Page 36 of The Penalty

Dev

What was I thinking?Letting her convince me to come out with her? Who am I kidding? That required zero convincing. I folded like a cheap jersey when she asked me to. One look in those gorgeous blue eyes, and I’d agree to anything to spend a moment with her.

But now I’ve fucked it all up. Led her on. Come out here with her, and now I have to put a stop to it. It doesn’t matter how protective I feel for her, how much I want to pull her into my arms, or how incredible her soft curves felt pressed against me. I can’t. We can’t. I can’t betray Beau like that.

She’s clearly upset now. Eyes turned down, lids half closed, with her thick lashes almost resting on her full cheeks. I almost reach out to tilt her chin back up, wanting to wipe away the hurt I caused her, but I check myself.

“What are we having?”

She looks up. “We?”

“You pick whatever you want, and I’ll share a bite or two.” I can’t express the words I want to say to her, so I’m hoping this will be something of a peace offering.

“Don’t you want to pick something yourself?” she asks.

“Nah. I can’t eat much dessert. Not in the plan.” No matter how delicious it all sounds, it’s not in the protein rich athlete’s diet I try my best to stick to during the season.

“Plan?” She tilts her head. “The athlete thing. Gotcha. You weren’t sticking to that when we were at the con.”

I shut my eyes, trying to contain the groan. A flash of her naked body underneath mine has my cock waking up. The deep breaths I drag into my lungs offer no help to cool the fire, either. She’s still there, etched into the back of my mind. Her plump thighs wrapped around my waist, lush ass jiggling as I pounded into her from behind. Those pretty lips wrapped around my cock. Not helping. I shift in my seat, but it fails to ease the uncomfortable ache.

“Are you okay?”

She’s back to studying my face. Maybe we should take it to go? I don’t think I can handle the sweet agony of watching her scoop bites of dessert between those lips. No, I’ve got more self control than that.

“I’m fine.”

“Just get something yourself. I don’t want to share. You don’t have to eat it all.” Her tone is all sass now.

The server walks up before I can reply. He’s got a bored expression on his face. “Can I take your order?”

“I’ll have a hot chocolate and the caramel apple cheesecake, please. Sweetums?” She looks at me, fluttering her lashes, even though her words are threaded with venom.

“I’ll have a black tea... and the chocolate mousse, please.”

He scribbles our order, eyes trained on the couple having a heated discussion two tables over. We don’t even get a glance as he walks away.

“Well?”

Conversation not forgotten, apparently. “I’m sorry. It’s hard to be near you.”

She winces. “Harsh. That’s a new one. I’ve been turned down by plenty of guys, but that was pretty brutal.”

I’m not explaining myself right. I’m shit with words. Feelings. But I have to try. I can’t hurt her or let her feel like I’m not into her. “Not because I don’t want you.”

“What?” She’s shaking her head again, glancing at the door.

“Because I want you more than I should.”

Her eyes flick back to me. “Is that a thing?” She’s nibbling on her lip now and I want to snatch it away, tuck it between my teeth, give it a gentle nip.

“It is when you’re you, and I’m me.”

More confusion. Why am I so bad at this?

“Your brother is my best friend. My closest friend. The closest thing I have to family. I can’t lose him. No matter how much I want you.”

I lean over the table, getting a noseful of her sweet lemon scent. “And do not underestimate how much I want you. All I want right now is to drag you by your hair to the bathroomand slam into you from behind while I watch your tits bounce in the mirror.”

---