Page 75 of Home Game

I wasn’t even looking at the screen. “Yeah.”

“Hang on,” he said, “I’m just going to stretch out.”

I tried to sit up, but he held onto me, and then he pulled me back against him, so we were lying length-wise on the couch. My back curled up against his chest and he tucked an arm around my waist.

Another long sigh escaped me. Regret pierced my heart. I wished this was my life. My real life. Again, I was just living in some sort of dream that was destined to come to an end. The nicer this life got, the harder it would be to go back to my old life. At some point, I would have to wake up from this dream.

“Are you comfortable?”

“Yeah.”

My eyes drifted shut. I woke up a few times when he laughed at something in the movie, but I hovered slightly below consciousness.

Again I woke up. The TV was off and the room was dark with only the dim light from the kitchen. I was flat on my back. I opened my eyes. Ryan was on his side, his head propped up on his arm. He was staring down at me.

“Is the movie over?” I whispered.

“Yeah,” his eyes traveled over my face and stopped on my mouth.

“How long have I been asleep?”

He smiled, “Awhile.”

“You should have woken me.”

I felt his hand move, so it rested on my stomach. Suddenly my heart was hammering in my chest. I stared up into his face.

“Zoey.”

I swallowed hard, my lips parted so my uneven breath could come in faster. “Yeah?”

He swore so softly, I almost didn’t hear him and then his mouth was just above mine. “Tell me to stop.”

A little sound came out of me, but it wasn’t me telling him no.

His lips were like a whisper as they skimmed my mouth. My heart fluttered so hard, I thought it would come out of my chest. Ilifted my mouth closer to his and then his kiss was coaxing, soothing, a brush, teasing. I was certain the couch, the room, the world was spinning. He was savoring my mouth like it was a fine wine and then he delved deeper. Exploring. I was drowning in torment. My whole body was melting. I could feel his big hand, now under my shirt, warm on the bare skin of my stomach. His hips pressed against my side, and I felt his arousal, big and hard, against my hip.

All I could think was, Ryan. Ryan is kissing me. Ryan wants me. I want Ryan.

His tongue. It was making my head spin. I felt drugged. So much longing and desire throbbed through me.

A jarring noise sounded from the background.

I mewed when Ryan lifted his head, listening.

“Is that your phone?” I sounded so out of breath.

“That’s your phone.”

Our eyes met. There was only one person who knew my phone number. Jensen.

“Ryan,” I said again, feeling panicked. Terrified that he would stop kissing me.

He moved with speed and grace. One minute he was beside me. The next minute he was standing beside the couch.

He looked down at me and said, “You should get that.” And then he was walking out of the room.

My entire body jerked at the sound of his bedroom door shutting. I looked at my phone.

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