Page 33

“Not tonight, you don’t,” I rasp.

She looks like she’s going to argue with me, but then she drops her towel to the floor, smirking as I fail to keep my eyes from roaming over her body with a slow appreciation.

“You’ve seen me on my modeling shoots in lingerie,” she says as I drink her in.

“I didn’t look then,” I say, my eyes honing in on every curve of her smooth skin.

“Really?”

“That was work.”

“Okay. So what’s this?”

I exhale, biting on my lower lip with a groan as I lift my eyes away from her breasts reluctantly.

“This is… Get in and we’ll talk about it.” I tilt my chin toward the bed.

Sinclair climbs in and I cover her up, then walk to the other side of the bed, which is closest to the door. I lie beside her.

“Aren’t you getting under the covers?”

“Not until after we’ve spoken.”

“Why?”

I glance at her. She’s turned on her side to face me.

“Because I can’t guarantee I won’t touch you if I do.”

“What’s wrong with that?” she teases.

I exhale, fighting down the stirring heat in my groin.

“You have no idea the battle I’m having in my head right now. But we’re… you’re sore… and?—”

“Stop,” she huffs. “Don’t wrap me in bubble wrap. Please. Dad does it. Sullivan does it. Uncle Mal does it. They’ve been so protective over me, keeping tabs on me. And I know it’s because they care, but it’s no wonder I didn’t lose my virginity until a couple of years ago?—”

“You lost your virginity thirty minutes ago, Sinclair.”

“What?”

“I’m serious. You lost it to me.” I can’t hide the possessiveness in my tone, but I swear her eyes light up from it.

She gazes at me, unaffected by the way my entire body has bristled at the thought of another man’s hands on her.

“You don’t think what I did with Brad counts?” she asks.

“I know it doesn’t fucking count,” I snap. “I’ve still got the evidence proving it doesn’t all over my dick.”

She wrinkles up her nose and I scrub a hand around my jaw, forcing myself to calm down.

“I mean, no, it doesn’t count,” I say more gently. “I don’t like the idea of you with anyone, especially him. Half an inch from a jackass who couldn’t respect you when you were grieving will never count, okay?”

“Okay.”

She rolls her lower lip into her mouth as she watches me. The urge to pull it free and kiss her hits me like a bullet to the chest.

“You said you got upset when you and he were…?” I’m unable to say more. Just the idea makes my blood boil.

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore. He’s just a friend. Nothing’s ever happened between us since.”

The way her brow creases makes me think there’s more to it than she’s telling me. I’ve seen the way Brad acts with her during their training sessions. I would bet my life on the fact he’s tried it on with her since then and she’s knocked him back.

“So, I’m sleeping in here tonight?” She lifts her brows, a playfulness in her eyes that makes it almost impossible for me not to reach out and pull her closer.

“I want to know where you are.”

“You know, you can just admit it’s because you want to play big spoon.”

“Big spoon?”

She trails her fingers over my bare chest, circling them around my nipple before she moves up to my jaw and runs them along it.

“I remember you sleeping next to me the night Monty was attacked. You held me all night like I was the little spoon.”

A small rumble of amusement rolls out of me. “Did I?”

“You did.” She bites her lower lip, her eyes following her fingers as they dust over my lips. “Of course, that was before you woke up and pushed the giant monster in your pants into me.”

“That wasn’t intentional.” I frown.

She leans closer so her breath tickles my ear. “I still liked it,” she whispers.

She moves back, smiling as I shift position, glancing at the ceiling in an attempt to make the growing erection in my pants less noticeable. I don’t want her to think this is what it’s about— that all I care about is getting off again.

“Denver?”

I turn, and she’s there, pulling my mouth to hers before I can react. I should be stronger. I should make sure I’m completely convinced that she’s okay before I kiss her back. I should do a lot of things.

But fuck, this is Sinclair.

I groan, kissing her back and pushing a hand into her hair until the silky strands spill over my knuckles.

“Sinclair,” I breathe against her lips as she sinks into me, nipping my lower lip with her teeth.

“Don’t stop kissing me, Denver. You’re one hell of a kisser.” She smiles against my mouth.

I groan again, tightening my grip on her hair and wrapping an arm around her waist so I can pull her across my chest. Her hard nipples graze my skin and my dick fights for attention in my sweatpants.

We kiss for so long, like two teenagers who are only just discovering it for the first time, savoring every second, memorizing every pass of one another’s lips against the other.

“This is what it would have been like if we’d dated,” I say, sliding my lips from her mouth and along her jawline.

“What do you mean?” she says, sounding all breathy.

I kiss along her jaw, before settling on her neck, sucking and kissing it, enjoying the little gasps and moans she makes.

“All the kissing first,” I murmur, inhaling the scent of her skin as I kiss beneath her ear.

“I’d have kissed you so fucking much. I’d have never done a thing more until you’d told me you were ready.

I wouldn’t have taken your virginity, Sinclair.

You’d have given it to me when you wanted to.

I’d have worshiped you through the whole thing. ”

“Denver.” Her voice comes out shaky as she shudders in my arms, her pulse fluttering beneath my lips.

“I’d have made it so good for you, Princess,” I whisper.

“Show me,” she breathes.

I look at the uncharacteristic shyness in her eyes as she blinks at me. Her lips are swollen and pink where I’ve kissed her so much.

“Show me now how it would have been.”

“No, you’re sore. We?—”

“I’m not. Please, Denver. You won’t hurt me, I trust you.”

“Jesus.” I exhale, cupping her face and stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. She turns her face and catches one in her mouth, sucking the tip softly.

I should be a stronger man. I should stop this now before it goes any further.

Before we cross that line again. But the complete faith in Sinclair’s eyes as she watches me is more than I can resist. Because even if every cell in my body is screaming at me that this is against every professional rule I have… it’s still her.

It’s Sinclair.

And there isn’t any lifetime I could live where I would ever be strong enough to say no to her when she’s looking at me like this.

“You sure this is what you want?” I ask.

“It is.” She presses her lips against mine. “Show me.”