Page 65 of Big Dick Energy

Karen chose that moment to jump on the couch, meowing loudly and effectively killing the moment. We sprang apart like teenagers caught by our parents, me scrambling back to my side of the couch, him adjusting himself with zero subtlety.

“Your cat has terrible timing,” Dallas said, his voice completely wrecked.

“Brooke’s cat,” I corrected, my lips were still tingling, and my whole body was still humming. “And she has excellent timing.”

He ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more, and I had to look away from how good he looked all disheveled. “Right. We should... establish some ground rules.”

“Ground rules. Yes. Good idea.” I grabbed my plate again, needing something to do with my hands that wasn't touching him. “Rule one: practice kissing is only for practice.”

“Obviously.” He adjusted himself again, and I pretended not to notice.

“Rule two: no kissing unless necessary for public appearances.”

“Makes sense.” His voice was still rough.

“Rule three...” I searched for anything to add distance between us and what just happened, even though I could still feel the ghost of his hands on me. “No falling in love with me.”

He laughed, but it sounded slightly strangled. “Same goes for you. No falling in love with me.”

“Please. Your ego doesn't need that kind of boost.”

“My ego is perfectly sized, thank you.”

“That's what they all say.” My eyes dropped involuntarily to his lap before snapping back up, and his grin turned wicked.

“I noticed you didn't complain a minute ago.”

“We're not talking about a minute ago.”

“No? Because I could talk about it. In detail. Like that sound you made when I…”

“Dallas.”

“Or the way you were moving against…”

“DALLAS.”

The banter felt safer, more familiar than whatever had just happened between us, even if it was charged with new tension. We went back to eating, the cooking show droning on in the background, both of us determined not to talk about the kiss. But I could feel him watching me, and when I snuck a glance at him, his eyes were dark, focused on my mouth like he was replaying it too.

“For what it's worth,” he said finally, his voice carefully neutral, “I think we'll be very convincing tomorrow.”

The thing was, for a minute there, it had felt too real. The way my body was still humming, the way I wanted to climb back onto his lap and continue our practice... that was exactly the problem.

“Yeah,” I agreed, stealing one of his spring rolls in retaliation for earlier, trying not to think about how his mouth had tasted. “We'll be perfect.”

“Davina?”

“Mm?”

“We're probably going to have to kiss in front of my family.”

I nearly choked again. “Right.”

“Just so you're prepared.”

“Prepared. Right.” I was the opposite of prepared. I was completely unprepared for Dallas Dodger and his stupid perfect mouth and the way he kissed like he was trying to ruin me for anyone else.

CHAPTER 23