Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1)(55)

He laughed a little then, shaking his head like I’d said something incredibly funny. “Keep telling yourself that.” Climbing out of the car, he ducked his head to look back inside. “See you around, Pepper.”

He slammed the door shut, and the sound reverberated on the air for a moment as I watched him disappear into the bar. Muttering to myself, I put the car into drive, deciding I probably needed to take a little break from hanging out so much at Mulvaney’s.





Chapter 18

The following day Reece stood at my door. The vestiges of Halloween still lingered in the hall behind him. Heather insisted the culprits come forward to clean it up themselves, and so far no takers. For a moment I felt uncomfortable, remembering my conversation with his brother. I was pretty certain Reece wouldn’t appreciate him sharing everything he had with me, but then I doubted Logan had confessed our little chat to him—primarily his matchmaking efforts. The realization that Reece likely knew nothing of that encounter eased my tension.

He carried one of those little white boxes from Em’s favorite bakery.

I pointed at it. “What’s that?”

“A cupcake.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What kind?”

“Red velvet.” Oh my God. He was bringing me cupcakes?

He held the box out to me. “Thanks for coming over the other day and taking care of me.”

I accepted the box and waved him in. He sat at my desk.

I sank down on the bed and lifted the lid. Peering in, I salivated at the glimpse of cream cheese frosting. “This looks so good.” Lifting it from the box, I peeled back the wrapper and bit into it with a moan.

“That good?”

“Want some?”

“No. I’m fine.”

I angled my head at him. “Seriously? It’s the size of a cantaloupe. Share it with me.”

With a half smile, he joined me on the bed. Later, I would wonder if maybe that had been my intention all along. To get him on the bed with me.

I held the cupcake up for him, thinking he would take it from my hand. He took a bite with his strong, white teeth instead. My eyes flared. “That’s like half the cupcake.”

He chewed, his thumb catching a bit of icing on his lip and licking it. “You asked me to take a bite. I’m a guy. I can’t help it if I take big bites. The rest is yours.”

“Hmm.” I gave him a look of mock reprimand and took another bite—dainty compared to his.

“I meant what I said.”

I swallowed before asking, “What?”

“Thanks for staying and looking after me.”

“Oh.” I took another bite, shrugging as I chewed, feeling awkward under the intensity of his stare. “Anyone would have—”

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Make light of what you did. Who you are. The truth is that I can’t think of another person who would have fussed over me the way you did. Not since my mom died.” He nodded slowly. “You’re a sweet girl, Pepper.”

My face warmed at his praise and my stomach got all fluttery. I swallowed the last bit of cupcake and flinched when his thumb swiped the edge of my mouth, pulling away a bit of icing that he took into his own mouth. I watched him, riveted. “Isn’t it supposed to be the kiss of death when a guy calls you ‘sweet’?”

He looked at me. The moment stretched thickly until he answered, “Not if you’re so sweet all I can think about is getting you naked and tasting every inch of you again.”

A breath shuddered from my lips. Sucking in a deep breath, I rose up on my knees and straddled him. My hands lifted, hovering in the air before I brought them down on his shoulders, feeling the firm flesh, corded and taut with sinew beneath his shirt. His hands fell on my hips, gripping gently. We stared into each other’s eyes. He wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and pulled my head down until my mouth met his.

I tasted cupcake as he kissed me slow and deep, unhurried. The kiss went on and on, languid and delicious. He broke away and pulled off his shirt. Next his hands flew to the hem of my sweatshirt. I lifted my arms to help him yank it over my head. My bra followed. Losing my clothes was becoming a habit around him.

He pushed me back on the bed. Without touching me, he surveyed me in the bright light of my room like he was memorizing me. Heat inched over my body as I imagined all the imperfections he was seeing. With a whimper, I tried to push past him, embarrassed at the intimacy, too overcome at the sensations coursing through me.

“Wait.” His hand flattened on my belly, urging me back down. He slid down my body. My heart thumped a painful beat in my chest as I trembled and squirmed, waiting for his next move. I snuck a peek at him. He looked up at me, his chin brushing my belly, his large hands burning two imprints on my hips as his deep gaze pulled me in and sucked me under. “Are you going to trust me?”

“Yes.” I stilled under him as I realized I meant it. “I do.”

He grinned slowly and took my hands. Lacing his fingers with mine, he pressed them flat into the mattress, palm to palm at my sides. “Good.”

He then proceeded to kiss me. All over my body. Moist, open-mouthed kisses on my belly. My rib cage. The valley between my breasts. His mouth loved me everywhere. I sighed, writhed, quivering under his attention. OhGodOhGodOhGod. There was no embarrassment anymore. Just him. His mouth on me.