“Maybe.” He walks over and sits on the couch next to me. Every other time, he’d have put himself on another chair, or kept a cushion between us. Not this time. He’s in the middle, the weight of his body dragging down my cushion and sliding my body toward his. “Here.”
I take the glass and sip it while I consider resisting the pull of him. How long am I supposed to hold out? Considering I’m fighting not to climb into his lap, I don’t know where the line is.
“How many times have we done this?”
I take another sip of whiskey. “I don’t know. A few.” He doesn’t sleep as soundly as Grayson, so occasionally I’d see him during my late night reading sessions. We’ve even shared a drink a few times and talked, though never like this. As if we were all too aware that sitting on the same couch and adding alcohol to the mix would be edging into a mistake neither of us wanted to make.
“I’m going to ask you a question, and I’d like you to answer it honestly.”
I carefully set the glass on the table and give him my full attention. “Sure.”
Derek takes me in slowly, his gaze traveling from my face to my body covered with Grayson’s sweater, to my bare legs. “Did you wear that hoping I’d come out here?”
My face heats, but I make myself hold his gaze. As if tonight were the night I’d truly decided to cross that line. “Um.” I lick my lips, achingly aware of how he follows the movement. “Maybe.” When he doesn’t move, doesn’t seem to breathe, I continue. “You, uh, you were looking at me today. You’re always looking at me.”
“I want you.” He states it as fact, as if he’s not crossing a thousand different lines by putting it to voice. “I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you, all done up in white and marrying my best friend.”Chapter 7Derek’s big hand carefully lands on my leg, a few inches above my knee, high enough that there’s no mistaking its intention. “I’ve seen the way you watch me, too.”
“You never wear a shirt. You’re a handsome man, Derek. Of course I watch you.” I shift my legs up to drape them over his lap. Just two friends lounging on a couch, except his hand coasts another inch up my thigh, and my new position has the sweater sliding unforgivably high.
“We shouldn’t.”
A thrill goes through me. As much as I want to be seduced, there’s a certain power in being the one to push us over the edge in this fantasy. I cover Derek’s hand with my own, sliding him up another inch. “Did you hear us fucking earlier?”
He tenses. “Impossible not to. You were loud as hell, Emma. Begging him to eat your pussy, to fuck you harder.”
“I wanted you to hear.” I let my one leg drop back to the floor, and I can tell by the way his jaw clenches that he can see my pussy now.
“That right?”
“Yes.”
“And what do you think Grayson will think if I told him that you’re out here, flashing your pussy at me in invitation?”
The room feels a thousand degrees hotter than it was a few minutes ago. “He won’t say anything at all.” I nudge his hand away and move up to straddle him. “Not if you don’t tell him.” I take his hands and coast them up my thighs to my hips, lifting the sweater as he goes. To my waist, baring my pussy.
“Emma.” He’s gone hoarse. “You’re out here with no panties on. It’s enough to make a man like me think you want to fuck him.”
“I’ve been reading this book. It’s so fucking hot, Derek. It’s got me all wet and needy.” I reach between my thighs and slip two fingers into my pussy. I’m so wet, I can hear it. I withdraw and press them to his lips. “See.”
Derek holds my gaze as he sucks me deep, his tongue stroking my skin. He gives me one last suck and releases me, his expression almost tormented. “Baby, we can’t. Your husband is my best friend.”
“Right.” Guilt instantly swarms me. “Right, of course. I’m sorry.”
But when I try to move off Derek, he keeps me trapped with his hands on my hips. He licks his lips. “It’d be a shame to leave that pussy in need, though. I won’t touch, I promise. Just make yourself come.” His gaze flicks to my face. “Let me watch.”
“Okay,” I whisper. Before I can think better of it, I pull the sweater over my head and drop it on the floor by his feet. “It gets in the way.”
His gaze consumes me. “Can’t have that.”
“That’s what I’m saying.” I cup my breasts, lifting and stroking them, pinching my nipples to peaks. How closely he watches only makes me hotter. How far can I take this before he breaks his promise? Only one way to find out. “I need…” I press my fingers to his mouth again. He sucks them deep, and I withdraw and reach down to stroke my clit with them.