Page 38 of Playing Hard to Get

“Yes, we can.” I pulled a metal chair away from a nearby table and sat down next to her. I took her hands in mine, kissing her knuckles before resting them in her lap.

“I don't want to hurt you.” Her bright blue eyes stared into mine, like she was terrified I'd stay. Or maybe she was terrified I’d go.

“You can't hurt me, sweet girl. And I won’t hurt you.” I leaned forward and kissed her once again, a gentle press of my lips against hers. “I want to help you feel. Help you understand what it's like when you let go.”

A whimper rose in her throat as a cool breeze brushed tendrils of her soft hair across my face.

“Let me take control, sweet girl.” I was pleading, because I needed her as much as I wanted to give her what she deserved. “Let me make you come again.”

“What are you going to do?” The tender innocence of her voice astounded me, and I wanted to wrap her up and cradle her in my arms.

“I'm going to touch you.” I ran my thumb across her thigh, pressing closer, closer to her heat. “I'm going to taste you.”

A flush of color splashed across her cheeks and she dragged her eyes away from mine.

“Has anyone ever gone down on you, Vivian?” I kept my voice low, a whisper between the two of us. She shook her head and her cheeks flushed more. “Have you ever played with toys?”

Another shake of her head and those beautiful eyes squeezed shut.

“Tell me what you’ve done.”

“Nothing,” she whispered. “None of that. I've never let anyone…”

I pulled her face to mine and kissed those sweet, sweet lips. “Let me. Trust me. I want to give this to you.”

A heavy, shaky breath heaved out of her chest. Her lips parted, her tongue sweeping across her bottom lip, and her eyes opened and found mine.

I held my hand out to her. “Do you trust me?”

Vivian nodded, those blue eyes frantic, and she slipped her hand into mine. “I want to.”

A smile tugged at my lips. I wanted to give in, let it split my face in two. Because this was a dream come true. But I kept it small. Let her see I was happy without scaring her off with the full extent of my glee. I couldn’t wait to get her into my bed, couldn't wait to sink down deep between her legs. I would savor every inch of her, commit it all to memory. Because this girl?

I heard she liked to run away.

* * *

Vivian

My stomach felt like I had hundred-pound butterflies fluttering around in it. My mouth was dry and my entire body felt too warm. Mitch was clutching my sweaty palm in his, and I worried he would feel how much I was shaking. If he noticed, he didn’t show it. He kept stealing glances my way and had been since we caught the cab that brought us to the pier and his car. Never once did he release my hand for more than a minute, and that was only for us to climb into the cab, into his SUV, and out of the car at his house.

He pulled me through his backyard and into the yellowed mudroom. In the kitchen, he turned to me. Like he did the last time I was here. This time, though, he took my face in his hands and ran the tip of his tongue across my lips. I tried to lean into him, to touch my lips to his. But he pulled back and shook his head.

“Trust me, darlin’. Let me take control.”

This was the last thing I ever expected. I never relinquished control. All my life, it’d been me making the decisions. What I did. Who I did it with. What I allowed them. I wasn’t sure I wanted this.

But I wanted this.

I wanted Mitch, and I had since I first met him. Even though I'd spent the past couple weeks running from him. When he texted me earlier today, I thought for sure I could keep hiding. Thought I could tell him I was in New York and make him believe me. I never once thought he'd have already found me.

I was so ready to be found.

Mitch’s deep brown eyes bored into mine. With a gentle kiss to my lips, he took my hand and led me through the house, up the stairs, and to his room. He flipped a switch along the wall and lights fluttered on. It wasn’t as bright as it was last time. This time, ropes of LED lights came to life behind the headboard and at the base of the bed. A dim light radiated from the small lamps on each of the bedside tables. And a banker’s light glowed red from the top of his desk.

Mitch turned to me and took my face in his hands once more. He tipped my chin to the ceiling before his lips and tongue fought for purchase against my throat. His strong hands coasted down my sides and hugged my hips to his.

“You want me, Vivian?”