Page 99 of One Good Puck
Abby
Gavin’s eyes flicker with heat.
He steps forward, closing the space between us, and swipes a chunk of hair out of my face. “I want you too, Abby.”
He traces his fingertips along the edge of my jaw. Goosebumps scatter across my skin. Thinking is impossible when his hands are on me.
“I can’t stop thinking about what we did,” I manage to say, my voice soft and breathy. “I…I don’t want it to be a one-time thing.”
His crystal blue eyes ignite, and the corner of his mouth tilts up. “You want me again?”
I nod. “I need to ask you something.”
With his free hand, he grips my waist. He leans his face to mine and presses a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. My eyelids flutter.
“Ask me anything you want,” he says against my skin.
I rest my palm against his chest, steadying myself. “Would you be okay with just hooking up? Nothing more?”
He holds my gaze. “Yeah.”
I can’t help but smile. “That was fast.”
“I told you, Abby. I’m here whenever you want me.”
His eagerness to be with me is such a turn-on. But I need to be honest with him. He needs to know what I can and can’t handle.
“I can’t do anything serious,” I say. “I’m not ready for that.”
His expression doesn’t change. “That’s okay.”
“It’s just been me and Emma for so long—since she was a baby. I’m not ready to make a big change in my life or hers.”
“I never dated anyone seriously when Sophie was little. She was my priority, just like Emma is yours. I understand completely.”
I tilt my head at him, fighting a smile. “So does that mean you had some no-strings-attached arrangements?”
“A few, yeah. Never with someone I lived with, though.”
“Right.” I clear my throat. “If we do this, Gavin, I need to set some rules. We can only hook up when she’s asleep or away at a friend’s house or with her grandparents. Never in a communal space, like the living room or kitchen.”
“Of course. I’m fine with all of that.”
“And if she’s home, we can’t sleep in each other’s beds. Sometimes she comes into my room at night, and I don’t want to confuse her.”
“Yeah, of course that’s fine,” he says.
“And I’m not comfortable with us kissing or being affectionate in front of her. I don’t want her to be confused if she sees us together,” I say.
“Absolutely.”
I’m quiet for a second. “And, um, if either one of uswants to end it, we can do that at any point. No hard feelings.”
“That’s fine with me.”
“Wow. That was easy.”
He flashes a sexy half-smile. “It’s really okay, Abby. We can take this slow. We can see each other as much or as little as you want. I’m just happy you’re keeping me around.”
