Page 39 of Exclusive

“Disclaimer. I wasn’t expecting anything in particular, Sky. I just wanted to see where you live.”

Sky. She’d only called me that once before, but I liked it verymuch on her lips. I had to pause to absorb all the feelings it brought on. I’d have to unpack that later along with the newfound urgency she’d shuffled into my agenda. “Right this way.” I led her inside, now hyperaware of every little detail of my decorating, and grateful I kept a relatively clean apartment. “This is it. This is the place.”

She smiled and perused the living room that opened to the small serviceable white kitchen, separated by an oversized island that would have been super-helpful for someone with more advanced culinary aspirations than my own. These days I came home so exhausted, I was lucky to have the energy to pop a bag of microwave popcorn or heat a bowl of Campbell’s. “You have cultivated a very nice place for yourself in the world. This looks like a great apartment to come home to.” She sat down on my lavender couch and gave it a bounce. “Comfortable, too.”

I rolled my lips in. I liked the look of her on it. “The walls could use a bit more decor. I haven’t had the time to shop.” She looked around at the framed art I did have and pointed to the painting of a cat reading a book on a bench. I liked quirky things.

“I don’t know how you’re going to beat this one.”

“Well, I can’t. It’s one of the reasons I resist the effort. Can I interest you in something to drink?”

“Mm-hmm.” She stood and made her way over to me. “Can I just do this first?” She wrapped an arm around the small of my back, angled her head, and kissed me like the expert at it she was. She knew how to push my buttons in just this short time. I sank into the warmth of her mouth and the way she held me close, like she couldn’t bear there to be distance any longer and she was here to change that. The swell of her breasts pressed against mine made me dizzy. Not a complaint. I wanted every part of her pressed against me. I pushed my tongue into her mouth and took her face in my hands, angling more for better access. She murmured her appreciation, and a shot of something potent hit between my legs and then upward. This was the moment I’d been dreaming about all day. Our third kissing session, which now came with a familiarity and, dare I say, even more heat than before. We were looser. Hungrier. It felt like the sexual tension between us continued to climb, and I was pretty sure we were about to rocket right off the scale altogether.

She stepped back, and I almost cried out in protest, needing those lips. That kiss had been too good to end. “Let’s have that wine now.” Her voice was smooth, low, like she’d been good and turned-on.

I blinked, trying to remember how to open a bottle and where to find one. All my brain cared about were her swollen lips and the pleased look she had on her face. She should be pleased. My body was on fire, longing to be touched, sexually aroused to a level I wasn’t used to, while at the same time wanting nothing more than to take this woman to heights of pleasure while she wore not a single stitch of clothing. My head swam at the image. Maybe even on my new lavender couch.

“What’s wine?” I asked.

She laughed and placed a hand on my head.

“Don’t say adorable,” I warned. “Not right now.”

“I was merely going to say that I see a bottle back there. May I?”

I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. “You can do whatever you want, and I mean that.”

I heard her laugh quietly behind me. Moments later, the cork popped, and I heard the splash of wine in glasses. “For you.” I accepted and touched my glass to hers.

“To getting acquainted.”

She smiled. “I like that.” She wandered down the hall and peeked in on my bedroom. I leaned back against the kitchen counter and watched with the kind of permission that kiss had afforded me.

“I wasn’t expecting a moose.” She was referencing the framed painting across from my bed.

“Not many people do, but it’s my inspiration. Gives me strength when I need it. Like now, by the way.”

She made her way back to me. “Whyever would you need strength now?” she asked, amused. She traced a fingertip across my stomach to the underside of my breast as she passed. I sucked in air, and my breasts woke the hell up.

“Because you keep doing things like that, and I’m just…”

“Hot and bothered.” Her blue eyes had gone dark. She was hot and bothered, too. If someone tossed a match in the center of the room between us, the whole place would have gone up in flames in under a second. She sipped her wine. “What do you want to do about that? We should probably come up with something.” Her gazed moved down my body, and I felt every second of it.

“Are you kidding?” I watched. Waited.

“I have ideas, but you’re too far away. Come here.” I wasn’t feeling shy in the least bit.

Wouldn’t be a problem. I was ready to take control and go afterwhat it was I wanted. I set my glass on the end table and watched as she slowly approached. Drunk on power and desire, I reached for her, pulled her in, my focus on the front of the sundress. She’d been on top of that neckline all day, adjusting her dress so it never dipped too low in front, that little line of cleavage peeking out and then disappearing again when she noticed. Not anymore. She’d abandoned the mission and showed a generous amount. I prayed it was on purpose.

“Hi,” she whispered as she leaned in and softly kissed my neck. Gasoline on the fire. My eyes closed automatically, and I leaned my head back, allowing access. Her left hand was working to open my shirt’s bottom button. Success. I inhaled. Then another button, higher. Air tickled my newly exposed skin. Distantly, I heard music. She had me hearing things. This was that good. Except the music got louder. It wasn’t in my head. I ignored it, shoving it to the side, waiting for her to reveal my breasts and take them into her hands. I swallowed my arousal, refocused, and kissed Carrie with renewed vigor, only to hear what I now recognized as a Timbaland song. Could that be right?

“Do you hear that?” Carrie asked, pulling back and looking behind her. The music had become oppressively loud, and now my phone was ringing in my bag. What was happening?

“I do. Let me see what’s going on.” I cursed whatever neighbor was ruining such an important moment for me. I swung open the front door and peered down the outdoor landing to the sidewalk below, shocked to see Kacey standing there with a bouquet of flowers and a Bluetooth speaker strapped to her ankle, blasting the song.

For a moment, I didn’t say anything. I gaped, speechless and trying to piece together what was going on.

Kacey beat me to the words. “Before you say anything, hear me out. I’ve heard everything you’ve been saying and gave it some thought. Like, I stayed up.”

---