Fair Game (The Rules #1)

  She sits on the edge of the bed and takes off first one sandal, then the other. They both fall to the floor with a solid thump and she pushes her feet into the floor, her toes curling as I hear them crack.

  “Those sandals were killing my feet,” she murmurs.

  Relief floods me. God, she’s so normal. So…regular. And not in a bad way. In a wonderful, perfect way. Any other girl would’ve tried to jump me the second the door closed. Or she would’ve offered up a strip tease, ending up sprawled across my bed looking nothing like I imagined. Push up bras hide small tits. Excess makeup hides regular features. Teased, blonde hair lies when the pubic hair is revealed to be pitch black. Or worse, there’s no hair, nothing but a very bare, very pubescent looking pussy and that just turns me off.

  I’m starting to realize I don’t mind regular girls. Everyone has flaws, including me. Lies are just that. Lies. With Jade, everything I see is what I get. The vivid red hair. The freckles—so many fucking cute freckles. Her breasts are real. I’ve felt them enough to know there’s no padding in that bra, those tits are one hundred percent Jade’s. Pale, creamy skin, no spray tan in sight. She’s natural.

  Beautiful.

  Real.

  I approach her, stopping just in front of her. She tilts her head back, all that red hair spilling down her back and realization dawns.

  “Did you wear your hair down for me?” I ask, keeping my voice low, not wanting to break the spell that’s slowly forming between us. Everything’s quiet in this room, the only sound our breaths and I wonder if I should put on some music but I’m afraid that’ll ruin the mood.

  She nods. “Yes,” she whispers. “Everything I’ve done tonight, has been for…” She presses her lips together for a brief moment, like she doesn’t want to offer up this bit of information. Makes me want to hear it that much more. “It’s all been for you.”

  “Why?” I don’t deserve her trying to do anything to impress me. I damn near ruined this.

  Jade starts to laugh, the sound light and pretty and making my skin tighten in anticipation. “I wanted to look amazing so I could knock you on your ass, tease you into wanting me again and then walk away from you without a backward glance.”

  Okay yeah, she was setting me up but I’m stuck on one tiny bit of her admission. “Wait a minute. Did you say tease me into wanting you again?”

  She gives me a funny look. “Well, yeah. Because clearly you…”

  “Clearly I nothing.” I touch her, slip my fingers into her hair and push it away from her forehead gently. She leans into my touch, her eyes sliding to half-mast. “I never stopped wanting you, Jade,” I murmur. “Ever.”

  “It felt like you did,” she admits softly. “I thought I didn’t…please you. After what happened, it’s like you didn’t want to have anything to do with me ever again. I figured that was all on me.”

  I close my eyes for a brief moment and breathe deep. Guilt settles over me heavily. That she’s in my room at this very moment, giving me another chance…I should get on my knees and thank the lord above. “I’m an asshole. I—panicked.”

  She frowns up at me, appearing genuinely confused. “Panicked? Why?”

  How do I explain that she scares the hell out of me? How my feelings for her scare me even worse? “I don’t know.” I shrug. I’m such a liar.

  Slowly she stands, her body rubbing against mine, her gaze intent. I don’t back up, don’t move away from her and she’s so close, I absorb her body heat, inhale her sweet, clean scent, and my hands automatically settle on her hips.

  “I’m probably going to regret this,” she whispers as she settles her hands on my chest. Her fingers are hot, burning through my T-shirt, branding me and I wait in anticipation of what she’s going to say next. “This won’t end good for us, I know it. But—”

  I don’t even give her a chance to finish the sentence. I don’t care about the explanation, the worry or fears she might be experiencing. All I can concentrate on is how she’s looking at me, how good she feels pressed next to me. I bend my head and kiss her, cutting off her words, thrusting my tongue in her mouth, triumph surging through me when she melts into me, her hands slipping beneath my T-shirt to touch my bare skin.

  I’ve got her.

  And I’m not about to let her go.

  He’s kissing me. I’m in Shep’s bedroom—again—and he’s touching me, kissing me, seducing me. Again. And I’m letting it happen. I’m giving in gleefully, as if what he did to me only a few days ago doesn’t matter any longer.

