Playing You (Omega's Luck #3) - Claire Cullen Page 0,26

one of the guests was revealed to be the dead man’s long-lost brother, due to inherit now that the elder sibling was no longer an obstacle in his way.

Even though Brendan and Riley were well aware of how the story ended, it was still a satisfying conclusion. They joined the rest of the guests for drinks and music after, everyone talking over what clues they’d spotted and those they’d missed.

It was late by the time he and Riley stumbled up to their bedroom. Their weekend was almost over, their roles at an end, and they’d go back to being boss and assistant come morning.

Brendan headed into the bathroom. When he came out, he found Riley sitting on the end of their bed, waiting for him.

“I’m not ready for this weekend to be over yet,” the omega said.

“It’s been fun,” Brendan admitted.

Riley laughed. “Fun? It’s been torture.”

Brendan’s face fell. “That bad?”

Riley stood and closed the distance between them, his fingers tightening into fists before relaxing.

“Pretending to be your everything, being so close to you, sleeping right beside you but not being able to touch… it’s enough to drive a person mad with lust.”

Brendan swallowed hard as Riley's hands reached for his shirt, taking a tentative hold of it.

“It would be a shame to let you surrender to the madness,” he said quietly.

“Wouldn’t it?”

Riley tugged him closer and stepped up onto his tiptoes, pressing a kiss to Brendan’s lips. Brendan knew this was a mistake… but it was one he was all too willing to make. He caught Riley’s chin and held his gaze.

“Just for tonight,” he murmured.

“For tonight,” Riley echoed, his breath hot against Brendan’s skin as they kissed.

Chapter Fourteen

Riley pushed Brendan backwards until the alpha’s back hit the wall next to the bathroom door. He stole another long, lingering kiss, and then set to undoing the buttons of Brendan’s shirt. Brendan tried to help, but Riley brushed his hands away, and the alpha contented himself with running his fingers through Riley’s hair, tugging him in for another kiss. He nipped at Riley’s lower lip, nudged his tongue into Riley’s mouth, and didn’t let up until they were both gasping. Riley groaned, his body alive with need, and resumed his work of divesting Brendan of his shirt. He got the shirt untucked, the buttons undone, and pushed the material off Brendan’s shoulders, distracted by the expanse of bare skin that was revealed. Knowing Brendan was fit was one thing, seeing and touching his toned body was quite another.

He ran his hands up Brendan’s chest and across his shoulders, wanting to touch every inch he could reach. “How are you this perfect?”

Brendan laughed. “Speak for yourself, darling.”

Riley blinked up at him, bemused. “Darling?”

“Babe?” the alpha suggested. “Honeybun? Sexy?”

Before Riley could complain about any and all nicknames, the alpha’s lips were on his again, pushing all rational thought from his mind. Heat and need thrummed under his skin, and he finally shoved Brendan’s shirt down his arms and off.

“Better,” he murmured, breaking the kiss to stroke his palms down Brendan’s sides and across his abs.

“Not from where I’m standing.”

Riley stared wide-eyed at Brendan before the alpha moved suddenly, switching places to pin him against the wall. His hands inched under the hem of Riley’s dress shirt, teasing touches across his stomach. Heat blossomed everywhere the alpha touched, driving Riley’s need to new heights. Brendan lacked the patience for buttons, grasping both sides of Riley’s rented shirt with his hands and yanking. Buttons popped, raining down onto the floor.

“But… the deposit,” Riley said weakly.

The alpha laughed, stealing another kiss. “You let me worry about that.”

Soon, Riley’s shirt joined Brendan’s on the floor, and the alpha’s hands were on him, skimming his waist, trailing up and down his spine, teasing touches alternating with long strokes as Brendan got to know every inch of him. He was turned with firm hands, pressed against the wall, and held in place.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” Brendan murmured, pressing his mouth to the dip between Riley’s shoulder blades.

Riley gasped at the touch of Brendan’s lips to his skin.

“Then why didn’t you?”

“We weren’t there yet.”

Distantly, Riley was aware that they still weren’t. Just for tonight. Wasn’t that what they’d said?

Brendan’s mouth moved lower, trailing kisses down his back, no inch of skin left neglected. Riley tried to push away from the wall only to find himself nudged firmly back, his hands caught and pressed palm-first against the cold surface.

He squirmed with need and longing. “I want you