Page 84 of Hometown Halftime

“You’re annoying,” I inform him.

“No, I’m not.”

“You started bullying my otter.” I side eye him before I grab the throw pillow beside me and smack it against his chest.

Then everything devolves.

Riley catches the pillow before I can pull it back while laughing hard enough his glasses nearly slide off his face. I lunge for it again, climbing across the couch while he holds it out of reach.

“Give it back!” I demand.

“I will not!” He laughs, still holding it out of my reach.

The couch shifts beneath us as Riley grabs both my wrists when I try climbing over him, and suddenly momentum works against me. One second, I’m leaning over him, the next I’m flat on my back against the couch cushions with Riley on top of me.

Everything stops.

His hands still loosely hold my wrists above my head while both of us breathe hard from wrestling around like idiots. My breasts press into his chest with every breath. His thigh presses between mine. His glasses sit slightly crooked from me trying to take him out with the pillow.

And suddenly nothing about this feels playful anymore. Riley’s eyes scan slowly down to my mouth, and every nerve ending in my body wakes up at once.

Then, oh my God, I feel him. He’s hard—very hard.

Every coherent thought leaves my brain. For one suspended second, neither of us moves. I can’t stop staring at him. I don’t want him to stop staring at me.

I see the tension pulled tight across his shoulders. The way his chest rises faster against mine. His Adam's apple bobs as he swallows hard.

Then his eyes lift back to mine, and I kiss him.

I lift my head and his mouth meets mine instantly, rougher than our previous kisses. He loosens his grip on my wrists, one hand bracing beside my head while the other guides one of my hands to his hair.

The kiss turns hungry fast. Our mouths move together so perfectly that I become dizzy. I open for him, and his tongue slides against mine. He leads and I follow so willingly. Because when this man kisses me, I lose myself.

A soft sound escapes me when his mouth moves softer against mine, and heat floods through my body. I shift instinctively against him. I’m so turned on from this damn kiss that my hips are searching for the friction I need so badly.

Riley exhales sharply against my mouth when I rock against his erection, and the sound that leaves me in response is embarrassingly needy.

But then everything changes as he goes rigid above me.

His body tenses, breathing suddenly uneven while his hand tightens against my waist. Riley pulls back just enough for me to see his expression clearly, and confusion twists low in my stomach because maybe I went too far.

I slide my hands from his hair, moving down to his chest. His eyes search mine like he’s trying to steady himself, his heart beats hard beneath my hands while the room stays painfully quiet around us.

I don’t fully understand what just happened, but something definitely changed. Riley swallows hard before leaning down to kiss me one last time. It’s slow and sweet, innocent compared to the kiss from just moments ago, but it’s still hot enough to leave my entire body aching afterward.

Then he carefully sits up between my legs, dragging a hand through his messy hair while trying to catch his breath. I prop up on my elbows.

“I should probably…” He clears his throat roughly as he gently moves my leg so he can stand. “I need to be up early tomorrow. I’m taking my brother to tutoring before school.”

For a beat, I just stare at him, completely flushed and breathless and unbearably turned on.

“Right.” I nod my head, swiping my thumb across my bottom lip. “Okay.”

“Good night, Kinsey.”

“Good night, Riley.”

Then he disappears upstairs, leaving me alone on the couch with swollen lips, racing thoughts, and enough confusion that I doubt I’ll be able to sleep tonight.