Page 37 of The Penalty

She inhales a gasp, pink flooding her cheeks, eyes sparkling under the soft lighting of the glass chandelier.

“Then maybe you should.” It’s a challenge. One I should refuse, but I don’t think I’m strong enough.

“Fuck, Cecelia. Don’t tempt me.”

I’m ready to protest when her small hand lands on my thigh, sliding up to find my cock. It’s hard as steel, protesting its confinement, and I shut my eyes as need races through me when her hand makes contact.

Her fingers trace a path along my length, teasing and taunting me as she leans in closer. Her top dips to a deep v in the front, revealing a tempting expanse of plump flesh. “I can keep a secret.”

Her lips curve up in a sly smile at my groan, and my hands are clenched so tight the tendons in my wrists are protesting.

“We shouldn’t.” It’s a weak protest, and she knows it, continuing the long strokes that are setting my nerve endings abuzz.

“But we could. He never needs to know. We’ll enjoy each other like the grown adults we are and not worry so much about what other people think.” Her hand tightens in a squeeze.

“But...”

“Why not? Life is short, Dev. Might as well live it to its fullest. I spent the first half of my life trying to live up to other people’s expectations. And what I discovered was that it was an impossible task.”

Her words hit home. Life is fucking short. I still want to say no, protest a little more, but I’m weak. I can’t. I need to get my hands on her again. My mouth. We can do this. I think. Beau doesn’t need to find out.

“Oh, God. I can’t think when you’re touching me like that.”

She releases my twitching cock. “Don’t want to sway your decision.” Her smirk doesn’t back up her words.

“Too fucking late.” I snatch the water glass off the table, icy water stinging my throat as I gulp down half the glass in one go.

I lean back in the wooden chair carefully. It feels too delicate for my bulk. I’m scrubbing at my scalp, taking a moment to compose myself. “If we do this, how would it work?”

“Well, you see. Boys have something called a penis, and girls...”

“Careful, Cece. You’re already asking for a spanking. Don’t make your punishment worse.”

Shock replaces the wide-eyed innocent look she was giving me before, her mouth popping open. I lean in closer, unable to resist the temptation of running the pad of my thumb over her lower lip. It’s as soft as it’s been in my dreams.

“Promise?” she says.

“Uh huh.”

Her little pink tongue swipes across her lip as if she can’t wait for a taste of me after I pull my thumb away. “I don’t know. We could wing it.”

I shake my head at her careless shrug. “No. That will never work. We need a plan.”

“I’m not much of a planner. More of a doer. Kind of like Yoda. Do or do not, you know.”

“I’m pretty sure that weird little green creature still made plans. Okay. How do we make it work? Obviously, I can’t bring you back to the house.” I don’t love that idea. She’s the kind of girl who deserves to be flaunted, not hidden away like a dirty little secret.

“My roommates are chill. Art nerds. Not the type of people in Beau’s inner circle. And of course, there’s that other place you were just talking about.” She smiles, twisting around to glance at the back of the restaurant toward the restrooms.

We can’t do that. Can we? What if we got caught? I have to reach down to adjust myself in my pants. Something about the idea of taking her here and now is really fucking hot, and I’ve never been an exhibitionist.

“That’s a terrible idea. Didn’t you get sent here for that sort of thing?”

“Yes. I guess. We have the rest of the meal to think about it, anyway.”

It’s a good thing the waiter is still paying zero attention to us when he comes back with our food, because anyone less oblivious would have noticed the thick cocoon of tension our table is swathed in.

Steaming liquid sloshes out of the silver teapot when he places it in front of me. I idly dip the tea bag in and out, eyes locked on Cece as she takes a slow lick of the cocoa sprinkled whipped cream on top of her hot chocolate. I wish I’d ordered one too, but I had to exercise some self control. I’m not doingso well in resisting her, so the least I can do is stick to my meal plan.

---