Page 47 of Pucking Your Best Friend

She blinked and took a deep breath, not understanding what exactly had happened. “What…what were you doing?” were the only words her brain was capable of forming.

“I wanted to make my point,” he whispered, his gaze still on her face, sliding back and forth between her mouth and her eyes. “Spontaneous kisses are better than those asked for.”

She swallowed and dug her fingers into the sofa cushion. “Aha. Okay,” she said, her voice trembling slightly…but also sounding defiant. He had kissed herto be right? Oh, no. He could forget that. She squared her shoulders. “Well, I’m sticking to my guns. That’s not true.”

He lifted one corner of his mouth as his gaze wandered to her lips and back again. “Really?”

“Yes. Really.” She swallowed her nervousness and lifted her chin. Two could play that game. She could make her point as effectively as he could his. “For example, if I did this…” Slowly, she rose to her knees and edged closer to him, bumping against his thigh, and then gently placing a hand on his neck — feeling his pulse pounding against her index finger.

“Matt?” she murmured, her gaze darting over his face. She lingered on his lips as he stared at hers. “May I kiss you? Just once? But like arealkiss?” She looked him straight in the eyes. “I haven’t thought about anything else for days and I was wondering...if you feel the same? If so, would it be okay if I took what I wanted? Now? Here?” She ran her thumb up his neck, sliding it over his strong jaw. “Is it okay if I blow your mind for a few minutes?” She rose higher and slid one of her legs over his so that she was almost sitting on his lap, her thighs on either side of his, but she was still on her knees and not touching him, making her a few inches taller than him. “May I kiss you here…” She traced his lips with her index finger and saw his eyesdarken. “And here…” She rubbed the spot just behind his ear. “And here.” She slid to his collarbone, to the triangle of taut skin peeking out from his shirt collar. “And lower…” She ran the palm of her hand down his chest. “Would that be okay?”

Matt stared at her and moistened his lips with his tongue. His breathing was shallower than a few moments ago. And, if Maddie were to sink down now, settle on his lap…would he be hard? Would he meet her hips?

“Okay,” he whispered hoarsely.

She paused and her stomach clenched. Okay, so…

“Point for you,” he said in the next moment. “You’re right. Asking can be hot, too.” A second later, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off him, practically throwing her back onto the couch as if she were a piece of paper, not a grown woman. “I’m going to bed, okay? Today was exhausting. Goodnight, Maddie.”

Abruptly, he stood, crossed the room, and disappeared into his bedroom.

Maddie stared after him with her lips parted, the heat of his touch still tingling throughout her body. Then, she heard the lock on his door.

Chapter 12

Breathing heavily, Matt threw the door key on his mattress, then covered it with his blanket so he would have to search for it if he suddenly wanted to use it.

Because, damn, that was what he wanted.

He wanted to kick the door down and say yes. To everything Maddie had just asked. He wanted to feel her lips on his again. Behind his ear. On his neck. On his chest. Lower. He wanted more of the kiss he had so carelessly started. He wanted to lay her on the huge couch and use every inch of it. Kiss her everywhere she had previously mentioned. He wanted to know what sound she made when she came. Whether she liked it soft and slow or hard and fast, if she liked to laugh in bed, and if she preferred the top or bottom. How she tasted, how she smelled… He wanted all the things he would never know as a platonic friend.

And it scared the hell out of him. No matter how much he wanted it, he couldn’t lose her. Not as a friend. Not as an important person in his life. Because if hockey and his family fell apart…only Maddie would be left. So, how could he ruin that?

It was as he said: He didn’t have many close friends, and she was the epicenter.

He paced, breathed in and out shakily, and angrily ran his hands through his hair. He knew it was his fault. He had kissed her first. He was the one who couldn’t control himself and wanted to provoke her. He had wanted to know if she was serious about not ruining their friendship.No matter what happens.The kiss had been the beginning of what could happen.

She had thought about it, as had he. He had read it in her eyes, seen it in her chest, which had risen and fallen frantically. In the dilated pupils and the reddened lips as well as in her touch.

He might be an idiot, but he could read body language, which was why he thought it was stupid to ask permission to kiss someone. It probably wasn’t actually that stupid, because he definitely wanted the other party to be as enthusiastic as he was, just…heknewit. He even let women make the first move most of the time, so it was crystal clear.

It didn’t matter! It was merely a slip, nothing that couldn’t be played down as a silly provocation, something that could be forgotten. If they had taken it further, if they had taken it further…

Immediately, images flooded his mind and he cursed his vivid imagination.

Self-discipline. He needed self-discipline.

Shit, maybe he would have to ask Jack how he had such damn good control over himself!

Jack.

The name triggered a memory.

When something is off, both people usually notice.

Sometimes unspoken words can destroy a lot more than spoken ones.

A lump formed in his throat.

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