Page 49 of Just Forever

“I make no promises.” I study him for a moment. “Okay, don’t roll your eyes at me, but are you really sure you want to waste your evening on this?”

“I get to spend time with you. That’s not a waste of anything in my book.”

I look at his face, so full of love, and simply nod. “Okay. In that case, give me another one.”

“Not so fast. This game also has rules.”

I raise my brow at him while I get up to clean up the mess of my dinner. “I’m listening.”

“For every wrong answer, you have to take off one item of clothing.”

I pick up the phone and purse my lips. “That’s not really an incentive to answer correctly, you know?”

“You’re not going to just give me wrong answers for sex. Have some pride.”

I laugh out loud at that. “You’ve been away for days. Pride left the building a long time ago.”

“Keep it in your pants, Bates,” he says sternly.

“That might be the first time you’ve ever said those words to me. Oh, fuck. Does this mean we’re starting to turn into an oldmarried couple? Pretty soon we’ll just sit in silence because we have nothing to talk about anymore, and when I try to give you a blow job, you’ll tell me you have a headache. Is that where we’re headed?”

Ryker blinks at me for the longest time.

“Wow,” he eventually says. Nothing else. Just ‘wow.’ “Okay,” he says a few seconds later. “New plan. For every wrong answer, I’ll put an item of clothing on. How’s that for incentive?”

I nod approvingly. “Now we’re talking. Now there are stakes in the game.”

“What can I say? I know how to inspire my man. Clearly covering myself up is what does the trick. Now, inspire me too. Take off your clothes and get in the bed.”

“Words to start every good tutoring session,” I say dryly.

“Are you questioning my methods?”

“I would never.” I pause for a moment. “Mr. James.”

Something heated flares through his eyes, and the flame goes even hotter once I start to take my clothes off. Once I’m fully naked, I climb into our bed.

“Ready for this?” Ryker adjusts himself.

“Bring it on.”

I lie on our bed on my side, my phone against Ryker’s pillow, and listen to his low, calm voice reading me the questions, one after the other. I miss two out of the forty-something, so it’s not too bad overall.

He looks at me when he runs out of questions. “Not too bad,” he says, echoing my thoughts.

We’re both lying on our sides now, phones propped up on pillows. He yawns, his eyes clearly getting heavy by now.

“It’s late,” I say softly. “You should get some rest.”

“Can’t I just stay with you?” he asks. Sleepily.

“I love you.”

“I miss you,” he replies.

“Thanks for the quiz prep.”

He laughs softly. “I’m here for whatever you need. Always.”

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