Page 42 of Next Time We'll Fall

“Would you mind if I slowly undid your shirt like this?” I say as I unbutton her shirt.

She’s breathing rapidly now, and my breath catches at the curve of her breasts.

“Would you mind if I did this?”

I slip my hand down onto her thigh, bringing it up closer and closer toward her mound. I slide my fingers down the inside of her leg and then press higher.

She has on pants, so I can’t slip my fingers into her panties, but I would love to see if they are wet. I’d love to see if she is as turned on as I am right now.

“I don’t know,” she says, breathing rapidly now as she leans back into the chair. “I just don’t think this is …”

She pauses as I lean forward and kiss her again.

She moans slightly, and I run my fingers through her long, dark hair. She grabs my shoulders and squeezes.

I want to tell her I think she’s the prettiest girl in the world. I want to tell her when she looks at me with those big, wide brown eyes, my heart melts. I want to tell her I want to take care of her, that I want to make her scream. I want to see the way she reacts in the throes of passion.

And yet I know I can’t. I know it will seem odd. I know it will just reinforce in her what she already believes—that this is just about sex for me because I’ve never shown her anything else.

“Spend the night with me,” I say, pulling back and running a wave of her hair behind her ear. “Spend the night with me, and let’s just talk.”

“I’m going to do the dating reality show,” she says.

“That’s fine,” I say, though my heart is racing rapidly. “If that’s what you really want to do.”

“It will help me with my book,” she says quickly. “Plus, I’m looking for something real.”

Her eyes search mine, and I don’t know the question she’s asking me. Or maybe I do, and I’m just not ready to answer it.

“So, my place or yours?” I say, completely changing the subject.

She licks her lips and shrugs. “Come into mine. I’m sure Sage and Rosie would love to see you. Mia is at Luke’s right now, so you don’t have to worry about seeing her.”

“I’m not worried,” I say, though I’m grateful my sister’s not there. I’m not sure exactly how I would have explained to her that I was spending the night in Juniper’s bed.

“You don’t mind that Sage and Rosie will know?”

“They already know,” she says, laughing. “Plus, let’s see if you’ll be a gentleman with my cousins in the apartment.”

“I’m always a gentleman. You’ll see.”

“Sure you are, Rafe.”

“Tonight, I’m going to prove myself to you. In fact, you can put me to the test.”

“What do you mean, I can put you to the test?”

“I’ll wear whatever you want me to wear, and you can wear whatever you want to wear, and I’ll still be a good boy.”

“Oh, really? So, if you were naked and I was naked, you’d be a good boy?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t do anything you wouldn’t want me to do,” I say honestly, but I don’t tell her how hard it would be for me to resist her if we were both lying there, naked.

“Okay, Rafe,” she says, a little smile on her face. “I’m going to put you to the test tonight.”

She winks at me.

“Let’s go inside. I’m sure Rosie and Sage are dying to hear what this conversation was about.”