  It doesn’t. At least, not tonight. I’m taking my opportunities where I can find them and if he ends up hurting me, tossing me aside and forgetting all about me, then so be it. I like this guy. I want this guy.

  For some wild and crazy reason, he seems to like and want me too.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers as he runs his mouth along my jaw, down my neck. I like that he keeps apologizing too. Makes me think he really does regret how he treated me the night of the blowjob fail. Though is it really a fail when the guy comes in your mouth? I don’t think so. “I don’t know why I acted like such a prick that night.”

  I say nothing. Just revel in his mouth on my skin, his wandering hands. Oh, I love it when he touches me like this. He just takes completely over, there’s no hesitancy, no awkwardness. My past sexual experiences were all about hesitancy and awkwardness. That part sucked. Most of it sucked. I always got performance anxiety and felt like I couldn’t measure up.

  Oh, and orgasms? Forget it. I seriously don’t think I can come with a guy. On my own, yes, but otherwise? No can do.

  With Shep, I tend to forget my hang-ups. All I can concentrate on is his lips on mine, his busy hands, his hard body…

  “I want to make it up to you,” he continues, his fingers tugging on the hem of my shirt. Slowly he pulls it up, past my stomach, the fabric catching on my breasts before I lift my arms over my head and he tugs the tank completely off my body, letting it fall to the floor.

  His gaze lands on my bra-covered chest and he stares blatantly at my breasts, his eyes lighting up like a little kid who just caught sight of the pile of presents beneath the tree on Christmas morning. I’m tempted to cross my arms in front of my chest but he’d only make me drop them so I don’t. I stand there, letting him look his fill, eager for him to say something, anything to move this moment along.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, his eyes glowing as they lift to meet mine. “Take off the shorts, Jade.”

  Shock and arousal rushes through me at the tone of his voice, the command of his words. Here he goes being bossy again and without hesitation I do as he asks, shedding the shorts and kicking them off, so I’m standing in front of him wearing nothing but my black lace bra and the matching panties.

  That I picked out and wore tonight just for him, in the hopes that he’d see me like this. Matching bra and panties is so not my style.

  I’m bad. I planned for all of this. I wanted him to see me, to chase after me, to beg me for forgiveness. I wanted to give in and have him take me back to his place and strip off my clothes and…

  “Lay back on the bed.” He swallows hard and works his jaw, his eyes never leaving me. He rests his hands on his hips, standing at the foot of the bed, foreboding and sexy and oh my God, I can’t believe this is really happening.

  In fact, I’m starting to freak out just the slightest bit. Frowning, I ask, “Why?” Worry trickles inside of me and I tell myself to get over it.

  But I can’t help it. Old habits die hard.

  “Just do it,” he commands, his voice softening the slightest bit, as do his eyes. “Please.”

  Is it wrong that I really love it when he says please? When he looks so tortured by my mere presence on his bed? Do I really have that much power over him? Because if I do?

  That’s heady stuff.

  Without a word, I do as he asks, lying back on his giant bed, scooting up the mattress so my back and head are leaning against the fat pile of pillows. They sme
ll like Shep, spicy and clean. I close my eyes and turn my head, inhaling deeply, my nose practically buried in the pillowcase.

  “Damn, you look pretty,” he murmurs, his voice husky. “Spread your legs for me, baby.”

  I’m supposed to hate it when he calls me baby, but I don’t. I freaking love it. His gaze races over me, from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and I bend my knees, place my feet flat on the mattress before I slowly open my legs, sliding my feet across the bed.

  His eyes flare with heat but he doesn’t speak. Feeling emboldened, I rest my hand on my stomach, my fingers perilously close to the waistband of my panties. I could just slide them beneath the black lace and sink them deep. I’m that wet, I can tell. All from him only watching me.

  But it’s the way he watches me. He looks ready to pounce. Ready to take and conquer and make me his. That’s…exciting. My skin tingles in anticipation and then he’s there, climbing onto the bed with me, climbing over me, his face in mine, his arms braced on the mattress on either side of my head. I bring my legs closer together, his knees resting on each side of my hips and I release a shuddery breath when he presses his face to my neck, his mouth on my skin.

