He’s peering at me like I’m a lab experiment.
“So, it can only be one of two things. Either you’re a total noob or your breath really stinks.” He nods to himself. “Actually, maybe this is for the best. Because either way, it doesn’t sound great for me. See, I’ve got you on this pedestal, and I don’t want anything to bring you down. Because if it did, I wouldn’t—”
Why is he so fucking annoying?
I grab his collar and pull him into me mid-sentence, his lips smooshing against mine, a quickfire sneak attack, but at least it’s done.
“There.” I shove him away from me. “Happy?”
“Ecstatic.” His eyes widen. “I mean—shit, Carrie! What the hell evenwasthat? It felt like an octopus latched on to my face. I feel bad for you.”
He really is so, so fucking annoying.
I know he’s teasing me, of course. But there’s some visceral need buried deep inside me that really wants to wipe that smirk off his face. I grab his collar again. I take a deep breath in.
This time, I feel my way through the moment, bringing my hand to caress the side of his neck and cup his jaw. I feel him tense up in surprise, with the smallest hitch in his breath, and something in me can’t help but react. I lean into him in, brushing his mouth with mine once, twice, before catching his upper lip. A gentle pull. A question. He answers instantly, lips parting, his tongue softly meeting mine.
I think a moan escapes me. Our mouths are tentative and tender in those first few seconds, but slowly give way to somethinghungrier.His breath is hot on my skin as I twist his tee in my fingers, pulling him in for more, suddenly no longer concerned with who is kissing who right now. All I know is that I want more. That I’ve always wanted more. I can’t remember why I ever tried to fight it in the first place.
The music drifting in from his sound system is fading to black as our mouths move against each other’s, heat and softness blurring into one, and by the time we pull back our eyes meet and some unspoken message passes between us.
“Happy?” I manage.
I’m panting.
Just when I think he’s about to step back with a nod, his hands are on my cheeks, and his mouth comes crashing back into mine.
In the space of a heartbeat, all my reasons for stopping this melt away like snow. I know I should put an end to this stupidity—that this isn’t right. But my tongue is rolling against his, and I have neither the strength nor the desire to refuse it.
Our lips grow frantic. Donovan presses into me so hard my lower back bumps into the table. The way his tongue reacts to mineis indescribable. I can’t get enough air to organize my thoughts or put words to whatever is happening between us in this kitchen.
My hands grasp the edge of the table, clinging to the only thing that feels real. His hand claims the nape of my neck and pulls me in to kiss me harder, while his other palm curves around my waist to bring our hips as close together as possible.
Suddenly, he is everywhere, everything. Every inch of my body that is pressed to him is on fire. I tighten my grip on the table. Pain shoots up to my elbows, but I know if I let go now, if I give in to my instinct and wrap my arms around his neck, this will be the end—I’ll be swept up in the whirlwind, and everything will fall apart.He never needed to practice his technique.His kissing is perfect. And that’s exactly what I was afraid of.
He pushes against my pelvis so forcefully that my ass slides onto the table, and Donovan slips between my thighs. I want only one thing: for him to add to this equation the very thing I swore I wouldn’t ever do with him again.Once more can’t hurt—can it?
I rake my fingers through his hair and lock my legs tight around his waist as he grinds against me, and I buck hard in response. It’s like my body remembers his—like it’s been waiting for this—and I’m more ready than I’ve ever been. He buries his hands in my curls, tugging my bun a little looser, and I rest an elbow on the table as I lean back, reaching blindly for his tee, frantic to pull it up and off him. He starts sucking on my tongue, his hand sliding beneath my top, and I—
“Honey, I’m home!”
A voice comes booming out from the living room.
I don’t know whether Donovan is swept up in the moment or if he just doesn’t give a shit that Adam’s here, but his tongue is still searching for mine. As for me, his friend’s arrival hits me like a bucket of ice water.
I turn my head to escape his mouth and kick my legs as a signal for him to back off, but he just stands there hovering over me, his eyesglazed, his breath ragged. His pupils are dilated, his cheeks flushed, like he’s just played the toughest game of his life.
In that split second, he’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
Gently, I tap his chest. He blinks and falls back, moving slowly—too slowly, because Adam has just stepped into the room and I’m still sprawled out on the kitchen table.Shit!
I clench my abs and leap to my feet.
“Hey, Carrie.”
I make a beeline for the corner. “Hey!”
“Sorry for interrupting your—”
