Page 16 of Hung Up (Shadow Ridge #1)

My hands slide down and grip the back of her jean-clad thighs and hoist her up, wrapping her legs around my waist. Spinning us around while never breaking the kiss, I press her back against the brick of the bar's exterior. Her tongue slips into my mouth and begins to explore, and the sound that escapes my throat is guttural. Faith’s hands are in my hair, forcing the hat off my head, and it falls to the pavement behind me.

She fists the strands at the nape of my neck and pulls me away from her lips as she gasps for air, so I quickly drop my head and start to kiss her neck.

I find a sensitive spot behind her ear that has her breath catching, so I suck lightly which draws another moan out of her.

I swear to god, I might be in heaven.

Loud laughter from the street startles me out of my haze, making me stop the assault on her neck to gaze into her eyes. They’re slightly unfocused, a mix of arousal and alcohol, no doubt. Right, she’s been drinking.

She dips her head like she’s going to kiss me again, but I turn so she gets my cheek.

I slowly lower her back down to her feet, pulling down her shirt, which had ridden up to just below her breasts, before I take a full step back.

I bend down and pick up my hat, placing it back on my head as I study her.

Faith is staring at me with swollen lips and flushed cheeks, her already curly and unruly hair even more untamed.

She’s panting softly, her hand on her chest as she no doubt feels her heart beating just as fast as my own.

Then I watch it happen in real time: the regret and the shame.

Her face crumples as she looks at me before a new fire lights behind her eyes.

And prepare for impact in three…two…one…

“If you don’t want to fuck me, Pretty Boy, just say that.”

That’s…not what I was expecting her to say.

“Sweetheart—”

“I’m a big girl and would rather you turn me down instead of kissing me like that and then dropping me like I disgust you.”

“Faith—”

“You don’t need to humiliate a girl. And here I thought you had good manners. Jokes on me, I guess, because you’re just?—”

I close the gap between us and grip her face between my hands, crashing my lips to hers before she can continue this pointless tirade. Her hands land on my wrists as she kisses me back, but I pull away and rest my forehead against hers before she can deepen this one.

“You’re drunk, Sweetheart,” I tell her gently, my thumb stroking her cheek as I pull back so I can look her in the eye. “I need to know you want this. Sober.”

“I’m not drunk, Jesse,” she says, and the use of my name instead of my nickname sends my heart into overdrive.

“You know what? This was a mistake.” She lowers my hands from her face and takes five steps away from me.

“I’m just horny, that’s all. My needs aren’t being met, and every woman has needs, and that’s all there is to it. ”

At the risk of making a total fool of myself, I tell her, “Then sleep with me.”

“Absolutely not,” she responds with a huff of disbelief.

“Why not? You just kissed me.”

“Because you’re infuriating, and it was a mistake.”

“Hate sex is sometimes the best sex.” I take one step closer, praying she can’t see the hard-on I’m sporting in my jeans right now. “Come on, Sweetheart. It can just be one night where we both get what we want, and then we can pretend it never happened.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “I don’t do casual.”

“So it’s a relationship you’re after?”

“God, no.” Faith seems visibly repulsed by the thought. “I told you I swore off relationships, remember?”

This girl is giving me whiplash. “Then I’m confused.”

She throws her hands up in exasperation.

“I’m not a casual girl, Jesse. I don’t do hookups.

I want someone I can call whenever I need them and they’ll show up at the drop of a hat to satisfy me.

But I don’t want to share. I want the sex without the feelings, but with the exclusivity.

It’s hard enough to feel comfortable in your skin without having to worry about what the person, or people, you’re sleeping with think, too.

That sounds like my own personal version of hell.

But no man in their right mind wants an exclusive fuck buddy who is as insecure as I am.

So alas, I’ll have to continue relying on my vibrator, even though it has grown extremely disappointing. ”

Faith begins to pace as I take a second to digest her words. Clearly, her exes have chipped away at her and are the reason she wants exclusivity. She never got that in her relationships; it only makes sense that she’d want some control and stability now. But no man in their right mind?

Well, then, someone call the psych ward.

“Pick me.”

She whips around to face me, eyes wide. “What?”

“Pick me. I’ll be your exclusive fuck buddy.”

“Jesse—”

“I meant what I said earlier,” I tell her, referring to what I said to her on the beach. “I’ve wanted you since I first laid my eyes on you.” She studies me for a moment, her face unreadable, so I say, “Ball is in your court, Sweetheart.”

I turn on my heel and begin to walk back toward the street, planning to make my way over to the other side so I can watch and make sure she makes it back into the bar or an Uber okay. Just before I reach the sidewalk, I turn around.

“412.”

“What?”

God, she’s so cute when she’s flustered. “My room number. In case you’re interested.”