The way her tongue clicks when she saysfaketells me the word feels wrong and ill-fitting of whatever connection is floating between us. But this is how it needs to be. Now that my dad is still on the fence about the loan, I need to focus more than ever, and adding feelings into that equation doesn’t seem wise. Adding her to the mix period wasn’t my best idea.
But I’ve been labeled an idiot before, and I guess that’s a good descriptor of what I’m about to agree to.
“Fine, Bambi,” I mutter, dragging a hand through my hair. “If that’s what you want, then we’ll keep our relationship fake with some added benefits behind the scenes.”
Her shoulders sag. She looks disappointed I didn’t argue with her, but I shake it off. “Just physical. No strings.”
I force a smile and nod. I step closer, expecting her to change her mind, but I should know better than that by now. “Alright then. There is just one last piece of the puzzle. Two words, and there’s no turning back, Bambi. I couldn’t stop myself even if I tried.”
Emery’s chest rises and falls rapidly as her eyes sink to my lips. A jolt of excitement rushes through me. This is it. This is happening.
“Kiss me.”
I don’t give her time to take it back. I cup her cheeks and crash my lips against hers. She absorbs the kiss eagerly and steadies herself by grabbing onto my hips.
I deepen our embrace and back her against the shower door. Once she cracks open her mouth, I don’t waste any time before molding my tongue to hers. Everything between us is on fire and feels more charged than anything I could’ve imagined.
I press myself against her, and she lets out a muffled moan, only making me want more. I pull back, causing her tofrown, but I quickly swipe my thumb across her bottom lip, making her knees go weak.
“You still need a shower,” I say, low and firm.
She quirks a brow at me. “Are you seriously pressing pause on this right now?”
I smile and bend down. I’m a few inches away from her ear when I say, “I didn’t say you had to shower alone, Bambi.”
Her body goes taut, and I can feel her pulse vibrating under her skin. She licks her lips and nods before undoing the first strap of her overalls. My own chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as she slowly slips the paint-soaked fabric down her body without breaking eye contact.
The way her green eyes seem to lighten with an innocent hue makes me shake with the need to speed things up. I want to see all of her, and now. But I’ve waited this long, and I can be a good boy for now.
Once her overalls hit the floor, there’s nothing left but the tiniest cropped black tank top and a pair of lace panties that look like she wore them just for me. I drag my eyes across her body, pausing at the way her nipples pebble under her shirt and fuck…they’re pierced. Something dark crests inside me.
Not being able to take it anymore, I decide to lend a helping hand. I grab the hem of her top and peel it off her to reveal my prize. I take in a sharp breath when I see the metal bars sticking through both peaks. God, she’s glorious.
“Fuck,” I whisper, my throat going dry. I raise my hand and let my fingers ghost over each nipple. She sucks in a hard breath, making the restrained throb under my briefs intensify. “If I knew you were hiding this dirty little secret, I would’ve gotten you to take your top off a lot sooner.”
“You’re lucky you’ve gotten this far,” she bites, adding in a relaxed giggle, and that sound does something to me. Unable to resist, I crash my lips against hers and swallow the harmonic sound of her laugh.
Eight years is a long time, and my memory is shit most days, but I remember every inch of Emery’s gorgeous body. But now, her curves are easier to grip, and tiny tattoos are sprinkled in hidden places I’m desperate to mark with my mouth. But there’s one tattoo that I’m eager to see. Her first one.
I pull back from the heated kiss to stare at Emery’s flushed face, speckled with red spots from my strong grip. I lick my lips and lower to my knees.
She goes limp and follows me with her eyes. “What are you doing?” she asks, curiosity bubbling under the surface.
“Relax, Bambi,” I answer, smugly. “I’m checking on something, and then I’ll be right with you.”
I glide my hands down each side of her smooth skin, memorizing how she molds to my touch. Once I’m face to face with the lace panties that make me want to rip them off and memorialize them on my wall—I table that thought and focus my eyes on the side of her hip.
I smile when I see the small, faded lock inked on her supple skin. A memory presses against my brain, but I force it away. “You still have it.”
“Unfortunately, tattoo removal is expensive,” she says, trying to cover up the significance of our childhood debauchery. “That and I never had the heart to cover it up.”
The last sentence sticks to my mind like a dilapidated piece of hope that I shouldn’t even entertain. I stare at it, forgetting the purpose of what we’re doing. The fact that this should be fun and not a trip down memory lane.
“Do you still have yours?” she asks, pulling me out of my funk.
I stare up at her and nod, morphing myself into the Knox Cooke that cares more about a piece of ass than whatever feelings are swirling around in his brain. Emery wants physical and so do I. It needs to stay that way.
“Yes,” I sigh, running my fingers across the waistband ofher panties, “and if you’re lucky, maybe I’ll let you see it again.”
