“Motherfuck,” I say, my hand falling to my briefs where I slip it under my waistline and grip the base. Jesus, I’m wound up.

“I would let you fuck my mouth until you came. Over and over and over again, you would thrust. My eyes would water but not from pain, from happiness. I would enjoy every second of it, of feeling how out of control you become and then when you finally come, when your body stiffens and your cock swells, I would suck so hard that you would black out. Your body would turn into nothing as you explode in my mouth with such a feral cry releasing from your lips, you’ll try to decipher if that was really you who made that sound.” She sits up on her elbow, the blanket slipping down, exposing her hard nipples. “And it would be you. I’d tell you, that sound that echoed off the walls, that sounded so salacious, like a roar from the jungle, that was you . . . all because of me.”

“Jesus . . . fuck,” I say, my hand so tight on my dick that my legs start to curl up.

She picks up the camera and says, “Okay, I’m going to bed.”

And just like that, she acts as if she didn’t just bring me to the brink of orgasm. “I love you, Maddox. Good luck tomorrow.”

Pained, I say. “Love you, babe. Good night.”

She smiles a devilish smile, her eyes knowing exactly what I’m about to do when I hang up. “Good night, Maddox.”

The screen goes blank and I roll to my back, shucking the covers off me. I rub my hand to the tip of my cock where I collect the pre-cum and slide it over my length, using it to guide my hand. I’m already hard as stone, my balls tight. It doesn’t take long until pleasure coils. Until I’m furiously pumping my cock, so hard so fast—Kinsley’s body, her tits, flashing through my mind. Her fucking incredible description doing its job. The vision of her tongue dancing over me, her body rubbing against mine, her sinful mouth swallowing me whole . . .

“Ahhhhh, fuck,” I groan as my cock swells in my hand and I come all over my stomach. Spurt after spurt, wracking my body until I have nothing left.

I drape my arm over my eyes and let out a deep breath. Christ, that felt good, better than any jack-off session I’ve had in a while. I think it’s because Kinsley brought me there first.

I get out of bed, clean up, and try to settle my excitement just as I get a text.

A picture from Kinsley.

I’ve never unlocked my phone so fast, hoping it’s a naughty picture.

Instead of a nude, or even a shot of her in lingerie, it’s her middle and index fingers—and they’re glistening and wet.

It’s not what I’m expecting, but it’s almost more erotic.

Kinsley: Hope you came just as hard as I did.

I flop back on my pillow, my mind swirling with holy fuck and how the hell did I get so lucky.

I send her back a text, a giant smile crossing my face the entire time.

Maddox: Probably harder, babe. Probably harder.

“Hello?” Kinsley winces when she answers the phone, the nightstand light, clearly too bright for her.

“I’m sorry it’s so late,” I say, shoulders drooping, my mood at an all-time high of irritation. We lost, but this time, it was on my watch. Any loss is going to piss me off, but when I add a loss to my record as a pitcher, I’m not fucking pleased, especially when I pitched one hell of a fucking game.

“It’s okay,” she says, her voice sleepy. What I wouldn’t give to be climbing into bed with her right now, rather than trying to get comfortable against these stiff hotel sheets. “I’m sorry you lost.”

“I don’t want to fucking talk about it,” I say, my irritation obvious. “Ugh, fuck, sorry. I don’t mean to snap at you.” I pinch my brow. “Maybe I should just call you tomorrow when I’m in a better mood.”

“Or you can talk to me about something else,” she says, still sounding sleepy. That’s when I notice she’s not wearing a tank top.

“Are you naked in my bed, Kinsley?”

“Mmm . . . yeah. I wanted to feel the sheets against my body.” Her eyes open in a dream-like state. “They’re really nice, Maddox.”

And just like that, my irritation vanishes and my curiosity grows . . . as well as other things.

“Lower the sheet.”

She smiles sleepily and shakes her head. “You wish.”

“I do fucking wish. Let me see you, Kin.”

“No.” She squirms under the sheet, moaning slightly. “Before you called, I was having a sex dream about you, and now I’m all wired with no one to take care of it.”

