Page 40 of The Little Black Book

Sam hears it, too, if his narrowed gaze is any indication.

“I ended the date early. I wasn’t feeling it with her. I think she’s just too young for me.”

“You think?” I ask, the words harsher than I mean them.

Fuck. I take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Sam doesn’t deserve my bitchy attitude. This turmoil inside me is my problem, not his.

“Sorry,” I say quietly.

“I was worried about you, Z,” he says softly, making my heart flutter.

“I told you I’m fine,” I say back, just as softly.

He opens his mouth to respond, but no sound comes out as his eyes drop to my chest and widen. I follow his gaze, gasping as I remember what I’m wearing. The nightgown is made of thin satin and barely reaches the tops of my thighs. I’m naked beneath it…within a couple of feet of the object of my recent desires. My nipples pucker at the thought, and Sam inhales sharply.

“Zoey,” he whispers, and I look up to meet his gaze.

His normally light blue eyes are darker, swirling with emotion. He seems to float forward, stopping only a few inches from me. I have to look up to hold his gaze, and he lifts a hand to brush a lock of my hair back from my face. My body shudders at the feather-light touch, and my chest starts to heave with each heavy breath I take.

“Is this…okay?” he asks breathlessly, his own chest heaving in time with mine.

Unable to speak, I nod, and his hand falls to my shoulder. His fingertip traces the strap of my nightgown before slipping under it to caress the skin there. I shudder again, swaying, and Sam’s other hand lands on my hip to steady me.

“I want to kiss you,” he whispers.

“Please, Sam,” I breathe, and brace my palms against his hard chest.

He leans in, pausing just before our lips touch. The anticipation builds until I can’t take it anymore. Lifting my chin, I close the distance and press my mouth to his in a brief, closed-mouth kiss. As I try to pull back, Sam grips me tighter and kisses me again, his lips devouring mine with an intensity I’ve never felt before.

His hand slides from my shoulder, up my neck, and into my hair. Gripping it lightly, he tilts my head to the side and deepens the kiss, licking at my lips until I open for him. When his tongue brushes against mine, I groan.

With pleasure. With sweet relief.

The tension I’ve been carrying around for the last several days fades away, and I slide my hands up his chest to curl around his neck. Our bodies fit together perfectly, and when his hand moves from my hip to my ass, squeezing it and jerking me close enough to feel his erection against my belly, I nearly pass out from the pleasure of it all.

I can’t believe this is actually happening. It’s like a dream, and I never want to wake up.

Chapter16

No Regrets

Sam

I’ve lost all control of my body. I’ve been feeling this attraction to Zoey for a while, but in all my imaginings, I never dreamed she would feelthisgood. That she would taste this amazing.

Her sweet little mouth is demanding, taking as much as it gives. Her silky nightgown bunches in my hand as I massage her ass, and I slip my palm beneath it to find bare skin. I growl into her mouth with the discovery, my cock growing harder by the second.

She jerks out of my arms and stumbles backward, leaving me feeling cold and bereft without her warmth. We’re both panting, and I meet her gaze full-on as she stares at me with wild, wide eyes.

“What are we doing?” she asks.

“Wewerekissing,” I say. I take a step toward her, but her quick shuffle backward freezes me on the spot. “Zoey?”

“No. We’re friends, Sam. Friends don’t kiss. Not like that.”

“We’re consenting adults, Zoey. We can kiss if we want to,” I say, flinching at the desperation in my tone.

That was the best kiss of my life, and I know she felt something, too. But I refuse to push the issue if she decides this isn’t what she wants. I’m not that guy. And hot-as-hell kiss aside, wearefriends. I would never try to coerce any woman into giving me something she doesn’t want to give, and I’m sure as hell not going to start now. Not with her.

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