Page 39 of Wildest Dreams

She prods a finger into my bicep. “Well, as long as you don’t play football,” she teases.

A deep laugh reverberates through my chest until I realise that the game we’re watching is over. Now we’re just two people on a bed, looking at each other with growing hunger.

Noticing that the game has finished Aisling suddenly leans toward her laptop to open a different browser, and my eyes automatically drop to her behind as she bends over right in front of me.

I grunt like a motherfucker and practically throw myself off her bed.

“I should probably take off,” I rasp, turning a sharp one-eighty so that she won’t see my sudden erection.

And that would have been fine if there wasn’t a fuckingmirrorin front of us.

Her startled eyes meet mine in the reflection.

I look heavenward, praying for strength.

“I would love to keep hanging out,” I admit, digging my palms into my eyes. “You’re funny and beautiful, and I’ve had a great time with you today. But I think that I’ve reached the point where I’m… no longer in control of my body.”

I drop both of my hands and look at her in the mirror. She’s biting nervously into her lower lip, her eyes unblinking on mine. Forcing herself not to look at the situation in my shorts.

I swallow hard.

“I should take off,” I rasp, and I expect her to nod and say,yeah, please leave.

But instead she scooches a little closer and asks innocently, “Take off what?”

I half-laugh, half-groan as I cover my face with my hands, and the pretty sound of her laughter behind me makes warmth spread through my chest. I know that she’s just messing with me, being playful to save me the humiliation of my painfully obvious attraction to her, but eventhatis sexy, the level of compassion in her humour.

“Aisling,” I groan, as I turn to face her. My cheekbones are ruddy and my breathing is way too fast, but we’re both smiling at each other with empathy and understanding. “I’m so freaking sorry. Like, I wish I could get a handle on myself. There’s nothing I would rather do right now than spend the rest of the night watching stuff with you. Even football,” I add, just because I want to hear her beautiful laugh again.

She gives it to me and it’s the most incredible sound in the world.

“Well, if you want to go,” she begins, stretching her arms in the air and then dropping her body back against her sheets, squealing in delight as her quilt plumps up around her. “Then I’m not going to stop you,” she finishes, but her tone is riddled with a dare.

She peeks down at me to where I’m standing like a starved beast at the bottom of her bed, and her thighs squeeze together as I rub a palm down my jaw.

“You should close my door on your way out,” she continues, her eyes sparkling now, as she gently taunts me with that naughty smile.

I blink down at her, realisation dawning.

Hold the fuck up.

Am I misreading this situation, or is she daring me to make a move?

I glance toward her partially opened bedroom door and then back to her reclined position in the centre of her bed. She’s practically vibrating with amusement, her whole demeanour shimmering with mischief.

It’s still piss-pouring outside and the wet sound effects aren’t helping my erection. I shove a hand into my hair and rake my gaze over Aisling’s body.

“Are you… do you want me to…” I yank roughly on the neckline of my shirt. “Because obviously I would love to… if you would also love to–”

“Tanner.”

“Yes?”

“I can tell that you like me.”

Her voice is gentle and husky, and it makes my abdomen harden.

“Yeah, I fuckin’ do,” I say, hoarse with honesty. “I really fuckin’ like you. I like you so much, but I can’t believe that you would like me too.”

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