Fair Game (The Rules #1)(43)

“You don’t want to know what I’m thinking,” I admit.

Shep’s gaze smolders again and it sets my body on fire. He’s really good at that. “Now I definitely want to know.”

“It’s too embarrassing,” I say, shaking my head.

“Come on, Jade. Don’t be shy,” he coaxes.

It’s the beer, I tell myself yet again. Otherwise I would never do this. Never say this. “I was wishing everyone would just…go away.”

“Why?”

“So…we could be alone.” Worry buzzes through me but it’s too late now. I’ve said it. It’s out there.

“And why do you want to be alone with me?” he prompts.

I want to roll my eyes but restrain myself. This is do or die time. I’m about to play true confessions with a guy for the first time in my life. “Because I want to kiss you,” I admit in a soft whisper. Not that he doesn’t already know this, because he so does. I tried to kiss him before but he rejected me.

If he rejects me again? I don’t know what I’m going to do.

He’s leaping off the couch in a flash, his hand reaching out for mine. I let him take it, squealing when he pulls me to my feet and we start heading down the hall toward…oh my God, his bedroom? I don’t know but I’m letting him pull me helplessly behind him and no one’s batting an eyelash, asking where we’re going, nothing.

Shep stops in front of a door and pushes it open, dragging me inside, his hand never letting go of mine. He slams the door shut, turning me so my back is against the door, as he stands directly in front of me. He takes off his hat and tosses it across the room. I hear it land on the ground somewhere but I don’t care. I’m too enraptured with watching Shep as he takes a step closer, so close, our chests bump, and he rests his hands on the door above me, caging me in.

I slowly lift my head, our gazes meeting, both of us never saying a word. I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to do something, say something and then his head starts to descend, his face drawing closer before he whispers against my lips, “Are you sober?”

My breath leaves me in a stuttering gasp. “Y-yes.” I have a little buzz on but nothing like my vodka and Red Bull moment from last night.

He pulls back the slightest bit. “You’re not going to forget this?”

I shake my head, my hair rubbing against the door. He reaches out, curling a thick strand around his finger, and I want to die. Just…die.

All from him touching my freaking hair.

“Good. Because I’m never going to forget this either,” he murmurs just before he settles his mouth on mine.

It’s electric, that first moment of our lips connecting. His hand is in my hair, his fingers sifting through until they’re touching the side of my neck, his thumb streaking along my jaw. He softly captures my bottom lip between his, giving it a gentle tug before he releases it and a sigh escapes me. It feels so good, so deliciously, wonderfully good and he smiles against my lips. I want to smile back but then he tilts his head to the side, his mouth on mine again as he deepens the kiss.

He drops his arm to slide it around my waist, his hand settling at the small of my back and bringing me forward. I go willingly, curving my arms around his neck, my hands in his hair because so far, it’s one of my favorite places on him to touch. His tongue circles around mine, teasing it, making me crazy and I press my chest to his, silently marveling at how hard his body is.

Because he is. Hard. Everywhere. I can feel him beneath his jeans. He already has an erection and I rub against him shamelessly. Just like I did last night, only this time, he’s just as turned on as I am.

A groan escapes him and the deep masculine sound pulses through me, making me yearn for more. More touching, more kissing, more wanting his hands on me, all over me. I slide my hands down to curl them around his shoulders, then along the front of his chest, all the way down to his jeans before I slide them back up. I feel emboldened, uninhibited as I lightly nip at his bottom lip with my teeth, and I moan in delicious surprise when he sucks my tongue into his mouth.

He says my name against my lips and he sounds tortured. I break the kiss first and open my eyes to find him watching me, his chest moving rapidly, his lips swollen, his eyes dark. He leans in again and I close my eyes on a sigh when I feel his mouth land on my neck, his damp lips blazing a fiery path along my skin. His tongue darts out for a lick, his teeth nibble and I clutch him close. My brain shuts down, shuts out everything else happening. The faint roaring coming from the television in the living room, everyone yelling when someone scores—those sounds I heard only moments ago are gone.

All I can see, hear, taste, focus on is Shep. And it’s so good, so perfect I’m almost scared. How can it get any better than this?

I knew it would be like this between us. Jade’s mouth is perfection. The way she tastes, the sounds she makes, how she feels in my arms…

Again. Perfection.

Gripping her ass in my hands, I lift her up and she goes willingly, her legs wrapping around my hips, her arms sliding back around my neck. I continue kissing her as I turn and head for the bed, sitting down first with her in my arms and she presses against me, sending us both toppling backwards onto the mattress. Laughter huffs out of me when her thick hair lands in my face and I push it away just as she lifts up so she can stare down at me.

Her hair creates a curtain over us as it falls around her face, shutting out everything else so she’s all I can see. “What are we doing?” she asks breathlessly.