’t answer that, by the way,” I backtracked. I didn’t want her thinking about all the reasons this was risky for her. That was a dumb move on my part, and I smiled, hoping to change tactics. “Okay, don’t make fun of me but…”
