AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His lips brush against my neck for just a fraction of a second as he inhales and then he’s gone, his laughter booming in my brother’s living room as he waltzes in like we weren’t just being brazenly obvious in the hallway outside my brother’s home.
I lean against the wall as the door closes behind me and take a deep breath. My legs quiver and my heart rate won’t settle as my fingers brush over the spot his lips had pressed against and my mind swims in the scent of Ben. The way heat pools between my legs just with the simplest of touches tells me one thing: we’ve been slow. Slow has worked. Slow has been good for us. And now? Slow is going to kill me.
“Max?”Ishimmyintothe emerald dress with a groan as Max digs around in my bathroom cupboard. “Max, come here please.”
“Yes?” He pokes his head out of the bathroom and a short cackle bursts from my lips. Beneath his eyes are gold patches, my gold patches I might add, and he has a frown that doesn’t fit his face.
“What are you doing in there?”
“What do you think I’m doing?” He bites back, striding out of the bathroom and over to where I stand beside my bed. “I’m seeing how many skincare products you have so I can look my best for Alex. Obviously.”
“Didn’t you bring your own stuff?” I roll my eyes when he ducks back into the bathroom and more rummaging noises sound out.
“Yes, but you have the good stuff and best friends share their good moisturiser. Right?”
“Of course,” I laugh. “Do me a favour and come zip me up please?”
I twist as I turn away from him, my hair still pinned to my head in ridiculously large rollers the woman at the salon insisted needed to stay in until the very last minute, and my make up only half complete. My eyes need shadow and a coating of mascara, and I still haven’t decided on nude or red lipstick, but it’s hard to choose the perfect one when your body is a mass of bundled nerves.
“Oh myGod.” Max’s words leave his lips as a rushed breath.
“What?” My stomach drops. It’s been over a month since that night. My back has healed. There are no marks left. Are there?
“Mikaela freaking Wilcox.” He lets out a low whistle as my brain kicks back into action and a blush the same shade of red as the lipstick sitting on my vanity spreads over my skin. “Is that -? Are you wearing -? Shit. Haston is going to combust.”
I shake my head furiously. “Haston is not going to see it.”
Max grunts and I cringe.
“We still haven’t - we aren’t - listen, I’m wearing it for me, okay. Not him.”
It’s true. Rule number one has stayed firmly in place for the whole time we’ve been doing this - whatever this is - and for over a month it has been pure torture. Every other day we’re tangled in each other’s limbs on my bed - his body pressed against mine, my breath hard to find as I drown in the taste of his skin - but we’ve kept it strictly clothes on. Much to my dismay. And as far as any recent conversations have gone, there doesn’t seem to be any intention to break rule number one just yet. Ben thinks it’s too soon. I think his shirts would look much better if they weren’t covering up that ridiculously hard chest and those chiseled abs. We’re at an impasse... So yes, I put on lingerie tonight that has the power to drive him wild. But no, I do not think he will see it.
“Okay, well, let me state for the record,” Max chuckles as he pulls the zipper up and the shimmering green fabric hugs to my skin, ” I am all for you wearing it for yourself, but he should definitely get to see it too.”
I laugh when he places his hands on my hips and swivels me around to face the mirror.
“So let’s get you dolled up and ready for a night we won’t forget, yeah?” Max kisses my cheek and I swat him away, grinning like a fool as I run my eyes over my reflection. I don’t look half bad.
