Too Goode to be True (Love Hashtagged #2)
Page 15
“I’m not doing anything worth watching,” she said.
He looked her over again, this time lingering on her round hips, her full breasts, and her flushed lips. Sometimes he wondered if things would’ve been different if he’d met her before Riley. “I can wait for that to change, if you have something in mind.”
Her shy smile shifted in an instant, and she ran her tongue over her bottom lip. She took a step closer. The shrill ring of her phone cut through the remaining space between them, and her hand flew to her hip.
Disappointment speared Archer’s gut. “You’re not really going to take a work call on a Saturday night, are you?”
“I have to.” She grabbed two bottles of beer by their necks, spun on her toe, and wandered toward the back of the apartment, voice fading as she disappeared into Archer’s guest room and closed the door behind her.
He shook his head in disgust and irritation. Most of it was directed at the people who worked for her. Some days he was surprised they didn’t ask her to cut their food into tiny pieces, so they wouldn’t choke. Part of the issue was she gave in without protest, but she saw it as being a good manager.
Archer pushed away from the island. He should join the party—be a good host and all that. He picked the farthest seat from Riley and Zane, which was maybe twelve feet.
It took focus, but he managed to keep his smile in place and the conversation flowing, as the next few hours wore on. Relief wormed its way through him as people stood to leave for the night, and over the next hour or so, his apartment emptied.
With any luck, this would be the last time he’d help an ex-girlfriend celebrate marrying someone else.
Riley pushed to her feet, tottering a little before she stood straight. Her grin was wide, but it had been for a while now. She grabbed one of her arms with her other hand. “Thanks for this. For all of it.” Pink dotted her cheeks.
Zane stood behind her. As far as Archer had seen, he hadn’t had a single drop that night. At least one of the two was sober, because Riley sure as hell wasn’t. Zane rested a hand at the small of her back, expression neutral.
Riley opened her mouth again. “I’m—”
Zane whispered something in her ear. Her flush deepened, and she turned her gaze from Archer. “Nothing. Thanks again.”
“Yeah. No problem.” What were the odds the three of them could ever go back to the way things used to be, before the infinite number of times Archer and Riley dated, and the failed marriage proposal? When they were all happy being friends?
That past didn’t seem to be in his future. Within a few moments, Riley and Zane were gone, along with the rest of the guests.
“That wasn’t awkward at all.” Tori’s voice startled him.
He whirled to find her sitting on the counter in the kitchen again, kicking her legs back and forth.
“The work phone call or the Riley thing?”
“Either. Both. Can we not talk about work?”
Right. Because he’d tell her she needed to stand up for herself and make her people do their jobs, and she’d get pissed at him. Not irritating her sounded pretty good. “I mean it when I say I’m over her. It’s… What if I make the same mistake again?”
She knocked back another swallow of beer and then wobbled in her seat on the counter for a moment before righting herself. She hadn’t been this drunk when she took the call.
“How many beers did you have while you were gone?”
“Two or three. How many did I take with me? Here’s the thing about Zane. He’s arrogant, fickle, bossy, possessive, and has always been in love with Riley.” She looked Archer over, something in her gaze burrowing past his surface. She laughed. “The two of you actually have a lot in common. Except he made it work in his favor.”
Her words dug deep, until they collided with something he couldn’t identify. “Your point is?”
She set her bottle aside. The glass clanged against the granite top, but nothing sloshed inside. “I’m sorry. It’s true, you boys have a few less-than desirable traits in common, but for the most part, you’re pretty different. Everyone can see that. Who knows what made the two of them work? I sure don’t. Maybe Zane’s a better kisser.”
Knowing she was drunk didn’t stop his pride from stumbling again. His ego was going to be limping into an emergency room if she kept this up. “I kiss fine.”
“I’m not saying that’s the issue. It’s one option. It’s not like I’ve ever kissed either of you.”
“Even if I have no idea why they make a good couple, I’m pretty sure kissing isn’t at the top of the list. There’s nothing wrong with the way I kiss.”
“Prove it.” Tori straightened, some of the fog evaporating from her expression.
Archer raised his brows. He was wounded enough to be baited into the challenge. Besides, her full lips enticed him, and he’d wondered what kind of kisser—among other things—Tori was, on more than one occasion. Except this wasn’t the time to find out. “You’re drunk.”
“I’m not propositioning you, and you’re not taking advantage of me.” The slur faded from her voice. “I’m saying you’re not allowed to be the judge of your own kissing skills. If you’re so sure that’s not the issue… Or maybe you’re not as certain as you act.”
