Page 103 of Colliding with Ten

He tugged my shirt off, almost over my head, when his fingers stroked a patch of sensitive skin along my left side, by my ribs. My body betrayed me with an unsexy giggle.

He stopped and gave a mischievous grin. “You okay?” He eyed the spot.

“Don’t you dare.”

He touched it again with one finger.

My elbow flew up to guard, and the laugh that erupted was loud and unhinged, startling us both. “Lennox, no⁠—”

He did it again with his thumb stroking me, and I folded in half. My knees came up, hands shoving at his chest, as I screamed. “STOP—oh my God—STOP⁠—”

He continued, and I convulsed, laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. I tried to twist away, but his long arms caged me. I was at his mercy with my shirt still bunched halfway up my torso.

I tried another tactic. “Tickle me again, and I’m leaving.”

“You can barely stand right now. Your legs are shaking.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, and he pulled back.

“Truce,” he said, his face the picture of sincerity as he gave me his hand. I moved to take it, and he lunged.

I screamed, grabbing the nearest pillow, swinging it at his head. It connected with his jaw, and he deserved it. He was laughing now, too. He caught the pillow on the second swing, and we were both gone, tangled and breathless.

“You broke the truce,” I said, chest heaving.

“I had to know if it worked from that angle too.”

“You can’t do that again.” I glared at him, giving my best mean face, but it didn’t hold because my mouth kept twitching.

He settled his hand at my waist, thumb stroking there. “Your laugh might be my favorite sound.”

His confession caught me off guard. The outrage I’d been performing went away. “Will you promise not to tickle me again?”

Lennox shook his head, and it delighted me.

“Okay, how about not tickling me tonight?”

He thought about it, nodded, then kissed me before I could say anything else.

After taking off my shirt, he tossed it aside into the depths of the room. When he looked back at me, I knew he would keep that promise. I didn’t know if I looked like what he expected, and I got nervous, almost reaching for the sheets.

“I’m going to need a minute,” he said.

I almost laughed, but his expression made my breath hitch instead.

When his hands moved again, they moved with intention. Unclasping my bra, he slid it down my arms. The cool air caressed my skin before his mouth was there, kissing the curve of my breast. His tongue teased my nipple, and I forgot to be self-conscious after that. My back arched, and I groaned as his thumb stroked the other peak, circling it. I had to bite my lip to keep from screaming. With every sound I made, he matched the right pressure and pace. My fingers dug into his shoulders as my legs parted to pull him closer.

“Found it,” he murmured against my skin, smiling.

“Okay.” My fingers gripped his muscular arms. “So you’ve done this before.”

He laughed seductively against my collarbone, sending heat to my core. I reached down and unbuttoned my jeans because he was taking too long. I had lost every ounce of patience I’d ever had. He chuckled again before his hands took over, peeling them down my legs and taking everything else with them.

His breath hitched, and he licked his lips at the sight of me bare. My hands grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head. I’d seen the man on billboards and in compression tops, but shirtless, in the low light of his bedroom. Jesus, how was I supposed to survive this night?

I stretched under his gaze, one leg extending in a teasing split, a grand écart that made him suck in a breath. I couldn’t let him be the only one showing off. He shook his head in disbelief. Ballerina flexibility for the win.

He grazed his hand down my leg before settling between my thighs. His hands spread me wide, and then his mouth was on my inner thigh, kissing and nipping. His tongue formed patterns that made my brain go white. I’d been prepared for a lot tonight. I had not been prepared for Lennox to be patient. Patience was its own kind of unbearable.