Page 24 of Falling for Red
Climbing onto his back, I am so annoyed with myself. “I hate that I’m always this damsel in distress with you.”
He chuckles as he starts walking, the crunch of rocks and twigs under his shoes filling the quiet. Is he seriously going to carry me for over a mile? I smirk, unable to help myself, thinking about his endurance—especially with how solid his back and chest feel beneath me.
“I think you just need to accept the fact that you’re not built for solo missions.”
“Except for last night,” I flirt.
He squeezes my thighs. “So … what were you thinking about?”
“No. We’re not talking about that.”
“You’re putting the brakes on now?”
I kiss his cheek, looking at the mansions passing by, debating if I’ll share a play-by-play of my mission. “You can assume what I was thinking about.”
“Why assume?”
I tap his chest. “If you want to know so badly …” I trail off, grateful no one is around us. “I was thinking about you shirtless, kissing me everywhere.”
“That’s sweeter than I’d assumed.”
I’m blushing but he can’t see it. “So, do you like being in control like that?”
“When it’s warranted.”
“Warranted?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Do I?” I ask coyly, squeezing him tighter.
“Fuck around and find out as they say.”
I’m chuckling too much at this conversation. “Aren’t you going to ask me if I would even be into that?”
“You’re into that,” he says, low.
I swat his chest with a little more force this time. “I thought we weren’t making assumptions.”
“So, you don’t want me to take control and turn your brain off from everything else in the world?” I don’t know why, but I bite his shoulder. He chuckles. “We can pretend that you’re in charge sometimes, but when we’re together,weknow who’s in charge.”
“Jake ...”
He grumbles.
“So, what’s your plan now? Because if it’s not to take me back to my place, then I’m going to be upset with you.”
“We can’t just flirt?”
“Whyjustflirt?”
“Because it’s fun.”
“Put me down,” I say with an edge of sass.
“No.”
“Put me down. I don’t want you to carry me anymore.”
