Page 23 of Stick Fight

Lord, when have I ever felt this alive, this incredible?

“Babe,”he whispers, his voice rough with tenderness, and when I glance at him, the look on his face, the worship in his eyes, hits me square in the chest. Heat blooms under my skin, unraveling something dangerous, something I can’t afford to let loose with this man.

I turn away from it, push it down, and focus on the man between my legs as the aftershocks ripple through me. Just when I think it’s over—maybe I need it to be over—he dips his head and glides his tongue over my trembling core.

“Oh.”My breath catches. My back arches.

His deep chuckle vibrates through me.“Mmm, baby, you’re the sweetest thing I’ve ever tasted.”He dives back in, his tongue stroking into me like he’s trying to savor every last drop.

“Roman,”I murmur, my body melting beneath him. When he finally lifts his head, his mouth glistening, his eyes lock on mine, dark and burning with a heat that threatens to consume me whole.

Get it together, girl.

I reach for him, and he crawls up my body, his lips crashing into mine before I can catch my breath. I moan into his mouth, tasting myself on his tongue, and holy hell, it’s hot. Hotter than anything I’ve ever known. My ex never made me feel like this. Not even close. But we both knew why, right? I wasn’t exactly built with the parts he preferred. Though he did like it when I went down on him.

“You’re incredible,”Roman breathes against my lips, like I’d been the one giving pleasure, not the other way around.

“I like when you’re selfish,”I tease, grinding my body against his, feeling the hard press of him against my thigh. I squirm, trying to angle him between my legs, but there might be something else I want first.

He wipes the corner of his mouth with his thumb, then slips it between his lips, sucking slowly. His eyes roll back like I’m the best thing he’s ever tasted.

“Gabbalicious,”he groans.

A laugh bursts from me—light, airy, and so full of happiness it makes my chest squeeze.God, maybe this is a dangerous game I’m playing with this man. “You did not just call me that.”

He nods, flashing me a wicked grin.“I did.”

“I can’t believe you remembered.”

“Remember? How could I forget the girl who won the bubble gum blowing contest?”His eyes darken with something sharp and teasing.“Not that I’m surprised. Back in school, you were always chewing that Bubbalicious gum, always blowing bubbles.”

Blowing…

My breath hitches, long ago memories filling me with a happiness I hadn’t felt in many years.“I haven’t heard that name in a long time.”Just like I haven’t heard Gabby. Or Gabs. I’d forgotten how much I liked the way it sounded coming from his mouth.

“I thought it was cute.”He drops a hot, lingering kiss on my lips.“Like you.”

My heart does a weird backflip as I teasingly ask, “You think I’m cute?”

His gaze darkens, his hand sliding down the side of my neck to the swell of my breast.“Actually, I think you’re drop-dead gorgeous, Gabby. I can’t believe I’m here with you. That I get to touch you…”His thumb grazes my hard nipple and my breath stutters.“Kiss you…”His lips brush over mine, then trace a slow path along my jaw and down my throat. “And fuck you.”His hand slips between my legs, a teasing pressure that promises exactly what’s coming next. Except there’s something I want first.

I drag my nails down his chest, feeling the tremor in his muscles.“Speaking of the bubble gum blowing contest… do you remember when it snapped and exploded all over my face?”

He swallows hard, his throat working, and I catch the almost tortured sound he makes.“Uh, yeah.” Under his breath he adds, “It was kind of hot.”

I smile wickedly, bolder and more playful than I’ve been in my entire life.“Maybe I’d like to blow again… and maybe I’d like to get something else all over my face.”

He goes so still, so perfectly statue-like, I wonder if I’ve shocked him into silence. Or maybe even killed him. I press my finger to his neck to check for a pulse.

Thump-thump-thump-thump.

As his strong powerful heart beats beneath my finger, I ask,“Still alive?” He blinks once, twice, and opens his mouth, but his words are stalled somewhere deep in his throat. “Roman?” Did I, Gabby Evans really render Roman Marinelli speechless? I know he did it to me, but never in a million years did I think I could do it to the well-known player.

“Gabby.”His eyes go wide, heat and disbelief swirling in those dark depths as they search my face.“What did you just say?”

I grin, a little breathless, wondering where the hell those words even came from. I don’t talk like that—ever. Not in the bedroom, not anywhere. But being here with Roman feels different. Safe. Free. Like I can say or do anything without judgment. Out in the real world, especially the fashion world where my ex is a model and my ex–future father-in-law is a famous designer, every move I made, every breath I took was scrutinized. By both of them. I had to be what they wanted me to be. Perfect. Polished. Controlled.

“I said… maybe I’d like to blow again. And maybe I’d like to get something else all over my face.”

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