Page 84 of Tempting the Player
“Not tonight, Jane. You’re drunk.”
But she doesn’t back down. Her arms wrap around my neck, and she brings her mouth close to mine. She looks up at me through thick, black lashes. “Fine. It can’t happen, but first admit it. Admit that you want to kiss me again, and I’ll go back to sleep.”
“I want to kiss you again more than I want my next breath,” I say the words with as little emotion as possible, but the air still crackles with tension between us.
The admission makes her bolder.
“What else do you want?” she whispers, holding my gaze as she inches closer. Her lips brush against mine in a soft kiss, teasing me, before pulling back.
Something about the way she’s always so honest about what she wants makes it hard to sit here and pretend I’m unaffected.
“I want you on your knees with that soft mouth wrapped around my cock.”
I bring one hand up to rest at the side of her neck. She lets out a little groan as I run my thumb along her pulse point.
“I want to bury myself so deep inside of you that you can’t remember your name. I want to bury myself so deep inside of you thatIcan’t remember my own name.” I nip at her bottom lip. “I want a lot of things, Jane. So be real sure that’s whatyouwant before you make your next move.”
I get up quickly, sending her falling backward on the mattress. My dick throbs as I stomp out to the couch.Fuck, fuck, fuck.As usual, what I want is in direct opposition of what’s right.
And now there’s absolutely no freaking way I’m falling asleep.
27
JANE
I wake up with a start.The bed next to me is still empty. I knew he wouldn’t come back. When Hendrick makes his mind up about something, there’s no changing it. Last night he decided I was too drunk to know what I wanted. As if I haven’t been completely transparent about my feelings for him all along.
My heart is pounding and there’s a dull ache in the front of my head as I grab my phone off the nightstand to check the time. It’s a little after four in the morning. After drinking the rest of the water Hendrick left for me, I get out of bed. I pause for a second to test my mental and physical clarity. I stand on one foot, then the other, while reciting the alphabet backward.
Satisfied that I’m no longer drunk, I rummage through my bag to find my disposable travel toothbrushes. I make quick work of cleaning my teeth and tongue. I don’t know why I’m rushing when he’s asleep out on the couch, I just know I need to see him now.
I pull the bedroom door open slowly, peering out into the living room as I do. I can’t see much in the dark, but I assume the lump on the couch is Hendrick. I tiptoe toward him with my heart racing.
The floor creaks under me, and he sits up too fast to have been asleep. His feet hit the floor and he stands in one smooth motion. His hair is messy, and stubble dots his jaw. I’m busy checking him out as his gaze rakes over my bare legs. “Everything okay?”
He stalks toward me. This all feels like a terrible idea now. The poor guy is trying to sleep and I’m out here to what? Seduce him. But I’ve come this far, so I say the thing that I wanted to say a few hours ago but knew he wouldn’t believe.
“I want all those things too. I always have. Being drunk didn’t change that.”
His expression shifts from concern to something else. Something that looks a lot like desire. He keeps moving forward until we’re an arm’s length apart. Barefoot, I feel a lot smaller standing in front of him.
“That’s it? You got up before the sun to tell me that?” he asks with no emotion like we’re talking about the weather.
I shift uncomfortably. Huge, terrible idea. I wish I could rewind to five minutes ago and convince myself I am still drunk. Let’s be real, there’s still plenty of alcohol swimming in my blood.
“Yeah. That’s it.”
He still just stands there looking at me like I have two heads or something.
“I’m sorry. I’ll let you go back to sleep.” I turn, dying to get back to his room and hide. I only take one step before his fingers wrap around my forearm. Then his lips are on mine, catching the gasp that escapes as he pulls me back into his chest.
His tongue slides in immediately, invading my mouth, and he kisses me so damn hard my knees buckle. It doesn’t last nearly long enough, but I’m breathless when he pulls away.
I keep my eyes closed a beat longer, then let my lids flutter open as my lips curve. My skin buzzes with electricity when I find his hazel eyes on me. Always watching me.
He stares at me like he sees every piece of me—the good, the bad, all of it. Like he sees me and he still thinks I’m someone worth protecting. I’m addicted to that look and the way it makes me feel. Desired, coveted, and safe. He makes me feel safe in a way that has nothing to do with him always looking out for me.
I launch myself at him, or maybe he lunges for me first. I don’t know how it happens, but I’m in his arms and his mouth slants over mine as he carries me into his room. Those rough, calloused fingers of his dig into the back of my thighs, and I hold on to him just as tightly.
