Page 12 of Worth Every Game
“I’d rather take my shirt off.” I undo the top button. “It’s very expensive. I’d like to lay it flat to dry.”
Elly points a finger at me. “Don’t you fucking dare. I’ll throw your arse out onto the street if you even think about undoing another one of those buttons.”
I lean against the kitchen counter, but I can’t help smiling at her as I dab myself dry with the towel. “You seem very convinced that I have an agenda in being here tonight.”
She sucks the spoon she used to stir our tea, then puts it on the side of the sink. “That’s what you do, isn’t it? Jack Lansen. Top class womanizer.”
Shit. She’s not holding back. “First, you don’t know I didn’t already get laid tonight. I could be totally sexually sated right now. Second, I came up here to hear you sing, because I felt bad about what I said yesterday, and then about leaving before your set tonight.”
She hands me a mug, and I let the towel rest on my shoulder so I can take it.
“Is that an apology?”
“No. I stand by everything I said. You can’t sing at Nico’s party.” I tap two fingers against my lips, then point them at her. “At least not before I’ve heard you.”
“Hmm. Okay. Let’s say, hypothetically, you’re telling the truth, and you have no ulterior motive in forcing your way in here other than to hear me sing. I’ll play for you. But I should warn you, youwillwant to fuck me afterwards. Can you handle that?”
Woah. That was not what I expected her to say, but there’s a challenge in her eyes I can’t resist, and the smirk of amusement that tugs at one side of her mouth seals the deal.
Her lips are so pink… naturally full andpink.How have I never noticed that before?
“Yeah,” I say.Casual. “Course. But you should know that I always get what I want.”
“You said that.”
I nod slowly. “Right. So, if you’re about to do something that’s going to make me want to fuck you—”
She inhales, the sound so close to a gasp that it cuts me off. “For that to ever happen, I’d have to want it too.”
This brings me up short. I definitely didn’t mean to imply I’d ever take something that wasn’t being willingly given. “Well, yeah. Of course.” I flash her a smile, the one that ordinarily has women simpering, but Elly’s expression doesn’t shift.Awkward. “I’d just wait for you to realise it was mutual,” I tease in a bid to lift the tension.
She rolls her eyes, but thankfully looks more amused than annoyed.Phew. “You really are the most arrogant arsehole out there. But it’s after 3 am on a Saturday, so I’ll forgive you.” She rubs her eyes, stretches the lids wide and blinks a few times, as though she’s waking from a dream. “This is surreal.” She blinks again. “Is this weird for you? I mean, what happened tonight? How are we both here, soaked to the bone, in the middle of the night?” She squeezes strands of her wet hair in fisted fingers,letting a few droplets of water fall to the floor. “Let me get changed, and then I’ll play.”
She potters off towards her room, and I sit on the sofa.
She’s right. Thisissurreal. I shouldn’t be here. Just as I’m wondering if I should leave again, Elly reappears wearing blue pyjamas with stars on them, and a pair of pink slippers that look like two electrocuted rabbits dipped in neon dye.
I refrain from commenting on them, but Elly must see me looking because she pauses and shakes a foot in my direction. “Sexy, huh?”
I swallow. “Yup. Hot stuff.”
“They’re my backup. For when you do want to fuck me.” She smirks and it’s hard not to smile back. “I figure a man like you isn’t coming anywhere near these things. They’re the fabric equivalent of pepper spray.”
I laugh, because… damn it, she’s funny. I feel way too comfortable right now, joking around with her. “Yeah, those are pretty hideous.”But it would only take me half a second to rip them off.
She picks up her guitar and unzips the case, pulls the instrument out, fixes the strap around her neck, and sits in a chair opposite me.
She strums a few chords and makes some adjustments to the strings.
Anticipation fires through me. Part of me hopes she’s bad, so I can stand by the things I said last time I was here. The other part is just plain intrigued.
She tilts forwards on her chair a little, and her pyjama top gapes at the neck.She’s not wearing a bra. The shadowed curve of her breasts is clearly visible. Even the outline of her nipples is clear from where I’m sitting. I’m instantly assailed by images of me sucking her little pink nipple between my teeth, and a shot of heat goes right to my groin.
Shit.
I shift in my seat, mentally warning my dick not to go getting ideas. I’m not about to give Elly the satisfaction of being right. Worse than that—I might actually want to fuck herbeforeshe starts singing, pink slippers and all.
She sits up, and my gaze slides off her breasts and up to her face. She arches a brow at me. “Ready?”