Page 10 of Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake

“Harder,” she gasped out, digging her nails into his back. He obliged, their skin slapping in a wet, crude way that made him wild. He reared up onto his palms, then used one hand to grip her thigh, getting a handful of luscious freckled skin, as he pushed her leg higher, moved into her deeper.

“Yes,” Lizzie groaned, arching her neck and pressing her head into the mattress. Rake dragged his teeth along her throat and collarbone, needing to taste her and feel her with as many parts of himself as he could.

“It’s so good,” he ground out, pistoning into her with even more force, earning him a moan of satisfaction from her lips. It shouldn’t be this good. It shouldn’t be allowed for a random hookup to be this raw. Reach this overwhelming type of pleasure.

Their eyes locked, and Rake knew she was close.Hewas close. Pleasure rippled between them, and her body felt poised to snap as she looked into his eyes. But at the last minute, she slammed her lids closed, blocking him out. Riding that wave on her own with a raspy cry.

The loss of her eyes punched sharply at him, but he brushed it aside, his own release barreling through him, ripping the air from his lungs and the strength from his arms as he collapsed down, rolling off her.

They lay there for a moment, the heavy sounds of theirbreathing mixing with the hum of traffic floating in through the open window. Rake waited for awkwardness to settle between them in the bed, but it didn’t. Just a foreign feeling of contentment as his pulse calmed.

“I feel like I need a cigarette after that,” Rake said to the ceiling. More accurately, he felt like he might need to pass out.

“Do you smoke?” she asked, turning her head to him with an amused smile.

“Not a day in my life. But after what you just did to me? It only seems appropriate.”

“WhatIdid toyou?” Lizzie said with an incredulous laugh, slapping her palm against his sweaty chest with a loud smack. “You were a very active participant.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief and humor as she looked at him, and Rake couldn’t help but pick up her hand from his chest and lay a kiss on her palm.

Lizzie watched the movement, blinking at him, the humor draining from her features. She pulled her hand away gently, hovering it between them like she couldn’t decide where it belonged. A decision seemed to click in her mind, and she gave him an almost familial pat on the cheek and turned away, sitting up and swinging her legs off the side of the bed.

“Where are you going?” he asked, dragging his fingers along the splattering of freckles across her back. She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling, while she pulled her mane of fiery hair into a ponytail.

“A lady always pees after sex. It’s one of the ten commandments of womanhood.” She laughed and stood, giving him an excellent view of her full ass as she padded across the room, scooping up her clothes on her way to the bathroom.

Rake flopped back onto the pillows, blinking up at the ceiling.

That had been… incredible. Better than incredible. Sure, it had been a long,longdry spell, but that was up there with some of the best sex of his life. Dirty. Uninhibited.Fun. He draggedhis hands over his face, trying to get a grip. Trying to find the stamina to do it again if he was being honest with himself.

After another minute, Lizzie walked out of the bathroom and back toward the bed. Rake sat up, the sheets falling around his waist and his heart sinking as he saw she’d put her dress back on.

“Are you… You aren’t leaving, are you?” Rake was embarrassed at how needy his own voice sounded.

Lizzie tilted her head, giving him a funny smile. “Did you expect me to… stay?” The words weren’t mean, just filled with a genuine curiosity that made Rake feel like a fool.

“No, sorry. Of course not.” Her leaving was the best thing that could happen. This was a one-off. Something he needed to get out of his system.

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, catlike and focused, studying him with a soft smile at the corners. The power of those beautiful eyes was the only explanation for what he said next. “Can I get your number?”

Her eyes shot wide. As they should. She’d made this clear it was a one-night stand, and Rake similarly wasn’t interested in anything more. And he was heading back home to Australia in a few days. He couldn’t use her number.Wouldn’tuse it, even if she gave it.

Definitely wouldn’t call.

Probably.

“Uh, sure. Um.” Her eyebrows pinched together as she riffled through her large bag. She pulled out a green marker and stared at it then looked around, bewildered. Her eyes landing on Rake, she closed the distance and grabbed his wrist, scribbling her number on the back of his hand.

“I could have just given you my phone,” Rake said, unable to hide the smile in his voice.

“Huh? Oh.” She blushed, illuminating the dusting of freckles on her cheeks. “Yeah, that would have made more sense. Sorry.”She capped the marker and tossed it back in her bag, taking a step away from him.

“Do you always carry markers?”

She dropped her chin to her chest and let out a quiet, almost sad laugh, one that sounded like defeat. “Yeah, keep them right next to the condoms,” she said, looking back up at him and winking. “This bag’s a mess. I probably have half my life in here. Pulled out some old cheese sticks just this morning.”

Rake scrunched his nose. “Delicious.”

An awkward silence fell between them, and Lizzie fidgeted, looking toward the door.