Page 21 of One Bet

“Then stay. Get to know me, we can talk all night, I’ll tell you anything you want to know.” He moved closer, still holding out his hand. “Please. I like you so much I’m begging you to stay. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

It did, even with all my circumstantial evidence against him. But I didn’t want to be just another girl on the Alpha wall of conquests.

“All I’m asking for is the chance to explain. To make you see I’m not a guy who would do that.”

Although I would’ve bet any money I had in the world, that he knew who would. I also had a new mission in life, a reason other than a stupid case of lust for staying with Keaton that night, I slid my hand over his. “Okay.”

14

Keaton

I’d been in her house before, slept in her bed even, but I hadn’t been sober enough to look around. She had turned this generic cottage into something homey and comfortable. Painted gray walls, red throw pillows that matched the red kitchen accents and the runner on the dining table. Splashes of red in the paintings, and framed pictures on a mantle sans fireplace hanging on the single white wall.

“This is nice, Avery.” She handed me a bottle of beer and took a long drink from her own. I liked that she was nervous because I was too. It had been a long time since I’d held her, and I wanted to do it again.

“You want the tour?” Her cheeks reddened as she held out her free hand.

Something told me she didn’t mean a walk-through of her house.

“Yeah.” I stood and she used her beer bottle to point. “Kitchen. Dining room. Living room. Bathroom.” She’d spun in almost a circle before she pulled me behind her to a closed door. “Bedroom.”

I smiled because it would’ve been impossible not to. “I’ve been in here before.”

“Not sober.” She took our bottles and set them on a dresser almost as tall as she was. Then she lifted my hand again and pulled me toward the bed. “It’s a completely different experience when you’re sober.”

She kissed my throat near my collarbone then moved her way up to nibble gently on my earlobe.

“What are you doing?” Not that I minded, I rather liked slipping my arms around her and pulling her hips into line with mine.

“Enjoying this week.” To emphasize her point, she twisted the button on my shirt free and pressed a kiss against the skin she’d just exposed. As she made her way down to my stomach, my body came alive, and there was no reason to think anymore. I hadn’t ever stopped wanting Avery, even after everything that happened. But neither did I want this to end too soon, so when she went after my belt and button fly, I pulled her up to kiss me.

My chest was bare, and I wanted more skin-to-skin contact. “Fair is fair.”

I pushed the sweater she’d worn over her tank top from her shoulders so it landed on the floor behind her, and with my index finger, I lowered one strap to her biceps so I could taste her shoulder. Oh God, she was as perfect as I remembered.

She moaned as I moved from her shoulder across her collarbone to the other side. The sound went straight to my dick and while I wanted this to last longer than the three minutes I doubted it would, I also wanted her now. Right now.

But if this was the one time we would be together, and while I was hopeful that it would turn into something more, I couldn’t say for sure, I wanted it to be something she’d remember. For all my thoughts of slowing this down, Avery flung her top behind her, then unfastened her bra before she undid the skirt, so it pooled at her feet. She stood naked in front of me and I couldn’t stop staring, she was perfect. From the curve of her neck to the one at her hip.

“You haven’t had underwear on all night under that skirt?” A detail I would’ve definitely taken advantage of had I known.

“Not since I decided I wanted to bring you back here.” This time I didn’t stop her, couldn’t have, wouldn’t have, as she unfastened my pants and shoved them, along with my boxers, to my ankles.

“If you would’ve told me, the ride home would’ve been way more interesting.”

She wrapped her hand around me and stroked, long, slow, and firm. Perfect. Then she gave me a dirty grin before she spoke. “It was interesting, anyway. If you knew the thoughts in my head while I watched your fingers wrapped around the steering wheel.”

She rubbed her breasts against my chest as she continued caressing my cock. “When you licked your lips, I wanted to lay the seat back and slide my skirt up to touch myself.”

Oh God, she’d done that for me once, and I had savored that memory on many a lonely night. But now, I wanted to be the one who touched her, who felt her wetness on my fingers…on my tongue…on my dick.

I let my hand fall over the arch at her hip and around to glide against her clit. She gasped but tilted her head and closed her eyes as I let it swipe a second time before I cupped her mound and used my thumb to tease her as I slipped a finger inside. Oh. Still so tight, so wet.

“Avery.” I couldn’t manage more than her name. “Lie down.”

I liked that I didn’t have to tell her twice. I also liked looking at her as she did what I told her to do, she was a pure seductress. I kicked off my jeans and reclined next to her, lifted on my elbow so I could let my gaze follow my finger down her chest to circle her nipple, then across to the other as I licked a circle around the first. It pebbled and I blew softly so she pulled in a deep breath and held it when I sucked lightly. Her body was so responsive, and I wanted to see it all, feel it close around me.

She held my head to her breast for a minute until I pulled away and moved my fingers over the slight curve of her belly, over a scar just below her last rib. I’d ask how she got it later. Now, I wanted to hear her whimper, cry out my name. When I moved down with my hand, slid my hand between her legs, working my finger in and out, then shifted to lie between her knees, she arched her back and moaned.