Page 36 of Ghost

“I showed the fellas that picture you sent me,” I said.

Her eyes narrowed. “Which one?”

I pressed my forearm against my cock. “How many pictures have you sent me?”

She tugged against the hem of her shorts and then crossed her athletic legs. “Only one that I can remember.”

Her toned legs all but tossed me off the edge of the celibacy cliff. I pressed my forearm firm against my rigid cock.

I winced in pain. “That’d be the one. You, me, and a rattlesnake.”

“What did they say?”

“They said what were you doing rattlesnake hunting with Uptown Abby?”

The color drained from her face. “They recognized me?”

It wasn’t easy to have a conversation while my cock was standing at attention. I repositioned myself in the seat and pushed against it with my elbow. It pushed back with greater force. The pain made me feel that I might just fucking faint.

She gave me a funny look. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Why?”

She swiveled her upper body to face me, giving me a full view of nipples that were trying to cut their way through the worn fabric of her tee shirt. I tore my eyes away from them and focused on the wall behind her.

“You look like you’re uncomfortable,” she said.

I was uncomfortable. I had a raging hard on and wanted to fuck her so bad I was dizzy. Light-headed and feeling half sick from a lack of sex and overindulgence in pink wine, I gazed beyond her, toward the kitchen. “I think I drank that wine too fast.”

“Do you want a glass of water?” she asked.

I didn’t. I wanted her face down in the ergonomic chair with her bare ass in the air and her wet hair balled in my clenched fist. But now wasn’t the time. I needed to honor her desire to be sex-free for one night. I had no idea how an evening of sexual agony was going to solve any problems, but it was what she wanted. Therefore, I intended to give it to her.

In support of her wishes, I pressed my forearm against the head of my rising dick. When I did, the pain caused my back to arch.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked.

I arched my back even more. “Back spasm.”

“From being on the bike all day?”

“Probably from the gym,” I lied. “Might have pulled a muscle.”

“Want me to rub your back?” She set her glass of wine on the end table. “It might make you feel better.”

She raised her hands and fanned her fingers as if preparing to rub my shoulders. If she touched me, there was no doubt the problem would escalate. I needed to make some space between us. Standing was out of the question. I inched my way to the arm of the sofa, gaining six inches of distance and nothing more.

Pinned against the pea green burlap fabric, my throbbing cock reminded me of each heartbeat. I looked at her with fear in my eyes.

“What?” she asked. “You don’t like being touched?”

The thought of her touching me excited the absolute fuck out of me. Moving my arm away from my cock would lead her to believe I was exactly what she didn’t want me to be. There was no way I could hide my state of arousal if she was giving me a back rub.

“No.” I shook my head. “I like being touched.”

She moved closer. “Let me rub your shoulders.”

If she touched me, I’d probably come in my pants. Before I could blurt out an objection, she came even closer. Her milky smooth thigh brushed against mine.