home and spent three hours raking leaves and cleaning out the gutters, then I went over and did my mother’s gutters too—I felt like I needed the punishment.
Back at home, I ate a shitty frozen dinner, watched the World Series without really paying attention to the game—and it was the final—and gave myself hell for messing up the one chance I’d ever really had with Meg. I told myself that if I were somehow offered another one, I’d do things a lot differently.
And here she was, still in that hot little red top.
And here I was, stark fucking naked and starting to get hard as I thought about ripping it off her.
“Are you in the habit of breaking and entering?” I asked her.
Again, she shook her head. “I didn’t break in. Your back door was open.”
It wasn’t like me, but it was possible, since I’d been so damn distracted all night.
“And I was just going to use the bathroom real quick,” she went on, obviously flustered. “I didn’t know you’d be in this one.”
“There’s a problem with the drain upstairs, so I came down here.”
“Oh.”
Jesus. The girl could not keep her eyes off my dick. It was both hot and hilarious.
“So you’re not here to steal anything?” I asked.
“No.”
“Were you planning to vandalize the property?”
“No.” She lowered her chin, but finally met my eyes. “I’m more interested in bodily harm.”
Done fooling around, I went at her, threw her over my shoulder, and carried her up the stairs.
Inside my bedroom, I laid her down on top of my comforter, pausing only to remove her shoes.
“You make your bed?” she asked, clearly surprised.
“With hospital corners in thirty fucking seconds or else.”
“I’m impressed.”
“Good.” I stretched out above her, settling my hips over hers.
She giggled. “You’re getting me all wet.”
“That’s my plan.” Brushing her hair aside, I buried my face in her neck and kissed her throat.
She moaned softly, writhing beneath me. “Oh God, that feels good. You’re not mad?”
I picked my head up. “Why would I be mad?”
“Because of what you said today. How giving in to what we feel would be a bad idea, because you’re afraid it would ruin things.”
“Fuck what I said. I’m not afraid.” I looked down at her. “Are you?”
“No.” Her denim-clad legs twined around me and she lifted her lips to mine. “I want you. I want this. Please don’t stop.”
She didn’t have to tell me twice.
I kissed her like I’d always wanted to, like I’d dreamed of, like I’d fantasized about. She tasted faintly of honey, or maybe maple syrup, something sweet and sexy at the same time.
I couldn’t get enough.
And neither could she. I loved the way she moved beneath me—her arms might have been pinned above her shoulders, but she had those runner’s legs, and she used them, rubbing her heels up the back of my legs, crossing her ankles behind my thighs, opening her knees wide and bringing them up toward our chests.
Eventually, I kissed my way down the front of her shirt and ran my tongue along that narrow little ribbon of bare skin that had been driving me nuts all day. “Did you wear this on purpose?” I asked. “Knowing it would turn me on?”
“Truth?” she breathed. “Yes. At least, I hoped it would.”
“It did. From the second you got into my car.” I pushed the shirt farther up her stomach and kissed her ribcage. “You evil temptress.”
She laughed, the sound resonating through her chest to my lips. “I wanted you to look at me differently. To want me like this.”
I grabbed the shirt by the hem and lifted it over her head. When I looked down at her lace-edged nude bra, her breasts spilling over the top, my desire surged, and I said a little prayer of thanks I’d left the light on in my room. “It worked.” I lowered my head to her chest and moved my mouth over flesh and satin and lace. “I’ve never wanted anyone so badly in my entire life.”
Her whole body shivered. “Me neither.”
God help me, I tried to go slow.
I took off her bra and lavished each of her perfect breasts with all the attention they deserved, with my hands and lips and tongue. I slid her jeans and underwear down her legs and licked my way back up one inner thigh and then the other, reveling in the way she caught her breath, and gasped for air, and whispered my name like a plea. I pushed her legs apart and buried my