Page 48 of Revenge Puck

“You sure you’re okay, Elle?” Preston asks, sheets rustling as he gets out of bed. “With last night, I mean?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s fine. I’ve never slept with a man before last night. I mean, never just slept with a man. You know what I mean. Anyway, it was…fun,” I say in a rush while undoing the deadbolt on the door.

“Yeah, it was fun,” Preston says from right behind me. I try to open the door, but it won’t budge but an inch. The big man behind me reaches up to push the door shut so he can unlatch the metal bar. Ah, that’s what I forgot. “Do you really have to leave so early?”

“I have an appointment at eight-thirty,” I lie.

Preston’s palm flattens against the door. “Do you really?” he asks softly, his minty breath blowing across my neck makes me shiver.

Minty breath?

Turning around to face him, I ask, “How is your breath so fresh right out of bed?”

“I woke up an hour ago.”

“Oh.”

We’re standing so close that only a few inches separate our faces. I take a step back, leaning against the door, which is when I notice the obvious, impressive tenting of Preston’s pajama pants. I tell myself that it’s just how all men his age wake up, raring to go. God knows, I lost count of how many times Christian poked me awake. Since we both slept in the nude, he had easy access to push right on inside.

When I look back up at Preston’s face, his dark, heavy-lidded eyes are staring at my mouth when he says, “Were you lying about an early appointment?”

“Yes,” I whisper, since I’m obviously a horrible liar.

“Will you stay long enough for me to kiss you goodbye?”

“Wh-why? There, um, aren’t any phones recording us here in your room,” I remind him.

He leans forward, rubbing his nose along my throat…sniffing me. “No, there’s not.”

“So then why…”

“Because I liked kissing you.” His damp lips brush the side of my neck, making me instantly get wet for him.

“But…”

“But what? You don’t want me to?” This time his open-mouthed kiss on my neck has me biting my lip to keep from moaning.

“No, no. I do, it’s just, I could use a shower, and you…you said you wouldn’t ever be tempted for a taste.”

“Huh?” he asks, his tickling lips and tongue leaving me breathless and dizzy.

My hands grab his thick biceps to keep myself upright, and well, because they feel really nice.

“When…when we first met outside the arena, you called me cupcake,” I remind him.

“That was before I knew you, before I kissed you and didn’t want to ever stop.” Between his mouth and words, I’m melting into a puddle, aching, and more turned on than I think I’ve ever been in my life.

“I thought you weren’t attracted to me,” I explain.

The space between our bodies vanishes in an instant, the hardness of him pressing into my stomach, causing me to gasp.

Preston chuckles at my reaction and says, “How could you possibly think I’m not attracted to you when you can see and feel just how badly I want you?”

“Doesn’t that, um, usually happen first thing in the morning?”

“I’ve been aching for you since we met, Elle. All day yesterday. Last night. I couldn’t sleep for wondering what youwere wearing underneath my shirt. And now that I know...” he growls against my neck and my leg is suddenly curled around his hip to pull his lower body closer to mine.

Even after Preston’s low groan at the contact, I ask, “So, you do want me?”

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