Page 44 of The Haunting Plot

I take a step toward her, getting as close to her as I can without touching her. “You don’t have to work this hard to get my attention. You already have it.” My gaze drops to her full pink lips that she’s currently pushing out in a slight pout.

“Stop staring at my lips like that.” There’s a slight breathlessness in her voice as she shifts on her feet.

“Like what?”

“Like you want to do something you’ll regret.”

“I dunno. Feeling your plush lips against mine, while you inject me with your venom sounds like a great way to spend an afternoon.”

Her eyes drop to my mouth. It’s quick, and if I’d blinked, I might have missed it. “Injecting you with something would probably be the only way I could get you off of me since you clearly can’t take a hint.”

“I think you like this back and forth as much as me.”

She inhales quickly, her pulse beating through the skin of her neck. I wait for her to deny it, but she doesn’t. Seconds pass as she silently stares up at me, so I decide to have a little fun.

“Afraid you’re a bad kisser?”

“There’s no such thing as a bad kisser,” she shoots back.

Damn, Summer was right.

“I beg to differ. I’ve had my fair share of awful kissing experiences in my day.”

“Then those weren’t the people you were meant to kiss. Everyone has different preferences and skills.”

“Says someone who probably kisses like they don’t care how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop,” I say, delighting in the way her brow furrows.

She walks over to the bowl of fruit, moving the bananas before grabbing a large pear. I watch as she takes a bite, following the movement in her throat as she swallows. It’s an effort to calm the excitement threatening to make itself known in my pants. Once she finishes chewing, she clears her throat, redirecting my attention to her gorgeous face. “I’m only doing this once, and I’m not holding your hand through it.” A deep sigh escapes her as her lips hover over the fruit. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

Then she presses the pear against her lips, devouring it like she’s starving.

I step toward her, transfixed by the way her mouth presses against it. The way her lips slide across the flesh. The way her little pink tongue slips out, caressing the fruit as it catches all the juices. The noises she makes as she sucks and nips the pear. I’ve never craved a piece of fruit more.

As quickly as it started, she pulls back and tosses me the fruit. “Your turn.”

“Do you want me to pretend like this is your mouth or your pussy?”

Her cheeks pinken at my words as she rubs a hand along her collarbone. “Why am I not surprised that you aren’t taking this seriously?”

I swallow down the sting in her words and hold the pear up to my mouth. “If there’s one thing I’m serious about, it’s proving myself to you.”

“You can use the other side, so you don’t have to slobber on the part with my germs.”

“I’m not worried about a little spit.” Then I lower my mouth to the fruit where her mouth was and press my lips against it, licking and flicking as I maintain eye contact with her. Each time my tongue peeks out, she licks her lips, so I continue doing it. When I work my lips against the pear, she inhales sharply. As I slowly drag my tongue in a circle, she shifts, crossing her legs.

There’s not an ounce of shame in my movements.

“Okay, I think you made your point.” There’s a hint of arousal mixed in with her usual exasperation.

“Are you sure? I could happily feast on that all day.” My eyes flick to her crotch.

“I should uhhh… get back to work.” Her gaze locks on my eyes, then dips to my lips. This time it’s not a quick peek. No, she’s really staring.

I’m about to close the distance between us when a loud bang comes from above, and we look at the ceiling in unison.

“What was that?” I ask, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

“Like you don’t know.”