Page 169 of Rules of Association

“I’m going to take these off,” she announced, her thumbs just inside the waistband of her leggings. That look studying me. “That alright?”

I shrugged even though my brain was saying,no, no, not alright! Abort fucking mission!’My mouth just said, “Do whatever you want.”

She didn’t seem convinced, but she also didn’t seem shy about running her eyes along my body. She looked at me pointedly as if giving me a message. “It’ll be just like a swimsuit.”

Alright. I guess I deserved that, seeing as I was a complete and total horn dog the last time she’d been even remotely close to naked around me. She was laying down her law.

Like a swimsuit. Like a swimsuit.Like a swimsuit.

Only, the small barely-there thong that she wore was nothing like any swimsuit I’d ever seen her in. I meant to turn away as she leaned down to peel the wet leggings from her body, but I don’t think the devil himself could tear my eyes away from her after catching just that one glimpse.

She was petite, so it wasn’t like she was all long legs and modelesque features. But her body had grown stronger in these last few months of her working out. Defining the muscles of her legs, hips, and thighs. Plumping her already plump ass and toning her slight shoulders and back to an alluring shape.

The sight of her in the moonlight with the pool of the ocean at her feet was mesmerizing. Arousing. A vision that went straight to my groin and sent me standing up on end.

“You’re staring,” she said, not the least bit embarrassed by the fact. But there was something else in her voice. Tossing the leggings off to the side she turned to face me, her gaze rising to meet mine. “Why?”

“You’re beautiful,” I said simply before I could stop myself. “Hard to look away.”

She nodded, as if she accepted this answer. Then she took a careful step toward me.

“You know when you said don't get mad at you that one time?” she asked. I knew instantly she was talking about the kiss in the park. When she let me kiss her and had kissed me back. “I was never mad. Not then and not in the bathroom either.”

I swallowed my breath as it racked hard and erratic and excited andterrifiedin my lungs. I could be imagining things, or Ceci could be talking like she didn't regret our kisses. Our touches.Us.Like she wasn't running away from this heady, needy pull between us anymore—or, at least not at that second.

I raised an eyebrow, testing her. “No?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“Then what were you?”

“I don’t know,” she said. Her voice going hoarse, her eyes going searching. She shrugged, but it almost seemed unconscious as her eyes stayed glued to mine. “Just…not mad.”

I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure that I wasn't imagining the look in Ceci’s eyes. Not the longing, or the wanting, or the desire in that look.

It wasn't long since I'd seen that look in the garage just hours earlier. But could it really be real? Could she be ready? I still couldn’t tell for sure, and I wasn't kidding about my heart not being able to take being wrong again.

The first time nearly killed me with guilt. The second time had almost taken me out just by how good it felt. This time could destroy me.

Would. No matter how it played out, I was realizing.

Cee had the power to absolutely destroy me. Yet still, as I looked at her with moon rays and dim fence lamps our only lighting. That strong and expecting gaze on me—waiting for me to lead her, or invite her, orsomething—I couldn’t help myself.

For the life of me I couldn’t help but watch her, my thumb finding my bottom lip as I hesitated for only a second. Just one, before I said, “Fuck it.”

Then I was moving for her.

Chapter Thirty-nine

CECI

Hands, lips, and Connor’s big, big body were on me before I even blinked. I melted into the touch. Whimpered into it. Dove into him like I hadn’t just spent the last few months fighting this very feeling. The feeling that I was falling with no net to catch me. Just Connor’s arms to keep me upright.

We had been here a few times before. Touching like we weren’t supposed to. Exploring like we weren’t supposed to. Yet, this time Connor’s kiss was different from before.

The first time was fast. Like a swirling rollercoaster that we were both riding and just trying to catch our breath. The next times were slow, almost too slow as if we were both too scared of something breaking to claim any definite feeling toward it.

This time, though. This time it was like two magnets meeting in the middle of an electromagnetic field. Connecting like they always should have. Joining like there was nothing and no one that could be more perfect for the other half. This time it was right. It made my heart shake in my chest. Forget beating. It was sporadic and confused and it felt like I was plummeting and flying all at the same time. All because of Connor’s arms holding me close, holding me together as I melted to a puddle right there on the sand for him.

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