“Let me,” I say swallowing hard.

She shakes her head again. “No, I want our first time together to be in the same room, same bed, our bodies pressed against one another.” She shifts again and the sheets come close to falling down, exposing her breasts.

“We can have fun at least.”

“Has this become too sexual, too fast?” she asks.

“You’re a sexual creature, you even said it yourself. You love sex, and that’s why you had your fling with Stan. It’s okay to be sexual, Kin.”

“Didn’t say it wasn’t.” She hikes up the sheet and my hope of catching a peek diminishes. “I love my sexual freedom and how I don’t feel embarrassed about any act of sex.”

“Hence the picture you sent me last night.”

“Exactly.” She winks, her eyes opening a little more. “But with you, I think it could get carried away, and I don’t want to lose sight of what we’re trying to do.”

“And what’s that?” I ask, wishing she would move again so I could catch a glimpse at the small swell of her breasts.

“Building a relationship.”

“We already have one, babe. The only thing we’re missing is the sex part.”

“What about the dating?” she asks softly, and fuck do I feel like an idiot.

“Shit.” I chuckle and press my palm to my eye. “Yeah, the dating.”

She looks off to the side and presses her fist to her chin. I mentally take a picture of her like that, grab my notebook and pen and start sketching, wanting to capture this moment of her—naked in my bed, looking . . . reflective. Truly stunning.

I make a quick outline of her body and then start filling it in with the features I know all too well.

“That’s what I’m worried about, Maddox. That this will all be sex for you, when this is so much more for me.”

My pen pauses as I stare at Kinsley though the phone. “Seriously, Kin?”

“Yes,” she answers. From the look in her eyes I can tell she’s dead serious, and it stings that she thinks that of me. Yeah, I like sex, so does every other red-blooded male out there. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to be an asshole who never takes her out.

Looks like I need to make things perfectly clear, let her know exactly where I stand when it comes to us.

“Kinsley, I’m going to say this once and only once, because I can’t keep coming back to this. You either accept what I have to say, or we forget this ever happened, okay?” She rolls her teeth over her lip and nods. “I want to fuck you, yes. I want to fuck you so goddamn badly that the need pumps through my veins whenever I hear your name. But that strong desire doesn’t take away from the center of all of this. I want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be more than just my best friend, which means I will take you out. We will date, we will do all the boyfriend/girlfriend-type things. I might be rusty, but I know one thing for sure: I’m not only in this for incredibly good sex. I’m in this for the good, the bad, and the naughty.” She chuckles and nods. “So, here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to put the ball in your court when it comes to the physical side of things. I will kiss you, make out with you, hold you, touch you, all of the above-the-clothes stuff, but when it comes to the act of intercourse with one another, that’s on you. You’re the lead.”

“But—”

“I’ll let you know in some way how you make me feel, how I want you, how I think you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, but I will never push further than taking your mouth with mine. I’m going to follow your lead. You hold the power, Kin.”

“But why?” she asks, a cute crease to her brow.

“Why? Because I love being with you any way I can be. To show you that I’m not claiming you as mine just so we can have sex. Kin, the way I’ve treated you, taking you out to restaurants that suit you, holding your hand whenever I’ve seen an opportunity, kisses good night, eagerly coming home to your hugs . . . that’s who we already are. You said that you’ve longed for my touch each morning, well, so have I. Having you as my girlfriend will in some ways, just extend our physical connection. I think . . . in my heart, I’d already claimed you as mine.”

“And what happens when I finally want to cross the physical line? Are you going to deny me?”

That makes me laugh. “Not a chance. I’m so attracted to you, so every inch you give me, I’ll worship.”

“Well . . . you sure know how to make a girl’s heart sing.”

“Only yours, Kin.” And I now realize, that I’ve been only Kinsley Howard’s for a very long time. And I fucking love that.

Maddox: How’s Herman?

Kinsley: I knew you cared about him.

Maddox: Just checking to make sure he hasn’t shit in the apartment.