Page 74 of Cross-Checked

Staring down at her, I wait for her to admit this, too. But she seems to have run out of “yeses.”

“If all you want from me is orgasms, that’s a very different conversation than the one I want to have about where this relationship is going.” My thumb strokes her knee where I’m holding her leg in place. “Isthat all you want?”

“I...” She licks her lips, and then closes her eyes as she rests her head against my door. “I don’t know what I want.”

Dropping to my knees in front of her, I hold her leg up and then loop it over my shoulder as I lean in and taste her. “Oh yeah?” I look up at her. “So what’s holding you back from knowing?”

“I can’t...” She lets out a shaky breath. “I can’t talk about this when you have me this turned on.”

“Why?” I ask, before using my tongue to circle her clit. “Afraid you’ll be too honest with me?”

Another labored breath, and she says, “Yes. No. I don’t know, I can’t think straight. Every time I’m with you, all I can think about is how much I want this. And then reality sets in and I realize it could jeopardize one, or both, of our careers.”

With another swirl around her clit, I apply more pressure as I run my thumb along her opening. “I bet we can find a way to work it out.”

She releases a sigh mixed with a groan as she pulls her tank top over her head. “How?”

“Well, first, you need to renew my contract. Because if I go to another team, I don’t see how this could work long distance.”

Her eyes flare, and I know she doesn’t want to have this conversation. “I can’t talk to you about this. Not without your agent.”

Hmmm. The murmur of acknowledgement rattles in the back of my throat as I clamp my lips onto her, and the vibrations against her clit make her entire body shake with need.

“If we can come to an agreement about me staying in Boston,” I say, gazing up at her and noting the conflicted look on her face, “are we making this work between us?”

It’s not that I’m desperate to put a label on this; it’s that I need to know she’s at least open to the idea.

“I...I think we need to talk about this later. I can’t make important decisions in the midst of...you know.” She closes her eyes as she rests a hand on my head and threads her fingers through my hair, tugging me closer.

Nodding, I slide two fingers up into her. “That’s fine, but we will be talking about it. Right after I punish you for that stunt you pulled in your closet.” I flick my tongue over herclit, pressing hard even though I know she’ll be sensitive after coming only a few minutes ago. She cries out in surprise, and then sighs with pleasure.

“If this is my punishment,” she says with a sly smile, “please continue.”

I can’t help but smirk as I curl my fingers inside her while I continue pushing her closer to her orgasm. She rocks her hips against my face, increasing the pace until she’s panting and telling me how close she is.

And that’s when I stop and peer up at her again. “You want to come?”

“Yes.”

Pulling my fingers out of her, I stick them between my lips, sucking them clean. Then I drop her leg from my shoulder as I stand and put one hand on either side of her head, boxing her against my front door.

“What . . . what are you doing?” she asks, her voice wavering.

“Delivering your punishment.”

“By withholding an orgasm from me?”

“No,” I say, wrapping one hand behind her neck and pulling her close to me. “By using you every way I want to before I let you come again.”

Her tongue darts out, licking her lower lip before she bites down on it like she’s trying to hold in a smile. “Sounds just terrible. Such a horrible punishment.”

Oh, this is going to be fun.

Gripping the back of her neck, I kiss her hard. She gives it right back to me, standing on her toes to meet me while she threads her fingers through my hair again. I don’t know why I like that edge of pain when she tugs on my hair, but I do. It pulls a sound of longing from my chest, and I half-groan, half-growl right into her mouth.

“So needy,” she teases, pulling back to smirk at me.

“Yes, I’mquiteneedy. In fact, right now, I need you on your knees.”

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