Page 74 of Outlaw Heartstrings
I try to downplay the madness. “All I’m offering you is sex. Isn’t that what you want? You’re acting like I just said we’re getting married and buying that house that’s for sale at the end of the cul-de-sac.”
A conflicted look darkens Alba’s eyes, and I’malmostashamed of myself for even suggesting this. But I notice her hardened nipples poking at the fabric of her T-shirt, and my cock twitches. There’s no way in hell I’m backing down now.
I lean in closer, tilting her chin with my knuckles and forcing her to look into my eyes. “You and I are going to have some nice, safe, dirty-as-fuck adult fun.” I press my lips to the sensitive skin beneath her ear, causing her to inhale sharply. “And you’re going to get that curiosity out of your system once and for all. Sounds good?” I grip her waist, allowing my palm to slip beneath her top and drag across her soft lower belly. I can virtually feel her melting under my hand.
Alba is downright panting when she scoots across the bench, putting space between us. Then she gives her shoulders a vigorous shake, like she’s trying to shrug away all the visceral things she’s feeling.
“Okay, okay. We’ll do it…” she says, sounding completely sober and surprising the shit out of me.
“Really?” I blurt out.
Am I pleased that Alba is agreeing to this? Hell yes. But I’d expected that she’d put up more of a fight.
Instead, she lifts a shoulder dismissively, clearly trying to convince herself that this is not a big deal. “I need to lose my virginity at some point, right? And since my proverbial one true love is late to the party, I…I might as well just get it over with. Plus, you and I are friends. So you’re as good a candidate as any.”
Ouch.
Her casual words hit me like whiplash. Because here’s my secret—I havealwayshad a crush on this woman.
The ugly truth is, I was eighteen and out of my mind for Alba Anderson before I left this town. But I couldn’t admit that to myself. Nor could I admit that I didn’t think I was good enough for her.
I didn’t know how to handle the fact that she was my hockey coach’s untouchable daughter, and that I was a kidfrom the wrong side of the tracks, and that I could never dream of having a chance with her.
But now the opportunity to have her in my bed is finally here, and Alba’s dismissive approach to this situation proves that I was right about us all along. She’s a woman I’ve always had a thing for, but the attraction has never been reciprocated. Like,at all.
Damn. I’mreallynot her type.
Alba is completely oblivious to the way she just bruised my ego. She stabs at her apple pie with her fork and takes a little nibble as the gears in her brain churn. “So, um, what now?” she asks, her eyes eager and bright when they turn to me.
As I watch her lick the apple filling off the spokes of her fork, I realize that I’m a little lost. I have no idea where to take the ‘curriculum’ of these lessons I’m supposed to be providing. This is harder than I imagined. Because Alba’s not just some stranger, which means I can’t mess this up.
But that gives me an idea.
“Okay, first assignment,” I announce, wiping my sweaty palms on my thighs.
She looks at me with curiosity in her eyes and she waits.
“You need to write me a spicy wishlist,” I say.
She frowns. “A spicy…wishlist?”
“Yeah, you know. Write down the things you want to experience. Everything from your dream dates to your dirty fantasies.”
“Ooh!” Her eyes sparkle. “So, you’re like a sex genie. You’ll give me three wishes.”
Her words go straight to my groin. “I’ll give you way more than three wishes,” I say, my voice coming out much more suggestive than I meant it to. But it’s true. I don’t planto put a limit on this. Whatever she wants, I’m going to provide.
Alba bites down on her lower lip. “Okay. Give me the night to think about it?”
“Of course.”
I rise to my feet, needing to call it a night before I haul her inside and start her exploration right this minute.
Yet still, I can’t help myself—I lean down, cup the back of her head and sweep my mouth over hers.
She responds eagerly, parting her lips when my tongue licks at her mouth. Fire floods through my body as my tongue plays with hers for a too short moment.
I swallow back my groan. “I’d rest up if I were you. We start tomorrow, Tiny Tiger, and you’re going to need your energy.”
