Page 40 of Keep Your Guard Up
Two kisses.
Three kisses.
Four.
Chapter 20
Mari
“Ah! Shit!”
I cringed at the searing pain that ripped through my skull. Turning my head in towards the pillow, I felt something behind me. Not something …someone. The smell of mint and Chance’s cologne flooded my nose, surprisingly easing the nausea that was churning in my stomach.
A warm, calloused hand was wrapped around my waist, and anothersomethingwas pressed into my lower back. I strained my memory to last night, coming up blurry and spearing further into my current headache. My skin warmed along every inch that touched him, as if to say,Don’t be alarmed—we’re okay here.
Traitor.
I gently pried his hand from around my waist using my own. As I was about to lift his heavy, muscular arm farther, his fingers laced with mine. That wild beating in my chest fluttered. It gnawed at me over and over.
Lie back down.
Wrap yourself in his arms.
Enjoy the warmth.
“Oh, shit … shit, shit, shit, SHIT, SHIT!” JJ’s sudden screeching cursing broke my trance.
The aching muscles between my legs confirmed it was a post-sex trance.
That’s all it was. Just a post-sex trance. No feelings. That stupid fluttering in my chest and excessive warmth from Chance’s insanely smooth skin was just post-orgasm brain fog.
I used our linked hands to manoeuvre myself out from underneath that gloriously muscled arm. I ignored every second of exposed air that hadn’t come from his warm skin, making me feel cold in the midst of spring.
I pulled my top on over my shoulders and my miniskirt up my bare legs. It took me an embarrassing amount of time to findbothof my shoes—one under the bed and one thrown into a corner. Jumping between creaks in the floor, I paced around the room searching for my underwear.
Great. Nice going, Mari. Now you’re going to have to sneak out past JJ whilst going commando.
Huffing and grabbing my phone from his nightstand, I allowed myself to look.
I allowed myself to drink in the Greek god-like man laying sprawled underneath the sheets. At his now buzzed hair that still somehow appeared ruffled from last night’s activities. At the grown-out stubble around his mouth and across his face,forming that short beard. Those full, devilish lips were slightly parted as his breathing got shallower and shallower.
He’s waking up.
Praying to anyone in the skies that could be listening, I opened Chance’s bedroom door slowly and carefully. The groaning of the door started just as I’d slipped through. I could faintly hear JJ singing to …was that Shakira?
I moved along, quickly and quietly, remembering where all of the creaks in the floor were and bouncing around them. I’d spent so many nights sneaking in and out of this house with JJ, I knew it better than my own home. All I had left was to clear the kitchen door and it was straight hallway from there.
“Gooooood morning, Chancey-boyyy—OH SHIT!” A clang louder than JJ’s shouting rattled the house as he dropped the metal pan onto the gas stovetop.
My eyes were as wide as saucers, I’m sure, as I glanced back to Chance’s closed bedroom door. “Jeez, JJ. Way to wake the whole neighbourhood up!” I whisper-scolded, hugging my heels to my chest. Just the thought of wearing them right now had my legs wobbling.
Come on, Mari. We both know that’s not the reason why your legs are wobbling.
JJ’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.
I was loading up on my back foot to leave when his smile turned.
Feline, mischievous, rascal.
