Page 37 of Nice Guys Don't Kiss Like That At Christmas
She shakes her head once.“Nothing.”
“Eve.”
She tries to move away.“It’s stupid.”
“Stop.”
Her arms fold across her chest, and suddenly she looks more fragile.
“My ex used to get annoyed,” she says finally.“When I wasn’t magically ready.If it took a while, he’d act like I was broken.Like I wasn’t trying hard enough.”
My chest splits fucking open.
“Is that what you think I’m going to do?”I take a slow breath, not because I need air but because I need restraint.
“You can expect this,” I murmur, and then I kiss her hard.
No more holding back.Just mouth and teeth and years of wanting crashing together.She grinds against me and I groan, control slipping.
“Don’t be careful,” she whispers.Not a request but a permission.
“I won’t,” I breathe against her jaw.“I’m going to be exact.”
We’re already sinking—lower, messier.I ease her back onto the blanket, knees on either side of her thighs, hands braced beside her head.I duck down and bite gently at her lower lip.
But then, I still.
“One second.”
I push up off the floor and walk toward the bedroom, to the night table where everything we need is there, and as I grab both the condom and moisturizer, I nudge the bedroom door with my foot.
Click.
Locked.
Because Blanche, Dorothy, and LoverBoy have already claimed the bed, and we’re not doing this with a Great Dane snoring two feet away.
But when I turn back and open the door again with the lube in hand, she’s sitting up and her smile’s gone.Shoulders tight.Shirt tugged down like armor.
“Hey,” I say, kneeling back down fast, setting the stuff down beside us.“What happened?”
She shrugs.But I see her jaw tighten.“Nothing.”
“Eve.”
“I, uhm…” she exhales, eyes not meeting mine.“It felt like maybe that was enough.Like maybe that kiss was a pity kiss?Or maybe just to get it out of your system.And maybe it wasn’t even good.”
My stomach clenches.Not with anger.With grief.For what she’s been through.For every time someone made her question whether she was worth wanting.
I crawl forward, real slow, and cup her jaw in my hand.
“You think this,” I murmur, dragging my other hand over my cock, still hard enough to hurt, “is a pity kiss or me getting you out of my system?”
Her eyes snap to mine.
“I locked the door because they—” I nod to the door hiding the dogs—”don’t get to watch what happens next.”I lean down, lips brushing hers, soft for one second.“You haven’t even come for me yet.”
She exhales.That sound… part disbelief, part arousal.It lights me on fire.
