Page 70 of The Best Men
My mouth actually waters. I’m in danger of pouncing on this man. The bottle of lube is still wedged in the pocket of my shorts, where my hand pats it now, just to make sure it’s safe and sound.
“Night, guys,” Flip says. “I should probably lock up, right?”
“Right,” Mark says. But his eyes are on me. “We’ll get out of your hair.” He actually licks his lips.
Oh, boy. So maybe he’s still onboard. I head for the sliding glass doors, reaching them in a nanosecond.
Mark stops to say goodnight to Flip, and to show him how the outside lights work. “These are pretty bright. You’ll probably want to shut them off to sleep.”
“Good point,” Flip says. “See you for brunch tomorrow?”
They make a plan while I stalk toward the guest house. The lights go out on the swimming pool. Freedom is close at hand!
But then Hannah’s voice rings out once again. “Oh! Hey—Mark! How did you like the first episode ofAn Arranged Marriage? I didn’t get to watch it yet. But I know you couldn’t wait.”
“Oh,” he says, sounding strangled. “It was . . . yeah. Real good. Lots to unpack there. Let’s talk tomorrow.”
Move it along, kids. Unpack it all tomorrow.
“Okay. Night,” she says again.
I swallow a chuckle, and then the door snaps shut. But Mark doesn’t follow me across the patio. I turn around and squint, looking for him while my eyes adjust to the dark.
Inside the house, more lights flicker off.
That’s when I spot Mark, with his glasses already off. He's standing by a pool chair.Ourpool chair.
Maybe to retrieve the box of condoms we left there. It’s a good thing nobody saw those.
But no. Wait. He’s removing his shirt.
I’m riveted.
By his bodyandhis boldness.
This is hardly the Mark I thought I knew. This isn’t even the Mark from the dance club last night. Or the shower this morning. This is the next level Mark, daring in ways I didn’t expect.
Ways I like a lot.
As his shirt falls to the chair, I’m suddenly less eager to leave the pool deck. On silent feet, I cross back toward him. I’m dying to ask what he’s up to. But I’m mindful of making any sound that Flannah might overhear.
As soon as I get close, though, Mark reaches for my shirt and tugs it over my head. A moment later, it’s gone. I have so many questions for Mark right now, but I start with one.
I lean toward the heat of his skin, and whisper into his ear, “What gives? The guest house is more private.”
“Maybe,” he breathes. “But outdoor sex takes up quite a few rows on my spreadsheet. How quiet can you be?”
For a second, I just blink at him. I’m supposed to be the experienced one here. But this man keeps surprising me.
And I’m done with questions.
“Not that quiet,” I admit. “Not if you’re fucking me.”
His eyes gomolten. “That’s tomorrow night,” he rasps. “Right now, I want you naked in that pool. Just be Really. Fucking. Quiet.”
Like I need to be told twice.
Mark and I both shed our clothes near the edge of the pool. He’s naked a hot second later, his prick already hard for me. Wearing nothing but a serious frown, he stalks along the edge of the pool, looking up at the house. When he’s standing near the deep end, he points upward, toward the only lit room. It’s on the second floor.
