Page 29 of The Rival (Looking to Score 2)
It seems simple enough. Attraction plus lust times flirting and bam, the interested parties fall in bed together. If anyone’s the poster boy for casual sex, it’s Alex Braun. The guy is funny and sweet, all wrapped up in one hotter-than-hell package. I could spend the rest of this summer fantasizing about him, but I’ll never be brave enough to tell him what I want.
Chewing on my lip, I stare at the ceiling. Maybe there’s another way . . . one where I don’t have to say it outright. They do say that actions speak louder than words. All I have to do is walk into his bedroom and crawl in bed with him, and just take what I want . . . assuming he wants the same thing.
My heart pounds in my chest, and my cheeks burn hot.
Who the heck am I kidding? I’m no temptress. I’d probably just make a fool of myself and end up sulking back here, embarrassed and defeated.
I scrunch my eyes closed, but I can’t shake the thought. It could be so easy. So . . . game-changing. It is my birthday, after all.
And aren’t you supposed to do what you want on your birthday? And what I want to do is Alex.
9
* * *
ALEX
Man, tonight was a roller coaster—equal parts enjoyable and a little scary. But I guess that’s what spending the day with a woman you’re fighting an attraction to is like.
I’d almost convinced myself it wasn’t an issue, but I can no longer deny it. My growing attraction to Aspen is a problem, and one I’m not sure how to deal with. Do I face it head-on like a man? Or admit defeat and remove myself from this situation?
After brushing my teeth and stripping down to my boxers, I climb under the blankets. In the quiet of my bedroom, my mind starts to wander. Aspen was so fucking cute on our hike. I have to fight off the mental image of her bare legs wearing only those damn white socks wrapped around my waist as I pummel into her.
It’s then that everything crashes down on me at once. Because there’s so much more to her than just her looks.
Aspen’s words about her ex reaching out to her. Her ability to have fun even when everything in her life is uncertain. The way she’s able to laugh and let go. I tend to spend a lot of time overthinking shit, but Aspen’s the opposite. Once she works something out in her mind, she seems to move on. It’s a good talent to have, I guess.
Another unique talent she has? Making my dick hard at the most inopportune times. Like earlier, when she placed her feet in my lap.
As I’m reliving that moment, the door opens slowly, and I lift my head from the pillow. The room is dark, but I have no problem making out Aspen’s shadowy figure approaching my bed.
“Aspen?” My voice comes out hoarse. Is she sleep-walking? Scared of the dark?
“Sorry,” she whispers. “Were you sleeping?” She pauses beside my bed and places one knee on the mattress.
I sit up. “Not yet. What’s going on?”
“Can I join you?”
I open my mouth but nothing comes out. Aspen doesn’t wait for my response, she just takes the spot on the bed next to me.
“What’s up?” I ask as I scoot back a little and lean against the headboard.
She surprises me by crawling into my lap.
Whoa.
“My birthday’s not over yet,” she whispers. “And I was thinking about that time we kissed . . .”
I make an inarticulate sound. My body is a big fan of the way her soft curves feel in my lap, and my brain struggles to catch up.
“Aspen?” I groan. “You’re kinda killing me here.”
She smiles, and her tongue touches her lower lip. “Well, there’s one more thing I wanted to do for my birthday. Birthday sex is a thing, you know?”
All the blood flow diverts from my brain, leaving me speechless. “Uh. Is it?”
When Aspen presses her lips to mine, I freeze. But only for a second because I can’t help but respond to her kiss. As her mouth begins to move against mine, I devour her, my tongue stroking hers in hot devotion.
My hands curl into fists at my sides so I don’t touch her. Because what I want to do is fill my hands with that luscious ass of hers and drive my hips up.
Her lips move from mine down to my neck. I fight to ignore the hot lust that pulses low in my groin. I try to recall all the very valid reasons why hooking up with Aspen would be the worst idea ever, but I come up blank.
But she’s been drinking, which means her decision-making might be impaired. Taking advantage of her is the last thing I want to do.
