Page 83 of Held-

His smile is slow and devious as he rolls me onto my back in one fluid motion. He settles between my thighs, deliciously heavy as he braces himself on his forearms.

“Willing, huh?” His voice is rough with sleep, a hint of teasing slipping in. “And how willing would that be?”

I press against him, enjoying the small hiss of breath he takes when I press against his hardness. “Very.”

He lowers his head, lips hovering just above mine. “Show me.”

I slide my hands up his arms, feeling the corded muscles tense beneath my touch. Just as I'm about to pull him down to me, my phone vibrates again, the buzz against the nightstand impossibly loud in the quiet room.

Brayden groans, dropping his forehead to my shoulder. “Your friend has shit timing.”

I reach over, fumbling for my phone without dislodging him. Three more texts from Maya.

Busy? BUSY? That's what you're giving me after two weeks of radio silence?

What kind of drama? The good kind or the 'I'm hiding a body' kind?

And WHO are you busy WITH? Details. NOW.

“She's persistent,” I mutter, dropping the phone back onto the nightstand. “She's not going to stop until I call her.”

Brayden makes a low, growling sound in the back of his throat. “Tell her you'll call later.” His mouth finds my neck, teeth grazing lightly over my pulse point in a way that makes coherent thought nearly impossible.

“She'll just keep texting,” I manage to say, tilting my head to give him better access. “Maya doesn't understand the concept of boundaries.”

“Turn it off,” he suggests, his hand sliding up my bare thigh.

The phone buzzes again, more insistent than before.

I sigh, pushing gently at his chest. “Five minutes. Just give me five minutes to call her and then I'm all yours.”

He pulls back just enough to look down at me. “Three minutes.”

“Five,” I counter, trying not to smile at his impatience.

“Four,” he offers, dipping his head to nip at my earlobe. “And I get to touch you while you talk.”

A shiver runs through me at the thought. “That's not fair.”

“Never claimed to play fair, princess.” His hand inches higher on my thigh, teasing. “Clock's ticking.”

I grab the phone before I can change my mind, quickly hitting Maya's contact. She answers on the first ring.

“Holy shit, you are alive! I was this close to filing a missing persons report.”

“I'm fine,” I tell her, trying to ignore Brayden’s hand as it inches higher on my thigh. “I just got caught up with...things,” I say, biting my lip as Brayden's hand slides even higher, his fingers now tracing the edge of my underwear.

“What kind of things? Or should I say who?” Maya’s tone turns sly. “You’re breathing weird. Do you have someone there with you right now?”

I try to shoot Brayden a warning look, but he just smirks as his fingers slip beneath the fabric. I barely stifle a gasp.

“I, um—yes, I’m not alone,” I manage, the words strained as his thumb circles dangerously close to where I’m already embarrassingly wet. “Can I call you back later?”

“Oh my God!” Maya shrieks, loud enough that I have to pull the phone away from my ear. “Cecelia Marie Montgomery. Who is with you?”

Brayden's eyebrow arches, clearly able to hear her through the phone. His fingers pause their torment, but the knowing smile on his face tells me I'm not off the hook yet.

“A friend,” I answer. Brayden must take offense to that label because he goes from slow torture to fully cupping me in a split second. The sudden change makes me gasp.