Page 44 of Playing Pretend

I grin, encroaching farther, not stopping until her breasts graze my chest as I slowly sweep my mouth along her shoulder.

A breath shudders from her lips.

“Maybe this is where Julian fucked up. Maybe your pitiful jokes of discomfort were taken personally instead of them being a clear sign you’re searching for direction.” I graze my teeth along her skin. “For dominance.”

She smells so good. The light hint of floral perfume teases my lungs like a drug.

“Rome.” My name is a subtle caution.

I grab the edge of the pool, caging her as I nuzzle her neck. “We’re in public. I’m allowed to act like your boyfriend.”

“And what if I don’t want to do this anymore? What if I changed my mind about taking the job early?”

I pause with a sudden wave of dread. She can’t change her mind. I may have been cautious about allowing her early access to the position, but now I’m already too invested in spending the rest of my days working with her by my side.

“We can talk about your career later. Right now, what I’m doing is being a good friend. Any bestie would make it their priority to show you how wrong Julian is.” I brush my lips over her neck, her jaw, my blood surging with her quickening breaths. “When you were in my arms this morning, you clung to me. You kissed me back. You sparked a fucking fire.”

“I clung because I was startled,” she whispers. “I was shocked at discovering you’re a slightly good kisser.”

“Slightly good? I’m going to ignore the laughable taunt and let you know I’m damn fucking good at a lot of things.”

She inches her head back. “Unless you’re talking about crosswords and sudoku, I don’t want details.”

“No, little Pip. I’m talking pleasure and orgasms.”

“Jesus Christ,” she hisses. “I’m not sleeping with you, Rome.”

“You don’t need to. Just tell me why he thought you were cold so I can prove him wrong.” My dick throbs as she falls silent.God, how I want her. Every inch. Every breath.

I’m dying to slide my hand beneath that pathetic slip of fabric she calls a bikini and have her climax on my fingers.

“You know you can trust me.” I recapture the space she made to brush kisses down her neck. “Share what happened so I can set your mind at ease.”

“Or have you tease me relentlessly. Have you hold it against me for the rest of my life.”

I pull back to meet her gaze, but she’s still staring across the pool.

“Hey.” I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me. “I would never use this against you. You know that, right?”

She lowers her attention to my chest.

“Do you think I wouldn’t do absolutely anything to make you feel better?” I ask. “Do you think I’m that cruel?”

“No.”

“Then trust me.”

“I do.” Her voice regains an edge of strength. “But I’m embarrassed. This is humiliating.”

“Why?” I stroke a finger along her jaw. “What happened?”

“Not a lot.”

“Obviously something did. Something substantial.”

The quiet returns. There’s nothing but the kids splashing in the distance and her staggered breaths.

“Come on, Piper.” I return my mouth to her shoulder and suck, hard.

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