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And I’d gotten slapped down. Again.

When would I learn?

I forced my fist to relax around the fabric of his shirt one finger at a time. Then I turned, stepping out of his embrace so I could throw myself on my bed and hopefully fall asleep instantly so I could forget this day ever happened.

Before I could take a single step, Vaughn grabbed me and spun me around, crushing his mouth to mine in a punishing kiss.

It took me several long stretches of time in which my brain was unhelpfully offline before I realized this wasn’t an answer. I pulled away from him with a gasp, breath heaving.

“What’s that mean?” I managed to ask.

His cheeks were flushed high on his cheekbones, and his eyes were hazier than normal. “Fine. But you’re not fucking anyone else either while we do this. Got it?”

My heart felt like gerbil feet scampering on a wheel at top speed. “Yeah, uh. Yeah,” I said stupidly.

The edge of his lips quirked up. “Then take off your fucking clothes. Baby.”

18

VAUGHN

One corner of my brain started sounding an alarm the minute I agreed to Bett’s proposal. Exclusivity was dangerously close to dating, to promises, to caring.

I ignored it.

This agreement made things simple, that was all. I hadn’t promised him a future, and I wouldn’t. But it had been a while since I’d wanted anyone the way I wanted my roommate. So, fine, we’d be exclusive as long as I wanted him. As long as he was up for it.

It didn’t have to be more complicated than that.

Bett moved quickly to peel off his clothes, only wincing slightly when he balanced on one leg to remove a sock.

“You still sore from that fucking drill?”

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t, but it also wasn’t my job to lecture him about it. I only needed to keep it in mind when bending him in half to fuck him. If he’d let me.

I watched his fit body reveal itself as each article of clothing came off. The wide, rounded shoulders. Broad chest with tight nipples. The firm curves of his killer ass flexing as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. The rounded muscles of his quads, hamstrings, and calves. Legs an NFL team might pay big money for, according to ESPN at least.

“Fuck,” I let out under my breath. I wanted to touch all of it. Wanted in that ass. Wanted to rail him into the fucking mattress and feel the hot squeeze of his body around my cock.

I moved my hand to the front of my jeans and yanked open the button before pulling down the zipper and forcing the fabric past my throbbing dick.

Bett’s eyes were wide as he caught sight of me. So maybe I made a show of stroking myself just to see his pupils widen and his chest lift with a swift inhale.

“Get on the bed,” I said, tilting my chin up toward his side of the room. “On your back.”

He scrambled to comply, flashing me a peek of his hole.

Jesus fuck.

“Want to fuck you,” I said, wondering if I sounded as caveman as I felt.

His cheeks turned even redder. “That’s not… we’re not doing that.”

“No?” I shucked off the rest of my clothes and climbed onto the bed, kissing my way up his body starting at his knees, then his inner thighs, his hips, and his belly. I deliberately ignored his hard shaft, which kept jumping up from a trimmed thatch of light brown pubes. “Okay.”

His abs clenched as I sucked a mark into his side. “Fuck. But… fuck. Is that… is that something you’d…”