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“I totally respect that you want to focus on classes and not get caught up in any dating drama. I feel the same way. So I wouldn’t take up much of your time. I just…well, you need to take breaks every now and again, right, otherwise you’ll overload, and your schoolwork will suffer fromthat. I’m just asking that you come tomeduring those breaks and not go to someone else.”
“So…” Her brow crinkled as she considered my proposal. “You basically just want to continue doing exactly what we are now but with the reassurance that it’s exclusive.”
My lips parted when I realized she was right. But what the hell; I could handle that scenario. “Yes, ma’am,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “And that’s reallyallyou want?”
“Well…” I shrugged sheepishly. “If you decided tomorrow that you’d prefer to be in a serious relationship, then okay, I’d be all in.”
“God, Damien…” When her gaze filled with pity, my stomach plummeted.
She was going to reject me, I could see it in her eyes. I tightened my fingers around hers and added, “I could be a low-maintenance boyfriend. The lowest. You could forget about me for a week—or two…fuck…three—and I’d still be right here, where you left me, whenever you needed some company again.”
“Jeez, no,” she groaned. “That sounds awful. You’d be completely settling. And you should never settle when you want more, Damien. Don’t just accept crumbs fromanyone.”
“But I really like your crumbs,” I coaxed playfully, smoothing my hand up her arm. “I’d rather feast on your scraps than turn to anyone else for a full-course meal.”
Oaklynn frowned immediately. “Excuse me? You won’t be turning toanyoneelse for anything, thank you very much.”
I grinned, liking her possessive side.
“Then you better lock this down and not let me get away,” I encouraged, smiling cunningly as I drew her closer. “I mean, I’m a pretty hot commodity. An awkward, closed-off, noncommutative ass who makes a lady’s best friend think I’m full of red flags. What more could a girl ask for?”
She rolled her eyes over my dry joke and caught the front two halves of my shirt in her fists as she stepped closer and lifted her face as if angling for a kiss. “You’re making this too easy for me.”
“No,” I countered. “I’m compromising.”
“Or…” she said as I started to slip the mustard-colored blazer off her shoulders. “You’re settling.”
I grinned. “Or… I’m making the entrance to my web look as enticing as possible.” Lowering my mouth to within an inch of hers, I taunted, “Otherwise, how will I ever trap you right where I want you?”
Murmuring a sound of assent without saying an actual word, she closed her eyes and pressed her mouth to mine.
I kissed her back, pouring everything I had into it, using whatever means was in my arsenal to keep her around and hopefully get her to fall to the same level that I already had.
“I’m in this,” I swore to her when our lips broke apart for air. “I’m so fucking gone for you, Oaklynn Vargas; I want you any way I can get you.” My mouth pressed against her jaw. “And if this is your way…” I placed kisses along her throat. “Then I don’t want to know any other.” At her ear, I whispered, “Just say yes,” before my teeth nipped at the lobe.
“Oh God,” she groaned, throwing her head back and gripping my shoulders.
I cupped her face in my hands and looked into her eyes. “I’m going to need ayesornoon this one, sorry.”
She swallowed audibly and then bobbed her head once before blowing out a shaky breath. “Yes,” she agreed. “Of course, we can keep whatever this is between us exclusive. But damn, Damien…” She gave a strangled laugh. “Whatever idiot woman said you didn’t know how to open up was completely whack. Because this… This…” She shook her head, unable to say more.
I smiled into her eyes. “I’m like one of those prickly, exotic flowers, I guess. I only open for the sun. And she…” Leaning intimately closer, I admitted, “Was not my sun.”
“Holy shit,” Oaklynn breathed. “I’m going to need you to get inside me, like,now.”
With a chuckle, I answered, “Yes, ma’am.”
I pressed my mouth to hers, and the kiss that followed was long and thorough. Our lips stayed connected until I finished unbuttoning the front of her shirt and she finished on the front of mine. It wasn’t until I broke away to kiss the side of her neck that I found the zipper on her skirt and eased it open.
Then I hooked my fingers into the loosened waistband and tugged the material down until it started to fall on its own.
Oaklynn’s head tipped back as she hissed out a breath. Taking advantage of all that exposed flesh, I cradled the backs of her shoulders tenderly and pressed my mouth to the base of her throat. As I nibbled along her collar, my thumbs dipped in along the inside of her arm, near her armpits.
She made a hungry sound deep in her throat and started to fumble with the zipper of my jeans.
I moved my attention south, coming across the strap of her bra, and while my teeth attacked one and pulled it off her shoulders, my fingers slipped the other side down.