  “Tonight is all about you,” he whispers close to my ear just before he kisses it. I close my eyes, my heart racing as he starts to slide down my body, his mouth never leaving my skin. He blazes a trail with his lips, across my collarbone, my chest, kissing along the tops of my breasts, over them, licking first one nipple, then the other, his tongue dragging over the lace of my bra. A shock of heat pulses through me, settling between my legs and I swear to God, all the oxygen leaves my lungs when he shifts lower, his mouth drifting across my stomach. I’m so sensitive I almost want to laugh, or at the very least squirm away from his mouth. I bite my lip to keep myself under control.

  “You have freckles here,” he murmurs, his fingers coming into play. He touches my stomach, pressing his fingertips into my flesh as he oh so slowly kisses around my belly button. “You have freckles everywhere.”

  He’s fascinated with them and I sort of don’t get why. All these years I’ve silently—and not so silently—cursed their existence and now I have the hottest guy on campus running his lips all over them.

  His freaking lips. God, I’m weak just thinking about it, let alone actually feeling those magical lips on my skin, his fingers drawing little circles on my stomach, making goose bumps rise. I shiver when his mouth shifts lower, his tongue teasing along the waistband of my panties. His long fingers curl around the sides of my underwear at my hips, as if he’s going to pull them off and he goes completely still.

  “What’s wrong?”

  I open my eyes to find him watching me, his brows furrowed together, his big body nestled between my legs. I go weak just looking at him, assuming what he plans on doing, worried that he’s going to be sorely disappointed when he realizes that I just flat out…

  Yeah. I can’t come. The ever-elusive orgasm will slip right out of my fingers like usual when I’m with a guy and disappear into the ether. Ridiculous, because I have Shep freaking Prescott between my legs, his mouth right there, like he’s about to go down on me or something—holy crap does he really plan on going down on me? My girly parts are lighting up like crazy at the possibility of that mouth going ahem, there—yet I’m freezing up. Silently freaking out.

  He’s waiting for me to say something and I don’t know how to answer. I don’t know what to do. Tell him the truth? Yeah, I’m sure that’ll excite him.

  Oh hey, Shep. Did I happen to mention I have a hard time um…finding release? Yeah, it’s most likely a waste of your time to focus all of our energy—there. You could go downtown on me all you want, but you’ll probably just end up spraining your tongue. And it’ll be all for naught! So go ahead and skip that part. There’s really no point.

  “Uh,” I start and he sends me a look. A look that makes me snap my mouth shut and wait in breathless anticipation as he slowly starts to tug my panties down, exposing me. He pauses, my panties halfway down my thighs, his face mere inches from my lady bits and then he presses a light kiss on my thigh, a mere brush of his lips against my extra sensitive skin. Yet a jolt runs through me at first contact, settling in my core, and I close my eyes on a whimper.

  Hmm. Maybe he can make me come with that magical mouth of his…

  “Let’s take these off,” I murmur, keeping my eye on Jade’s face as I slowly remove her panties. That little sound she made in the back of her throat when I kissed her thigh was hot. I want to hear that sound again.

  Desperately.

  She looks a little dazed at the prospect of me stripping her naked and I like that, too. I like it a lot. I want her dazed. I want her open and willing and receptive and eventually, I want her falling apart in my arms—or against my mouth. Around my fingers. However I can get her, I want her. I’m determined to make her come. Give her the orgasm she deserves. I still think about that blowjob she gave me and I need to return the favor.

  I slip the delicate black lace down her long, pale legs, run my fingers along her silky smooth skin, until the little scrap of fabric is dangling off her feet and she’s kicking them onto the floor. She inhales sharply when I place my hands on the inside of her slender thighs and I can feel her tremble beneath my palms.

