“I’m getting you a travel one so you can take it on flights,” I joke, her laugh warm against my neck. “Oh! Speaking of plane tea, did you see Mara with her damn sunglasses again?”
“Oh my God,yes. What the fuck is with the glasses?”
My heart soars. As if Kennedy wasn’t already the mostfantasticwoman ever, it appears we both love to gossip. “Right? The fuck are those about? Who does she think she’s Audry Hepburn?God.Her and Chadd McPooPirate make quite the couple.”
“I love your nicknames for him.” She snorts. “Thank God they were fully clothed because I donotwant to think about Chadd’s,” —her face scrunches like she’s trying not to be sick— “sweaty bits and pieces all over that seat. I mean, it’s kind of hot to think about doing it on a jet, but not those two.”
“Smashing in theflight deck?” I wink finally using the correct terminology. “For sure hot. Between those two? Gross.” I gag. “I bet he has old balls.”
Kennedy snorts out the cutest laugh. “Let’s see…how would you say this? One-hundo percent that dude has nasty, old man balls.”
“Chadd McOldBalls,” I say as we arrive at our floor and nearly fall out of the elevator in a fit of laughter, trying to be quiet since it’s after two in the morning and I don’t want to get her kicked out of her apartment.God, I love laughing with her.The fact that we can joke around like this is like the high after a big win. I love that she finally feels comfortable enough to joke around and laugh and let out her own feelings. I’ve seen her be like this around our friends, and my heart skips a beat knowing she’s letting me see this side over her too.
As we approach the door to her apartment, she struggles with the key fob.Again.
“You’ve lived here how long and you still can’t open this door?”
The side eye she gives me could cut through a steel beam. But I love it. “Well,excuse meMr.Perfect. I know how to do a lot of cool stuff like, oh, I don’t know, flying a fucking plane. Refuelingfighter jets while in the air. Did you know I’m a fucking Major? This lock just sucks ass!”
I hold my hand out, and she immediately hands the fob over. I set it directly on the lock and the door immediately pops open.
“I hate you so much,” she grumbles with a laugh.
I kiss her cheek. “No, you don’t.”
“I don’t, huh?” she snarks as we step into the apartment and I drop our stuff on the floor. “What makes you say that?”
Maybe it’s the fact that we won tonight. Maybe it’s the pure exhaustion of trying to pretend I didn’t like her for months. Maybe it’s the fact that she was crying in my arms earlier today, but a jolt of something surges through me. It’s steady, calm, certain. It pushes me forward like that first night at the bar. It’s a feeling only she gives me.Fuck it.As soon as she shuts the door behind her, I cage her against the wood with my hands. I lean in closer, our lips a breath away. “You were worried about me today. Very concerned, actually. Most people don’t hate people they showconcernfor.”
Her face flushes, warmth radiating from her skin in the sliver of space separating us. “Maybe I just didn’t want you to come home and be all whiny because your face hurt. You would beinsufferable.”
I hum, my eyes flashing with delight. “My jawiskilling me. But there is only one thing I’m suffering from right now.” I breathe, pressing my thighs around her leg. “And it’s not a broken jaw.”
She sucks in a quick breath, her body shivering at my words. “What’s gotten into you tonight, pretty-boy?”
“You. Kennedy, you’re what’s gotten into me.”
52
kennedy
Our tongues collide, our hands roaming over every inch of one another with an intensity I’ve never felt before. Kissing him is…it’s everything. Every time is a new experience.
The first one at that restaurant was me testing the water, dipping my toe into a pool I didn’t realize I’d want to be diving into so deeply until right now. Some have been sweeter, while others have been more heated.
Today? Today, this man is on fire. He burns with a passion and determination that’s going to set the world ablaze.For me.I want him to embrace every bit of confidence he’s gained. Normally, I like to be the one in control—not tonight. The slickness between my legs is all I need to know that this change in dynamic in him, seeing him finally be so forward and being so sure of himself, is exactly what I need.
“You know,” I say against his lips, “I did say it was time for another lesson earlier. How about tonight?” —I drag a finger down his chest— “you tell me what to do.”
“Oh, my dear sweet Kenni, what do you think this is?” He stands back, his gaze filled with a hunger I’ve never seen in him. He’s no longer the shy man I first met. No. This is a crazed manstarved for something only I can give him, and a warmth burns low in my core at the thought. He’s starved forme.
Goddamn, this is a good look on him.
“Do what you tried to do that first night here.” His tongue wets his lip. “Undo my belt.”
Holy shit. NowI’mthe one ready to come in my pants. I saunter toward him, reaching for his Gucci buckle, making quick work of the latch, unzipping his slacks, and letting them fall to the floor. Something flickers in his gaze. The softness remains, but there’s an edge to it now—like the enforcer in him just stepped on the ice.And he’s here to play.He pulls me in, pressing kisses along my neck, my pulse point, everywhere he can reach as I slowly unbutton his dress shirt. I push it off his shoulders, his kisses still raining over me as he shifts his arms free. I step back to get a good look at his ripped chest. Every time I see this man’s body, I am reminded by the heat pooling in my core that he really is hotter than hell.Christ on a cracker.
I run my hands across his chiseled pecs, down his abs, and finally, I run my fingers inside the waistband of his boxer briefs. His fucking sexy-ass, tight-as-hell boxer briefs. I slowly move my hand down to grip the one thing I’ve been dying to feel all fucking day. Wanting it in my hand, my mouth, my pussy. I know we’ll get to that last one, butfuck,it’s hard to fight the urge to just climb on top of him and go to town. But right now, I’m only focused on giving him a reward for a hard-fought game and some newfound confidence.
