Page 95 of Illicit

I sidestep.

She might be two steps off, but she recovers.

She still can’t get me.

“Rocco,” she yells for me.

I turn and run backwards three steps until she closes the distance. When she’s within a couple steps, I stop and dip just enough.

I don’t know what her plans were when she caught me, but I make sure they don’t happen.

When we collide, I grab her by the waist and lift. We both go down on the sand—me first and her on top. My back and shoulders take the brunt of our fall.

She grips my shoulders and braces to hang on. I roll before we come to a stop. I’m on top of Teagan. Her hair is a dark wave on the light sand, and her wild expression is stark compared to the calm sea.

“There,” I say as my hips find the most perfect place they’ve ever experienced—between Teagan’s legs. I press my swollen cock into her pussy and don’t give a shit that we’re on a public beach. “You caught me. Nicely done.”

“I hardly caught you.” She’s still breathing hard. “You caught me, and you know it. You played D1. I ran for a small, private college. They don’t compare in the slightest.”

“We’re both athletes,” I say as I press my cock into her pussy. “You’re also hard-headed and refuse to give in to your wildest desire … me.”

She puts her feet to the sand and lifts her hips. “It’s the other way around, Roc. I’ve given in to everything you’ve allowed. You’re the one holding out on the experience we both want.” Then she throws my words back at me. “You’re lying to yourself if you deny it any longer.”

That sobers me. I brush a few grains of sand that are sticking to her cheek before I put my lips to hers. This isn’t playful or heated.

This is different.

I roll again until she’s resting on top and I’m the one in the sand, but never break our connection. Every minute like this with her cements something deeper in my gut. Her mouth moves with mine. It’s like we’re the only ones in the world, with just the ocean to keep us company as background music.

I fist her hair and give it a gentle pull. When she looks down at me, I tell her the truth. “I’ll never deny anything when it comes to you. I’ve had two years. As much as I hate to admit it, the best thing you ever did was set up that meeting with Robichaux. I’m pissed I gave you the space you wanted for as long as I did.”

She shakes her head. “You’ve only ever said no to me once. And when I look back on it, I needed the time to grow up. Become me. Figure out who I am on my own.”

My hand slides down her back and lands on her ass. “And you did that at twenty-two. It’s taken me almost thirty years.”

“Our birthdays are next month. Maybe it will be a different kind of celebration this year.” Instead of pushing away to get up, she scoots down my body far enough to rest her cheek over my heart. “Can we watch the sun set and not talk about what’s next? All I want to think about is this.”

“Okay.”

“Rocco?”

I drag my hands through her hair. We’re a mess and both covered in sand, but neither of us care. “Right here, baby.”

“Please don’t talk to my parents. Not yet. I need to figure out what I’m going to do about New York on my own.”

I look from the surf to the sky as the weight of her body sinks into mine. “It sucks for me, but I can’t say no to you.”

She lifts her head far enough to press her lips to my heart before settling back in. “Thank you.”

Tomorrow by this time, we’ll be back in Miami. We’ll have to pretend this isn’t a thing.

Until she’s ready.

22

A WATERMELON AND A BAGEL

Teagan

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