“I can’t give you anything but friendship right now,” she says, even as she leans into my touch.
“I’ll take it.”
“We really could be great friends.”
I roll her nipple under my thumb. “The best.”
“We should do that, then.” She gasps when I pinch her opposite nipple. “Is this breaking the rules?”
“Only if you say it is.” I trail my fingers between her breasts and over her stomach, slipping them beneath the waistband of her flannel pants. “What do you say? Is this allowed?”
She lifts her hips off the couch. An invitation.
I stroke back and forth beneath the elastic and circle her navel with my thumb. “This is your call, Shayleigh. You make the rules.”
“I can’t be . . .” She squirms under my hand, no doubt fighting the instinct to guide my hand where she needs it. “It’s not fair to you. I might not even live here much longer.”
The idea of her leaving is a kick in the chest, but I push that pain aside. “As your best friend, I’m sure I won’t want you to leave whether I touch you tonight or not.”
Her eyes are closed and her tongue darts out to graze her bottom lip. I can barely breathe I want her so badly.
“Can your best friend touch you?” I ask, hearing the desperation in my voice. “Can I make you come?”
She opens her eyes and searches my face. “Please?”
That’s all I need. I cup her between her legs. She’s so wet, and I’ve barely started. She parts her legs for me, giving me easier access to her slick folds. I circle her entrance. Once. Twice. She whimpers, and I plunge a finger inside her. She’s so hot and wet and tight. Her eyes shut again, and those soft pink lips part. I want to kiss her, but the way our bodies are positioned, I can’t, so I watch, my gaze switching between the way she’s moving against my hand and the pleasure on her face.
I stroke her cheek with my free hand. I wasn’t lying that night at the bar when I told her I wanted her to choose me, but I lied when I implied I wouldn’t play dirty to get her there. We’ve spent too many years apart, and if the insane chemistry we’ve always had is what’s going to make her give this a chance, then I’ll use it to my full advantage.
I add a second finger to the first and find her clit with my thumb. Her body clenches tightly, and blood pulses to my cock.
“As your friend,” I say, eyes fixed on her hips now and how she’s fucking my hand, “I think you should know you have the perfect pussy.”
She grasps the hand that was stroking her cheek and turns her head to pull my index finger into her mouth. She licks then closes her mouth around it and sucks. Pleasure barrels down my spine, and I imagine her on my cock, the suction, how hot she’d look with her lips stretched over me.
Without meaning to, I’ve increased the pace of my hand, fucking her deeper and harder with my fingers. Her teeth scrape my knuckle and she gasps, her whole body tensing before she finally lets go and her orgasm pulses around my fingers.
I turn my touch gentle. Slow. I’m guiding her down, reluctant to pull away until I have to.
When she opens her eyes, they’re foggy with lust and there’s a small, satisfied smile on her lips. “You’re one hell of a friend.”
I smirk. “Told you so.”
She removes my hand from her pants, and I groan. I could touch her all night, but if playtime must be over . . .
I lift my fingers to my mouth and suck off the taste of her. She watches me with wide eyes and releases a little whimper that speaks volumes. I’m not the only one who wants more tonight.
Sitting up, she turns to face me on the couch and slides a hand down my chest to my stomach. “Your turn?”
I push off the couch and adjust myself in my jeans. I’m so fucking hard right now. “I should go.”
“Are you sure? I can . . .” She shakes her head, and I can see her scrambling to decide what she’s okay with. How far we can go within her rules. “I can return the favor.”
I brace a hand on either side of her on the back of the couch, then lean forward until my lips are almost touching hers. “Next time you touch me, Shay, it won’t be because you’re returning a favor. It will be because you want to. Full stop. No hesitation.”
“I . . .”
I pull away. Last time I got her off, we switched gears so fast that I couldn’t even enjoy how beautiful she looked all flushed and satisfied. Today, I want to take a picture and frame it above my bed. “I’ll see you Sunday.”