Page 115 of The Bluffing Game

SAGE

The heat in the room is palpable. Dalton lies on top of the bed, stretched out. He’s only wearing a pair of black briefs, and they’re leaving nothing to the imagination. I can see the curve of his cock pressing against the material. He’s not doing anything to let me think that he’s not willing and waiting for me.

I know if I were to pull down his briefs and take him into my mouth, he wouldn’t say no. I’m throbbing in my panties at the thought of getting on top of him and riding him. I can still remember the way his cock twitched in my pussy, the way he grabbed my hips and bounced me up and down on him, and I feel hot just thinking about it. I turn over on the mattress and stare at the screen.

The King of Queens is one of my favorite TV shows, but I can’t concentrate on the antics going on.

Even though Dalton is a mere foot or two away from me, it feels like there’s an ocean between us. There are so many things I want to tell him, so many hurts I want to express, so many fears, so much pain, and yet I don’t want him to feel like I’m a burden. I don’t want him to feel like I can’t handle my emotions. And even worse, I don’t want to feel like I’m losing control and power. The way I felt when my mom told me about my dad broke me. When I knew that he wasn’t my biological dad, all the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, and I haven’t found that missing piece. My dad doesn’t want to know me. He doesn’t even want to talk to me.

I want to scream and shout into the pillow. I want to bang my fists against the wall and ask: Why? Why am I not lovable? Why don’t you want to see me? Why don’t you want to have a conversation with me? Am I not a piece of you? Am I not a piece of you that exists in the universe?

And he doesn’t even want to lay his eyes on me.

I sneak a glimpse at Dalton, and he’s staring at me. There’s an intensity in his gaze that makes me want to cry because this is a man who cares, protects, loves, who is a solid block of rock, and yet I can’t trust him in the way that I want to. He has so much going on, and I know he has so many people he needs to put first. And while he cares for me, he sees me as a little princess, as someone who needs protecting, someone he wants to lock in a tower so that no one can harm me, and that’s not the life I want.

I desperately want to touch him and feel him. I look at his lips. Would one kiss hurt? No. Yes. Maybe.

I find myself shifting closer toward him, but not close enough that we’re touching. I’m lying on top of the sheets, but still, I’m warm. The leggings feel too snug and the T-shirt too tight. Before I know what I’m doing, I pull off the top and then the pants so that I’m lying here in my panties and bra.

I turn my body and look at him with lazy eyes. I can see that he’s breathing faster now. I love the way he looks at me, at my body, the way I can tell he thinks I’m sexy. His fingers twitch, and I know he wants to touch me. It almost makes me want to laugh, but there’s a hunger burning inside of me, a hunger to be with him, to forget everything, to pretend that the universe is just him and me and our bodies making love—sweet, tender, fast, reckless, angry love.

I move a little closer to him, reach out, and touch his chest. He looks surprised, but I don’t care. I want to feel him. That’s part of it. I can touch him, but he can’t touch me. I lean forward and press my lips against his nipple and bite down.

“Ow,” he says. “What was that for?”

“Just seeing if you hurt like a normal human being.”

“I am a mortal, you know?”

“That’s good to know.”

“I would’ve thought you already knew that, given all the mistakes I make in life.”

“We all make mistakes, Dalton. Doesn’t mean we have to hold them against ourselves forever.”

He nods slowly, and there’s a lightness to his expression now.

“So, what else are you going to do to test me?”

“I don’t know,” I say and stretch.

I see his eyes drop to the top of my breasts, and a naughty thought crosses my mind as I slowly take off my bra. I peel one strap down, then the other, and unclasp it. He sucks in a breath as he stares at my nipples. I lean over him, brushing my breasts against his chest and then his arm as I grab a glass of water from the other side of the bed. His eyes narrow as he watches me sip, and then I place it back down. I move up slightly and brush my nipples against his mouth. He does nothing.

I tap his nose lightly. “Good boy.”

I turn my back on him and once again look at the TV. I’m still not paying attention because this is fun. This is a game. I wonder just how much I can do and have him not react.

I shift back closer and closer until my ass is pressed against his crotch. I wiggle my butt, and I feel his cock twitching. Yet still he doesn’t touch me. I look over my shoulder, and he’s rigid.

“You think I’m that easy, Sage?”

He chuckles, but I can tell he’s hard as hell. I can tell he wants me.

“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to do anything. I was just snuggling and getting ready for bed and watching my favorite show,” I say as I continue to rub my butt against him.

He growls slightly, and I laugh.

“Ah, what a night,” I say.