Page 97 of What Remains

“Pretend I’m someone else you’re hugging if that helps you.”

We’re doing a little more than hugging. She’s basically grinding against my cock in those short shorts.

But wait. What’d she say?

Our mouths are dangerously close, and her lips are swollen and naked of her gloss. It’s probably all over my neck now. I want to kiss away the redness around her mouth from where my facial hair has scratched her sensitive skin. Not that she seems bothered by it, but I never want to hurt her in any way.

I blink and recalibrate. I have a habit of going five different ways at once and often forget where I’m going to begin with. The only time my mind goes quiet is behind a yoke.

“Why would I want to pretend you’re someone else?” I rest the back of my hand on her cheek. So damn beautiful, my God.

“Because you feel guilty about it being me on your lap.”

“I do feel guilty,” I admit, pulling my hand away. “But I’d never think of someone else while I⁠—”

While I what? What are we even doing?

“So you’re hard because of me?”

She knows I am, just wants to hear me say it. I don’t blame her. I’d love to hear her tell me she’s wet for me.

“I mean, I am sitting on your lap and kissing your neck, so it’s possible your body is simply reacting on its own accord.”

“No.” I shake my head, not that she sees it. “I mean, yes.” I smile. She misses that, too. “Well, hell, I only have so much willpower.” I swallow and wait for her gorgeous eyes, and she finally gives them to me. “But it’s more than⁠—”

Dammit, I can’t do it. I can’t tell her how I feel. Not yet. I’m not ready. There are still too many obstacles in our way. Too many question marks.

“You’re holding back from anything going further between us because of what went down on that island, aren’t you? You think it’s too soon for me. But it’s not. I feel safe with you.”

“Safe. That’s good,” I mutter like an idiot, then settle my hands on the couch next to us, doing my best to resist someone who’s irresistible. Easier to come out unscathed after having a Freedom Dorito—a.k.a. a B-2 bomber—on your ass, than to sit here and not kiss her.

When I don’t continue, because I’m stuck in my head, she asks, “If that hadn’t happened, would you be able to cross the line with me now?”

And there go my hands. Shit. They clamp down on her waist. “I’m fairly certain we’re hovering over that line as we speak.” Need penetrates through my voice no matter how much I try and fight it.

She tips her head, her blue-grays flashing to my face as she brings both palms to my chest.

A sharp breath slides out of me, low and involuntary, as I bring my hands to the small of her back, fingers flexing as she anchors herself to me.

“God,” I say under my breath—part plea, part apology for what I’m considering doing. You know, going full throttle right over that line that isn’t so invisible. The line that has a few names etched into it, one of them happening to be Wyatt Pierson.

She’s probably nervously biting the inside of her cheek. It’s these little things she doesn’t show everyone and usually only lets me see. Maybe this is her guard coming down?

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks, her voice breathy and far too sexy.

“Because I want to kiss you.” The truth slips out too easily this time.

I drop my forehead against hers, hating that my conscience is still in the pilot’s seat and making the decisions.

“E.” One letter. One syllable. One arrow to my heart. “What if we just see if there’s chemistry between us and go from there? Test it with a kiss on the mouth this time.”

A dark laugh falls from me as I lift my head. I reach between us and hold her chin. “I don’t need to kiss you to know we have chemistry.”

She has to already know it, too.

“It’s my dad. That’s what this truly comes down to, isn’t it?” She pouts. “You respect him too much to ever do anything with me.” She starts to shift off my lap, but I take hold of her hips again. Stupid, I know.

“I do respect him, of course I do. But I respect you, too. And our friendship we’ve built over the years.” I reach between us and set my hands on her face again before sliding my fingers up into her hair. “And if I kiss you, I’m going to want to kiss every inch of you after that. And keep going until you’re crying out my name so loud the soundproof walls won’t be good enough to—” I cut myself off and freeze at what I just said. You know, the truth.