Page 35 of By The Book

“The mushroom traveled,” he said against her skin. He nudged the edge of her shorts up with his nose and followed with his tongue, but she stopped him, shoving a hand against hisforehead.

“I need a shower,” she all butwailed.

As if he cared. What was a little healthy perspiration between friends—or better still—lovers, but he’d been with enough women to know better than to argue. He skimmed his lips up the outside of her shorts and pushed up her shirt. Fortunately, she wasn’t as squeamish about him kissing herbelly.

She had a great stomach. A layer of softness over taut muscle. He lapped and nuzzled her there while his fingers traveled the path his tongue wasforbidden.

He traced the edge of her panties and felt the tension already building in her; it upped his own tension by a mile. He slipped his hand under the elastic, petted the soft curls and reached down and there she was—hot, pouty and alreadyslick.

“Oh,” she moaned softly as he began to caress her, rubbing the outer folds and feathering over the tight bud at the center ofeverything.

“Do you like it like this?” hewhispered.

“Oh, mmm. Yes.” He pushed a finger inside her slowly and felt everything contract as she gasped. Even the muscles of her belly tightened against his lips. Part of him wanted to kiss her breasts and mouth, but it was kind of a rush being in on the action down here, so he stayed where he was, his tongue teasing her belly and sweeping as far as her hipbones. He was able to keep an eye on the way her pelvis began to thrust against hishand.

He didn’t think she knew she was doing it, but her hands were clutching his hair, pulling so his scalp stung as she closed in on ecstasy. Her breath rushed in and out of her lungs as he worked her closer and closer to the edge. He couldn’t stop himself, he needed to watch her face, to kiss her mouth, so he moved until he was lying beside her, perched awkwardly on the edge of thecouch.

Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back, her cheeks wonderfully flushed, mouth open on a sigh. He kissed her, tasting spicy pizza and hot woman. She was still clutching his hair, helpless little pants driving him crazy as he made love to her mouth, mimicking the movements of his thrusting fingers. Her body clenched, tighter and tighter in a hot, wet fist, and then he sent her over the edge, sucking her cry of release into hismouth.

He kissed her until it was clear he was doing all the kissing and she was lying there, rigid. He fought an urge to roll his eyes. What was this allabout?

“I shouldn’t have…let that happen. I’m supposed to be planning a lesson.” She glanced at him, half shy. His muscles and gravity were fighting a tug-of-war to keep him on the couch. “Besides, you don’t look verycomfortable.”

She had no idea how uncomfortable he was, but he had a damn good idea of how he could rid himself of the sudden buildup of tension. Maybe he’d give her a little hint. “I have a nice big bed in the otherroom.”

She wrinkled her nose. “We’re all sweaty fromrunning.”

He grinned down at her. “We’ll getsweatier.”

She chuckled, then shook her head, resting her palm against his cheek. “I don’t… I have to think aboutthis.”

Yesterday, she’d tried to seduce him, now she was having second thoughts. What a difference a fainting spell could make in a guy’s sex life. If he ever updated his book, he’d have to put a chapter in there about the importance of regularmeals.

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