“I only use my tongue with amazingly hot girls who turn me on beyond reason,” I whispered. “And that’s been few and far between.”

He eyes widened briefly as she took in my words.

“And you, Jessie. Fuck.” I traced the pad of my thumb over her plump bottom lip. “I don’t even know if you realize what the hell you’re doing to me right now.”

She shook her head as if to say something but the words appeared to stall on her lips.

“Now I want your tongue.” My thumb glided to her cheek as my mouth brushed over hers for the briefest of taste. “Plan on giving it to me?”

Her head angled back against my hands and she groaned.

“Fucking . . . hell . . . Nate.” They were the first words she’d spoken since I began my onslaught.

Having the ability to turn Jessie on practically twisted me inside out. Resting my forehead against hers, I could feel her breath on my skin.

When her mouth parted and her tongue darted out to swipe my bottom lip, I nearly came unglued, it was so damn sexy.

She had given me the permission I needed, so I didn’t hesitate. My tongue flicked against hers fleetingly, and then slipped past her lips to lick deeply inside her mouth.

Our tongues intertwined, our mouths cemented, the mutual exploration turned soft and slow and sensual. My hand gripped the back of her neck to created a tighter connection and she sighed against my lips.

We continued that way, barely coming up for air, for a couple of blissful minutes until some asshole knocked into us and nearly spilled his beer on our heads. I ripped my mouth from hers, my hands grasping her knees, while the dude sloppily apologized and then ordered another drink, shouting over our heads.

My eyes met Jessie’s as we both breathed heavily. She grinned and rolled her eyes until the asshole got his drink and left.

Her face was flushed and her lips were swollen and reality crashed in on me about what I’d just done. “Hey, Jess. Maybe I shouldn’t have—”

“It’s okay, Nate,” she said, cutting me off. “Now I know that you can, in fact, use your tongue quite well.”

My lips quirked up, but still I felt conflicted.

“I enjoyed that, a lot.” Then she shook her head. “But don’t worry, it is what it is. I don’t expect anything from you.”

Somehow she always knew the right thing to say. I nodded, wanting to reach over and kiss her again, because goddamn, those lips. But I kept myself in check.

“I’m tired,” she said. “I’m gonna hit the hay.”

I tipped my chin. “I’m beat, too.”

As we walked to the room, I resisted the urge to reach for her hand, yank her toward me, and then pin her up against the wall. Kissing her was intoxicating enough and I needed to get my head screwed on straight.

We got some waters and ice from the machine by the elevator and as soon as we stepped inside the room she threw herself across one of the beds, her arms raised above her head. “What a long day.”

“Tell me about it,” I mumbled, sitting down hard on the other bed.

“The thing about not having anything with you is there’s nothing to change into,” she said, sitting up and folding down her sheets.

“True.” I looked at her jeans and T-shirt, my gaze fixing on her impressive breasts. I tried not to think about what they’d look like naked. “You’re going to sleep in that?”

“Nope,” she said. “At some point I’m going to strip down to my skivvies.”

“Yeah, makes two of us.” I closed my eyes to swipe that image from my brain and then stood up. “I need some water, want some?”

She shook her head and I locked myself in the bathroom, attempting to get my hard-on under control. When I realized it was no use, I stepped out with a fresh glass of ice water in my hand and headed toward my bed, determined to get some sleep.

Jessie was beneath her covers and I could just make out her bra straps.

They were black. Fuck me.

Chapter Thirteen

Jessie

I lay in the itchy hotel sheets pretending to be asleep; when in reality, my entire body was vibrating with need.

I knew that Nate hadn’t been telling the truth in the bar when he said he wasn’t into handcuffs and I swear to God, the first time his lips met mine I nearly melted into the chair. We were in a crowded bar, people knocking into us, and still it was the hottest kiss ever.

And what he said about not using his tongue and then wanting to use it on me, holy fuck hell. I felt completely wrecked. From just one kiss. But I knew if I didn’t act casually, it would ruin the moment.

Because if there was anything I had learned about Nate on this trip, it was that there was so much inside of him—deep and dark and frightening—and it was fucking with his brain. The other thing I knew for certain was that if he didn’t let it out soon, it might consume him.

I wanted him. God, I wanted him. But at what cost? Could we in fact be together, chalk this up to a fun weekend, and still remain friends? A large part of me was willing to find out, even if I paid for it later.

I stared at the dark ceiling, figuring Nate had finally fallen asleep, because I no longer heard his rustling sheets. He had tried to be quiet but it was evident he was struggling just as much.

I considered allowing my hand to travel beneath the sheets to release my pent-up frustration, but I was afraid he’d hear. Maybe if I went to the bathroom, I could run the water, take care of business, and hopefully extinguish the blaze inside me.