Her eyes go wide as saucers and color rolls up her neck to splash over her cheeks. Damn, doesn’t she understand she telegraphs every thought and feeling she has like a neon sign?
Her hand flutters on her necklace. “That’s one way to put it.”
I take another drink of beer, hoping the few extra seconds will help me continue on with my plan. “And how exactly can I help you with this?”
She crosses her arms over her chest, and her cleavage almost falls out of her top.
I grit my teeth. Inappropriately, I’m getting harder by the second. I shift, trying unsuccessfully to make my jeans more comfortable.
“Well…you…” she clears her throat, “look like you know what you’re doing.”
“Thank you, I do.”
“In that case, I was wondering…” Spine snapping straight, she takes a huge gulp of air before saying on a rush, “I was wondering if maybe you wouldn’t mind teaching me a few things.”
Fuck. And there it is.
The urge to get up, push her to the couch and make her come six ways ’til Sunday rushes across my skin.
No. Wrong thought. Stick to the plan. It will work if I play it right.
Although, I have to give her credit, she has more stamina than I thought. I’ll have to up the ante. While keeping my expression blank, I ask, “So you’ve chosen me to fulfill your sexual fantasies?”
“God, this is embarrassing.” She shakes her head, laughing a little. “But yes.”
Determined to push on, I show no mercy and increase her embarrassment. “What kind of fantasies are we talking about here?”
She blinks as twin scarlet splotches of color stain her cheeks. “Um…well, I can’t say them out loud.”
Surprised laughter bursts from my chest before I can stop it.
She frowns, looking dejected.
Shit. I don’t want to humiliate her. I hold up a hand. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you, it’s just that you’re so…” I search for the right words, “cute and sexy.”
Her whole face lights up like the Fourth of July. “You think I’m sexy?”
I can’t stand the way her voice fills with wonder, as though no one ever complimented her before. I answer with utter sincerity. “Yes, very.”
“Thank you.” Her tone holds so much appreciation and gratitude I clench my hand into a fist.
I should be thanking her, not the other way around.
After we get through this strange turn of events, and I spend some time working her out of her mortification, I’ll sit her down and we’ll have a long talk about being more guarded. As alluring as it is, this kind of innocent sexual curiosity will land her in the wrong hands for sure. Especially if she starts going out in tight tops and jeans instead of her normal burlap sack. As her neighbor, I owe it to her to make sure she doesn’t get into trouble before she heads into the world. The thought of her, out there, all alone, some sleazy guy with his hands all over her, doesn’t sit well with me.
I can get there first and it won’t be a problem.
As quickly as I have the thought, I squash it like a bug. My job is to make sure she goes home, untouched. I have no right contemplating taking her up on her offer.
All this hot eagerness is getting to me so I get back on plan. “What kind of fantasies?”
“Um…” She waves her hand in the air. “Can’t you just take care of the details?”
So, it’s like that, is it?
Time to get hardcore. I put my drink down, sit forward and rest my elbows on my knees before tilting my head. “The thing is, Abby, how do you expect to fuck dirty if you can’t even talk it?”
The words hang in the air.