“Murky?” My lips tipped up at the corner. “That’s an interesting way of putting it.”
She slapped my chest. “Shut up, you know what I mean.”
“You’re afraid I might fall in love with you and never want you to leave?”Too late, beautiful.
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like that’s what I’m worried about, Mr. Commitment-phobe.”
“Hey, I’m not a commitment-phobe.” I grinned. “I’ve just been waiting for the right girl to sweep me off my feet.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“At least you’re smiling,” I said, tracing her mouth with my fingertip. “I love making you smile.” I liked it so much I’d have to make it my new mission.
Our eyes met and held before she said, “I’ve never slept with a guy I’m friends with before, Joel. What if it ruins things? What if I lose you? Nothing would be worth that.”
I loved that she valued my friendship. I felt the same way. But I wanted to convince her that it was worth the risk because what we could have would be so much bigger and better than anything either one of us had ever experienced before.
“What if it’s easy and fun and exciting?” I kissed her, drawing it out before resting my forehead against hers. “And hot.” My hands drifted down her back. “Come on, G. I’ve never known you to be a pessimist. Or a worrier. You’re overthinking this. Let’s just dive in, see where it goes. When it’s time for it to end, it will, no hard feelings.” But I hoped she’d fall in love with the life we were building here and never want to leave.
She sighed. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It can be, if you’ll let it.”
ChapterEight
Gia
I was still questioning my sanity when Joel pinned me against his bedroom door and kissed me breathless. We were really doing this. Sealing the deal. God, I was terrified. Exhilarated. Turned on. Just a hot mess of conflicting emotions. But when we started shedding clothes, leaving a trail down the hallway, I knew there was no turning back.
He raised my arms above my head, securing my wrists between one of his hands and I was whimpering with need. The little voice in my head told me to calm down. I was acting like I’d never been with a man before. But in this moment it felt like I hadn’t. The rest were boys. Joel knew exactly how to touch me, how to kiss me, how to erase all doubt from my mind, and make me plead for him.
“Last chance to back out,” he whispered in my ear, before sucking my earlobe in his mouth.
I shamelessly grinded against him, begging without words. “Too late to back out now.” Ugh. I was practically panting. It had been a while for me, but not long enough to make me act so needy and desperate. What the hell was wrong with me? Maybe I’d secretly been waiting for years for this moment, this man.
His hands drifted below my waist, popping the button on my jeans before lowering the fly.
Every sound, every touch, felt amplified in the dark hallway as I prepared to take a risk that superseded anything I’d risked before. The angel on my shoulder told me to pump the brakes before it was too late, but the devil was screaming at me to floor it. As he pushed my jeans over my hips, the devil decided for me.
I turned the doorknob, trusting him to catch me before the door gave way. I’d already placed so much trust in Joel, and tonight I was giving him my body. The one thing I valued and guarded as much as my heart.
His arm closed around my waist as the door at my back swung open and he whispered for me to step out of my jeans.
I was wearing only a silky black thong and white tank top. But the way his eyes devoured me told I was still wearing too many clothes. So was he. We’d lost his white dress shirt on the way up the stairs, but I reached for his belt buckle, intent on getting him naked before I bared myself to him.
He watched my hands work quickly, shedding the belt and pants, so he was standing before me in black boxer briefs. This man could put any designer underwear model to shame. I splayed my hands over his chest, revelling in the warmth of his skin.
“I could become addicted to you,” I whispered, before kissing him.
He groaned in my mouth before grasping my head and taking control. He kissed me hard. Deep. Like he’d been waiting as long as I had for this moment.
“That’s what I want,” he said, letting his eyes travel down the length of my body. “For you to be as addicted to me as I am to you.”
What? Did he just say that? Convinced my mind was playing tricks on me and I was only hearing what I wanted to hear, I hauled my tank over my head and tossed it aside.
He didn’t even hesitate to pinch the front closure of my bra, freeing my breasts. I’d been told I was well-endowed, for a petite woman, and the hungry look in his eyes made me glad I’d been blessed with more than a handful.
“Jesus,” he whispered, hooking his thumbs into my panties and drawing them over my hips. “You’re even sexier than I imagined.”
