Page 94 of Strung Along
Lips soothe the burn from his beard. “Sure as shit didn’t expect to wind up here with you after that first meetin’.”
“No? You didn’t have a vision of buying the woman who verbally spanked your ass in front of a crowd of people a fluffy cow on your family’s ranch?”
“Nah, but I wish I had. Would have saved a bit of time runnin’ around the bush that way.”
“I think I like the way we started. It was unique,” I admit, releasing the rope toy and letting Banana have a win.
She jumps back and then forward adorably before discarding the toy in search of another.
“You’re goin’ to have to be here often to see Banana,” he says, as if I don’t already know that. Or plan on it.
“Even when you’re gone?”
A pause. “Especially when I’m gone.”
“Do you know when you leave?”
I don’t want to know, but at the same time, I need to. He can only delay his return to Nashville for so long.
“Next week. Rita sent me the plane ticket last night.”
My stomach churns, and I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing the sudden nausea away.
“How long will you be gone?”
“Just a few days. I’m meeting with the label, but it shouldn’t take long.”
“And then?”
He tightens his grip on me, and I let him. “Then I’m comin’ back until I know what comes next. Untilwe’vedecided what to do next.”
“As in us? You and me?”
“Yeah, us, sweetheart. You and me. I don’t want to say goodbye once I go back. Plan on keepin’ you as long as I can.”
I spin in his arms, tucking my legs into my chest as his bracket my body. He slings his arms over his knees, eyes watching intensely as I rest my arms on his shoulders and lock my fingers behind his neck.
“Do you think long distance will work?” I ask calmly. Maybe too calmly.
His expression is tense, so damn concentrated. But those blue eyes are sincere, settling some of my nerves.
“I know it will. For you, I’ll make it work. We have a lot to figure out, but we still have time. Today isn’t for that conversation, though. I want to just be here with you. Spend the holidays with my woman. I’m confident enough in us to ask you to let me do that.”
I soften at the plea in his tone. Words won’t suffice in answer. Untucking my legs, I lean forward on my knees and meet his stare, loving the way his eyes track the length of my tongue when it wets my lips. My arms feel like they weigh a thousand pounds hanging on his shoulders as I close the distance between us, tasting his mouth.
The kiss starts soft and sweet before turning hard, frantic. Weeks of sexual tension have all led up to today. I feel the rightness of it in every rise of my chest. We’ve both been teasing ourselves, but that ends today. Tonight. Now. I don’t care, as long as it’s soon.
He groans into my mouth, and I suck it down, greedy to hear another one. I sink my fingers into his hair, my nipples hard and aching. Heat pools between my legs, a desire so potent driving me that I tune the rest of the world out. It’s just us here. Brody and me.
His large hands possessively cup my ass, kneading it through my jeans. I want them on my bare flesh, want my pants gone.
But, God, I know we can’t do this right now. Not here.
It takes everything in me to tear my lips from his and whisper, “Tonight. We can’t do this here.”
His eyes are still shut when he leans his forehead to mine. “Fucking Banana.”
My laugh is loud. Cleansing. It draws his eyes open, the blue in them so sharp and clear it makes me shiver.