Page 59 of My Fault

“Can I break his face now?” he asked.

“I don’t think we’ve fooled anyone,” I replied.

“I called youPrecious. For me, Freckles, that’s tantamount to asking for your hand in marriage.” He slid a lock of hair back behind my ear. “Your ex is looking out the window, by the way.”

“What should I do then?”

“Just do whatever I tell you,” he said, bending over to whisper in my ear. “Like now—touch me.”

What?

“Come on, do it.”

I reached up and did as he asked. His skin was warm, almost feverish beneath my cold hands. He tensed up as my fingers followed the lines of his abs, and he buried his face in my neck, nibbling softly.

“Now you lean in and do exactly what I’m doing now.” My hand had already reached the soft hair around his belly button, but he had grabbed me, stopping me from going farther.

“You mean I should kiss your neck?”

“That’s right, Freckles.”

I put my hand on the nape of his neck and planted my lips in the hollow between his shoulder and collarbone. He reached under my shirt and stroked my back. I bit his ear, tugging softly at the lobe. I was enjoying this too much for it to just be playacting.

The next thing I knew, Nick was pulling on my ponytail, and when my head jerked back, he pressed his lips into mine. I arched my back until our bellies touched, desperate for contact, and when his tongue pushed into my mouth, I thought I would melt on the spot.

He held my head firmly, immobilizing me while his tongue moved tirelessly in circles around mine. I needed to touch him again—not because he’d ordered me to, not to make Dan jealous; I just needed it, the same way I needed oxygen to breathe. I felt Nick’s arms, his hard pecs, and when he pulled me on top of him in the deck chair, his erection pressed into my stomach.

Nick opened his eyes. His pupils were dilated. A savagery filled his blue eyes that seemed to hint at danger.

“Is he still watching?” I asked with labored breathing.

Nick smiled.

“Who said he was watching?”

I looked over at the kitchen window. There was no one there.

“You said he was looking out the window!”

“Did I?” he replied in a mock-naive tone.

I stood up, pissed.

“That’s enough!” I shouted.

“Not for me it isn’t, Precious.”

“You can stop faking, Nicholas. No one’s here to see us.”

“Who said I was faking?”

That surprised me, threw me off-kilter.

Fuck. What was I getting into?

I didn’t know what to do. The house was big, but I couldn’t just forget Dan and Nicholas were there. I needed to escape, kill time until work started, so I put on a pair of shorts, a tank top, and my Nikes and walked out in the hall, ready for a run on the beach.

Just then, the guest bedroom door opened, and Dan came to join me. I ignored him, heading for the stairs.