Page 32 of Rush the Edge

I pull my gaze from her nipples poking through the thin t-shirt she’s wearing and bring them up to her face.

I pretend I can’t hear her over the music. “What was that?”

The bass is still pounding through the penthouse, and another bead of sweat drips down from my hairline, traveling all the way to my chest. Daisy trails it with her eyes before seemingly becoming angry with herself. Her blue eyes flash with something so enticing that I find myself giving her my full attention.

“Some of us work tomorrow, ya know!”

“Obviously!” I shout. “What do you want?”

Daisy stomps her foot like she’s five before she pushes through the door, bypassing me in the process. I’m too swept away by the tiny shorts she’s wearing to stop her. Instead, I stand near the open door and watch her navigate the large space.

She pauses with her back to me, those thick strands of strawberry-blonde hair falling behind her shoulders. I let the door latch behind me, something that sends a naughty little thought into my head, and follow after her.

This is fucking up my entire night, yet I can’t seem to care.

Suddenly, the music cuts off.

“Ugh! Finally!” Her shoulders fall before she spins her attention around the room, locking onto the spiral stairwell that leads to upstairs.

For the briefest of seconds, I let the dirty thoughts play out in my head. I picture myself leading her by the hand to my bedroom and tossing her onto my bed to fuck the attitude right out of her, but then I suddenly remember who she is and become angry that she’s in my apartment, messing with my head along with my evening.

I have a routine, and she isn’t a part of it.

Not anymore, anyway.

I refrain from running my hand through my hair with frustration because there’s no way I’m letting her know that she’s ruffling me. “What do you want?”

She turns toward me, and my eyes fall right to her chest again. “What are you doing up here? Having a fucking rave?”

My mouth twitches. “No.”

“Let me guess…” A soft sigh freeflows from her mouth, and I can tell she’s trying not to look at my bare chest from the way she’s drilling a hole in the wall behind me with her stare. “One of your game rituals?”

She remembers?

When I don’t answer her right away, she laughs. Her arms move to cross over her chest, hiding those perky little buds from me.Thank fuck.

“Well?”

I flick my attention to her raised eyebrow. “What?”

“Where is she?”

It takes me a moment to catch on.

She thinks I’m fucking someone. Of course she does. Even back in high school, I was desperate to make it seem like I wasn’t lusting over River’s little sister, so I would bury myself in between other girls’ legs every chance I could.

Thinking quickly on my feet, I pull away from the archway and make my way over to her. Being extra stubborn when it comes to me, she refuses to move. In fact, I’m not even sure she’s blinked. When I get close enough, I lean into her space and starerightat her mouth. “I’m lookin’ at her.”

Her arms fall, her eyes growing large. I drop my gaze, and I get a glimpse of her hardening nipples, which completely fucks with my head.

“I amnotsleeping with you to fulfill your stupid superstitions!”

Although I was kidding, there is a bite of disappointment that comes with her refusal, as if we will ever end up in that position again.

“Relax, Daisy-Petal.” I back away from her because I need space. “I’ve grown past that.”

I swipe my water bottle off the coffee table and chug it. She eyes me with suspicion, narrowing those pretty blue eyes in my direction.

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