“Yeah, we got it done right before the holidays.”
We chat like that, back and forth as we move through the cribbage board. It’s easy. So incredibly easy. I’m a little ashamed at how much relief it gives me to be able to talk freely without twenty layers of hidden meanings the way my conversations with Max had become in the last few months. Neither of us saying what we really meant—unless we were fighting and spitting venom at each other.
“Lily.”
I give myself a shake and look at him. “Sorry, I was thinking dark thoughts.”
Shane motions to the board. “You just won, baby girl.”
I look at my hand on the table and then look at the board. “Oh wow, I guess I did.” I don’t sound particularly excited, even to my own ears. Damn it, I’m ruining this distraction he created for me. “Sorry, Shane, I—”
“How many times do you think we’ve played this game? Sitting at this table in these specific spots?”
I blink. “What? I don’t know. At least a hundred.” Most nights we played more than one, kept going until Max got bored enough to start bitching it was time to leave. A dark part of me wonders if he was texting other women while I was blissfully playing cards with his father.
“Mmhmm.” Shane sits back in his chair and looks at me. “And you’ve worn that tease of an outfit through at least a few of those times.”
I glance down at my clothes. “It’s meant as a makeshift swimsuit cover-up.”
“Is it?” He moves, fast as a snake, and grabs the bottom of my chair, dragging it to the corner of the table, until my knees bump into his legs under the table and our chairs almost touch. He casually shifts to flip up my skirt, displaying my white panties. “Doesn’t look like you’re wearing a swimsuit right now.”
My skin heats and I nibble my bottom lip. “That’s because I’m not.”
“Spread your legs.”
I force myself to hesitate even though I want to do exactly as he commands. “Shane,” I murmur. “We shouldn’t.”
He looks over my shoulder in the direction of the living room, understanding flashing across his handsome features. “I just want to look, Lily.”
I move haltingly, bracing my hands on the chair behind me and slowly spreading my thighs. It takes a little maneuvering to get around the table leg, which means I won’t be able to slam them shut. Knowing that makes this hotter. “Like this?”
“Yeah, baby girl, just like that.” He exhales slowly as if the sight affects him even now, when he’s had me in so many different ways. Almost like this is the first time we’ve crossed the line. He reaches down and ghosts his hand over my panties. Not quite touching, but I swear I can feel the heat of his palm through the lace.
I’m shaking from the need to move, shaking from desire. “You said you were just going to look.”
“That’s all I’m doing.” His gaze meets mine as he draws one knuckle down the center of my panties. “Oops.”
“Shane.” But I don’t try to stop him as he rubs my pussy through my panties. Just that slow drag of his knuckle over my slit and up to my clit and then back down again. “This isn’t what I agreed to.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
I make myself look over my shoulder at the doorway into the living room. It doesn’t matter that it’s empty, that neither of us have said his name. We both know what game we’re playing. “No,” I whisper. “Don’t stop.” I lick my lips. “It’s not like you’re really touching me, right? It’s just through my panties.”
His gaze flares hotter. “That’s right, Lily.” He roughly palms my pussy, pressing his fingers to my ass where the plug is and making me jump. “I’m not really touching you at all.” He pulses his hand, and I have to fight back a moan. “In fact…” Shane reaches up and idly knocks the deck of cards onto the floor at my feet. “Well, fuck. Better pick these up.”
I watch with wide eyes as he goes to his knees. He has to push my chair back to make room, and then he’s between my thighs, his big hands urging my legs wider. Shane holds my gaze as he presses an open-mouth kiss to my panties. I bite my lip hard to keep a moan inside. “Shane, you promised.”
“I’m not touching you.” He kisses me again, his tongue tracing my pussy through the lace. “I’m just picking up the damn cards.”
I slump back in the chair as he works me with his mouth. We’re both so quiet, as if there really is someone else in the house, as if we’re half a second from being caught. My panties are soaked, both from my need and from Shane’s mouth. “Someone will see.”