Page 29 of A Fool's Game

I just wasn’t prepared for it to be so…

I don’t even have the words I need to describe the feeling.It’s not jealousy. I want her to have all the love she needs, and I know she wants that for me, too. Hell, watching her get railed is one of my favorite activities, right behind railing her myself.But no one’s getting railed tonight. It’s just a lot of talking, a lot of feeling each other out.

All the other guys were walking hard-ons.

This guy? He’s something else.

With the dishes done, I can’t hide in the kitchen any longer. I emerge into the dining room and the two of them are standing,laughing at something, touching just slightly, her hand on his upper arm.

I’m happy she looks so happy. All I want in life is to see this woman smile,and the fact that I have to remind myself of that right now makes me nervous.

“Dinner was really delicious,” Ainsley says, turning to me.

I nod, never quite sure how to handle the compliments. “Sure.”

“I’ve gotta get home to my dog, though.”

Gem turns to me, beaming. The wine and the happiness stain her cheeks pink, and I’m completely enamored with the glow of her. “He’s got an old hound dog.”

“I’m sure he does,” I answer.

Whatever energy I brought to the dining room broke up the jovial atmosphere, and I’m both sorry and glad. Ainsley pulls his hoodie off the back of a chair and slips it onas my beautiful, tipsy girl steps in too close and surprises him by being right there on her tiptoes, pressing a kiss that was meant for his cheek close to his lips as he turns.

I watch the scene unfold in slow motion.

Ainsley takes a step back, hand raising defensively to his face.

Gem’s gaze falls at the implied rejection, and she takes a step back of her own.

Pretty boy recovers, to his credit, and realizes what she was trying to do. With a smile on his lips, he reaches for her. But she’s flustered and snubbed and isn’t going to let him make it up to her.

With a sigh, I step forward and pull her close to me, her back to my front, pinning her to me with my arms locked inside hers. I turn her to face him.

Ainsley’s piercing gaze finds mine.

“Kiss her,” Igrowl.

He only hesitates for a moment before stepping forward and pressing his lips right onto the lips of my willing captive. She leans into it and so does he, each of them blossoming open in the comfort of realizing they aren’t going to get turned away.

Ainsley breaks off first, taking a step back. Gem’s smiling again, and I’m hard as a damn rock.

I watch as he pulls off his hoodie and holds it in both hands, letting the dark fleece hang down in front of his legs.

You and me both, buddy.

Chapter 12

Ainsley

“I’m going to call an Uber,” I say as soon as I regain the ability to speak.

Taylor releases Gem, and she slides into a chair, the dreamy, slightly bashful look still painted over her glowing features.

That kiss was…everything.

She took me by surprise at first. I hadn’t planned to let this night go anywhere beyond just dinner and talking. I’m still so unsure about the whole thing. But the look on her face when I inadvertently tried to avoid her…the way she shied away from my reciprocation…

But those aren’t the moments living rent free in my head right now. No, it’s what happened next.When Taylor captured her arms behind her back and held her out to me like a present, I couldn't have stopped myself if I tried.

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