  Fuck. My hands are shaking too. I’ve waited for this moment for what feels like an eternity and now that I finally have her where I want her, I’m nervous. And I’m never nervous. Girls are just girls. You fuck one, you’ve fucked them all. Some are a little more up for adventure, some are better cock suckers—crude but true—and some are screamers. But really? They’re all pretty much the same.

  At least, they have been for me.

  Until Jade.

  Trying to get my mental shit together, I spread her legs wider, revealing her to my gaze. And it is a damn pretty pussy. She’s a natural redhead, though that’s no surprise and she’s the first natural redhead I’ve ever been with, which is actually a total surprise. I don’t usually discriminate. Blondes, brunettes—I even fingered a chick with pink hair once—but I guess I’ve never been with a redhead.

  Wild.

  I run my fingers down the inside of her thighs, my gaze never leaving the spot between her legs. I can smell her. She’s turned the fuck on and I am too, so what am I waiting for? Slipping my hands under her, I grip that plump ass of hers in both of my hands and lift her up, kissing first one hipbone, then the other. Teasing her. Wanting to drive her insane because holy fuck, she’s been driving me crazy since the very first moment I met her. I set eyes on her in that mirror, heard that smart mouth running a mile a minute as she sat behind me and I was hooked.

  If anything, I’m more hooked now. Addicted. Desperate to have her. Desperate to make her mine.

  Make her yours? Are you fucking nuts? What, have you gone caveman now?

  I shove the nagging voice in my head—it sounds suspiciously like Tristan—to the farthest corner of my brain.

  Shifting a little, I readjust her position, ready to lower my mouth to all that pink, wet goodness when she pipes up, her voice more breath than sound.

  “I should warn you.”

  Our gazes meet, hers apprehensive. “Warn me about what?”

  “I um, I don’t normally uh…” She closes her eyes and swallows. “You know.”

  I frown but she’s not looking at me. She’s too wrapped up in her own head. “No, I don’t know. Explain it to me.”

  Her eyes pop open. “I don’t usually have an…orgasm.” She makes a little face. “It’s um, difficult for me.”

  Huh. Seriously? Does she know what sort of challenge she just dropped? And I’m always up for a challenge, especially a sexual one. “No guy has been able to give you an orgasm?”

  She nods, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. That lower lip I fucking adore.

  “Can you give yourself one?”

  Her cheeks go red but she nods. Just barely. The idea of Jade touching herself, making hersel
f come with her fingers, maybe with a vibrator, is a great one. Something I’d like to see someday, but I have other, more important matters to tackle first.

  Like Jade. And her supposed orgasm issue.

  “So tell me.” I bend my head, nuzzling the soft skin of her lower belly. “What do you like?”

  “Huh?” She sounds confused.

  “Do you like it when a guy goes down on you? Fingers you? Or is straight sex more your speed?” Me? I enjoy going down on women. Some assholes are selfish and only want a blowjob while giving nothing in return, but I’m a firm believer in reciprocation.

  She throws an arm across her eyes. “This is the most embarrassing conversation ever.”

  “Tell me Jade. If I’m going to make you come, I need to know what you like.” I kiss her hip again, letting my lips linger. I’m eager to put my mouth on her. Lick her into oblivion. I’m positive I can make her come in a matter of minutes.

  Positive.

  She removes her arm and stares down at me. “You won’t be able to make me come. I can almost guarantee it.”

  Challenge officially thrown down. “Watch me,” I murmur as I dip my head and drop a chaste kiss right above her pubic hair.

  Christ, she just made that whimpering sound again and that’s it. I remove my hands from her ass and push her legs open wider, my fingers biting into her thighs as I lick the length of her slit. She gasps, I feel her quiver beneath my tongue and I do it again, covering every inch of her. I circle her clit, going round and round, sucking it deep in my mouth before I resume teasing her folds with my tongue.

  Yet another one of those choked, sexy sounds falls from her lips and I lift my gaze to watch her, never slowing my efforts. She’s thrown back her head, her eyes closed, forehead furrowed in concentration, lips parted as she alternately breathes and moans. Her hips lift in natural rhythm, as if seeking my lips and I gather her closer, my hands on her ass once again, holding her to my mouth as I devour her.