Page 32 of Sweet as Puck
“I may be rich now, but I wasn’t always. Working hospitality is hard. It takes a dick of epic proportions to make a person’s job harder.”
My smile grew. I loved that he thought that way. The last boy I’d crushed on was mean to a bartender. I’d never looked at him again. Even if he noticed me, I knew we would never, ever work.
Alec undid the tie on my hair, and the mass of tangles flopped down around my shoulders. He leaned down and spread his fingers over my decolletage, slipping them underneath the neckline of my singlet. I squeaked, and my cheeks flamed, my insides quivering. Butterflies fluttered in my belly. They took flight and twisted and turned, flying high before swooping low. I shivered, my kitty clenching and want spiralling through me from his touch.
He nuzzled my temple before murmuring against my ear, “Why don’t you get your hairbrush so I can brush your hair for you?”
I swooned. Was there anything more romantic than a man being kind to his girl?
I stood up. “I’ll—” I gestured to the bathroom and scampered off. My legs were shaking, and my body was overheating. My nipples were hard, straining against the material of my pjs with each inhale. I was wet too, and my core was throbbing, begging to be filled. I slammed the door as soon as I crossed the threshold to the bathroom.
I rested my hands on the vanity and stared at myself in the mirror. My eyes were bright, my cheeks were flushed, and myhair was an absolute mess. My singlet was sitting unevenly, one side caught under one of my many rolls. “Get it together, Cara. They’re gorgeous, yes. But we’re just hanging out. Act like a normal person. Please just be… normal. Stop all this—” I shook my head and held it low, focussing on my fingers white-knuckling the countertop. “—horniness.”
I needed to settle down, but to do that, I needed to stop letting my imagination carry me away. I closed my eyes, trying to calm down, but all I could see in my mind’s eye was Monroe kissing me. Then the picture morphed, changing into Alec in front of me, his hands exploring with a practiced touch as he slid his tongue into my mouth. Oh man, I had it bad. Worse, I had no idea who I wanted my first kiss to be. How was this my life? I bit my tongue, unable to wipe the giddy grin off my face. I had the chance to possibly kiss one of the most handsome men I’d ever met.Or maybe both. Eek!They were right there, standing shirtless in my loungeroom, waiting for me.
I pinched myself.
Yep, I was awake.
I shifted my weight from side to side, doing a silly little dance. A shock of sensation hit me, and I shivered with desire. I whimpered, ridiculously keyed up and needy for more. I lifted my head high and straightened my shoulders. I wanted them, and if they offered, I was going to take them up on it. Whateveritwas.
Maybe.
Was I brave enough? No, I couldn’t think like that. “I can do this,” I stated, trying to channel some of Zali’s confidence.
I brushed my teeth, put on deodorant, sprayed perfume on my wrists, and grabbed my hairbrush from my bag.
I opened the door, and my heart stopped as I watched them relaxing in my space. Alec was scrolling through movies onthe television. He paused on a black-and-white one—a cowboy movie from the fifties. “This is your era, isn’t it, old man?”
Monroe was spread out in one corner of the sofa, his arm along the back of the couch. He shook his head and muttered, “Smartass little shit.” But he wasn’t annoyed. I could see the way his lips twitched and heard the humour in his voice.
I cleared my throat. I wanted them to watch me strut over. Full of confidence, head held high, I was going to wow them. They turned to me, and I shot them a coy smile. I stepped over the threshold and into the loungeroom.
Then I was falling.
My feet were tangled up together and my hands were cartwheeling.
“Shit,” one of the guys said, and there was a shuffling sound.
But all I could focus on was my slow-motion descent and the carpeted floor coming up to meet my face quicker than I could stop it. I was beyond the point of no return, pushed past the tipping point, and I was going down, no matter what I did.
My knee hit the floor and pain shot through it, radiating up my leg to my hip. I cried out and brought my hands up trying to protect myself.
For once I was grateful I had hair long enough to cover my face. I hit the floor, my elbow and shoulder copping the brunt of my fall, together with my hip. I bit back a sob and wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. This is what I got for faking confidence.
With my face kissing the floor and my gut sinking at the knowledge that the night was over, I closed my eyes and willed the white-hot heat to subside from my cheeks.
But it only got worse. Alec and Monroe were right there with their hands under my arms, helping me up. I managed to push up and bring my knees under me, but the moment I put weighton my left side, pain electrified my leg. “Ouch,” I whimpered, trying to balance without putting my knee down.
“We’ve got you,” Alec murmured. He curled his arm around my back and hooked his hand under my arm. Monroe was on his knees on the other side of me, and he guided my other arm over his shoulders.
“Lean on us as we help you stand, pretty girl. Don’t put weight on your knee,” Monroe instructed.
As soon as I was standing, Alec asked, “Are you okay? Dizzy?”
“No,” I mumbled, mortified. Seriously, where was that giant sinkhole?
“I’m so sorry. I kicked off my shoes. I didn’t realize they were in the way,” Alec admitted. His lips were turned down, concern clouding his eyes.
