Page 58 of Bronco

“You just said you enjoyed it.”

“I did, it just caught me by surprise.”

“Well, I figured if Cupcake is watching, we should keep up the facade.”

“We should fake date for real?”

“Why not? It’ll keep the has-beens away from you,” she laughs.

“Why do you care?” I pop the question, desperate to know the answer. I lean closer to her ear. “Wanna know somethin’?”

She nods, bringing that goddamn straw to her lips that I want to replace with my tongue. “I’m all ears.”

“Nevada said somethin’ crazy.”

She laughs. “And that’s groundbreaking?”

I swallow hard. “We had it out; he thinks men and women can fuck and still be friends.”

Her chest hitches at the use of my words. “What do you think?”

“Were you talking about me?” she breathes.

“He was. I didn’t indulge in it, other than to remind him we have a special friendship and I don’t wanna ruin that.”

Her pretty eyes meet mine. “But we’d be so good together.”

My heart races, beating so hard it could burst out of my chest at any given moment. She has no idea the power of her words. “But sex ruins friendships, it complicates things, right?”Please say no. Please fucking say no.

“I don’t know,” she says quietly. “I’ve never had a ‘fuck buddy’ before.”

I shake my head. “It wouldn’t be that.”

A small smile crosses her lips. It could just be me, but they seem swollen from that one illicit kiss.Does she want more? Or am I imagining it?

“Why? Am I too good for it?” Her tone is amused, but there is no amusement in my tone.

“Yes,” I say simply. “You are. It’s no secret I have you on a pedestal.”

She looks away, then everyone is jumping out of their seats as the game ends and the final score sees the Pelicans winning by three points. We missed it, but I’m not sorry.

If I can hold one memory from tonight, it’s not gonna be that fucking score board. It’ll be the way Amber’s kiss made me reevaluate everything that I hold dear. How’s that for fucking vanilla?

12

AMBER

Heat.

Scorching heat.

That’s what I feel running through my body. I haven’t felt that way for… well, I’ve never felt that way. The shock and immobility I felt surrendering to the moment like that? It was like an epiphany.

I’ve never taken charge in my life; I never make the first move. It wasn’t planned, more like a spur of the moment thing. I intended for the kiss to be a quick peck; mainly to keep the crowd happy, and so the kiss-cam would move on. But then things took a drastic turn.

The scene was set: Bronco looking and smelling like a dream, our mouths colliding in a kiss so sweet and sincere, I felt it all the way down to my toes. There was no tongue, but there didn’t need to be; his soft lips were enough. And that scruff? Oh, boy, did I imagine his mouth somewhere else, not that I would even know what that’s like because no guy has ever gone down on me. I’ve only read about it in romance books. That, along with using my imagination, has had to suffice for the last few years. The kiss wasn’t longer than a few seconds, but it left me hungry anddesperate for more. I wanted Bronco’s rough hands on me.All over me.

When he said that whole thing about sex complicating things, I know he’s right. But a spark lit inside me at the idea of us sharing a bed. I imagine what sex with him would be like, and I’ve no doubt he’d be good at it. Him and all of his nine inches. That surely has to be him just bragging, either that or he truly is gifted.

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