The taunt wasn’t what pushed aside the last of his restraint, but it helped. The thing that broke him was the way she caught her lip between her bottom teeth. And the heave of her chest. And the way her posture highlighted every curve.
He closed the distance between them and rested a hand on her hip. Her shirt had risen, leaving part of her waist exposed, and her skin was warm and soft against his palm. He brushed a strand of hair off her forehead, and a pleasant jolt ran through him. Tori tilted her head closer. Her brown eyes were wide and dark, almost black in the dim light, and he couldn’t look away.
He settled his other palm at the back of her neck, holding her head steady, and pressed his lips to hers. His blood roared in response. She whimpered and parted her lips, and he darted his tongue into her mouth, to dance with hers.
How have we not tried this before? He wasn’t sure where the thought came from, but he let it linger. He pressed between her legs. Her fingers dug into his chest, hot even through his shirt. Every time she touched him, his pulse increased another notch. She locked her knees around his waist, and a low groan tore from his throat.
They broke apart, both of them gasping. Her cheeks were bright red, and she danced her fingers over her swollen lips.
“Yeah, the kissing isn’t the problem.” Her voice was breathy.
She hopped to the floor and draped her arms around his neck. When she rubbed her body against him, his cock throbbed in response. He backed her against the counter, diving into another kiss when she pressed her lips to his again. He should pull away. She was drunk. Didn’t know what she was doing.
She raked her nails up his back, sending another wave of want through him.
Then again, it felt like she knew exactly what she was doing.
A loud bang tore through the room, and they both jumped.
Tori’s hand flew to her chest. “Holy shit.”
A car backfiring. That was all. But that wasn’t the reason his pulse raced. Reason seeped back into his thoughts. Tori’s giggles were punctuated by short pauses, before the laughter won out again. Cool air rushed in around him, soothing his heated skin but not easing the strain of his erection against his zipper.
He nestled a hand on the small of her back. “You need some sleep.”
“I’m fine.” But it took her several seconds to stand straight.
He steered her toward the guest bedroom. “Come on.”
She flopped onto the mattress and tilted to the side before sitting upright. It was a good thing they’d stopped. She was already going to regret enough in the morning, hangover-wise. He knelt at her feet, pulled off her socks and shoes, and set them by the bed. Part of him wanted to help her out of the rest of her clothes, but that would be a bad i
dea.
She tugged him to his feet. “You were always too good for her, you know.”
The words cut deeper than any others she’d spoken tonight, erasing the last of his lingering arousal. Unable to reply, he shook his head, helped her lie down, and then pulled the blanket over her. She snapped her eyes shut the moment her head hit the pillow, and seconds later, steady breathing was the only sound in the room.
What the hell was wrong with him?
The story continues in Chapter Two
More by Allyson Lindt
Breaching His Defenses (Love Hack Book 1)
What happens in Vegas… Can break hearts and destroy careers.
Years ago, heartbreak corrupted Jared Tippins’s outlook on love. He spun the betrayal into a rapid climb up the corporate ladder, and swore off any relationship with a morning after. Luckily, the playful siren who rescues him from singing a duet alone in a karaoke bar doesn’t want anything long term.
If only he could stop fantasizing about ways to make her moan. Sure, she could’ve mentioned he works for the competition. At least she’s not behind the security concerns that have plagued his company for almost six months.
If she were, he’d be screwed on a whole new level.
Denial of Interest (Version 2.0 Book 1)
Zach Johnston had it all. A billion dollar software empire, a different girl in his bed every night, and a business partner who shared his vision of market domination, one gaming console at a time.
No one can stay on top forever, and calling what their biggest competitor did to them a hostile takeover doesn't do it justice. No-lube violation is more accurate.
Even worse, the only woman he's never been able to forget is back in his life. Rae Nielson is filling his business partner’s head with delusions of starting over and haunting Zach’s most vivid fantasies.
The safe choice is to deny his interest in Rae and her plan. But Zach didn't make it big the first time around by playing it safe.
Roll Against Trust (3d20 Book 1)
The line between fantasy and reality blurs when a late night gaming session goes from playful to smoldering.
Tasha’s not looking for love, but she doesn’t mind just looking… and maybe a little fantasizing. Her two best friends and weekend AD& D buddies, Seth and Ryan, are the perfect guest stars in her fantasies. When a late night gaming session with the three goes from silly to verbally scorching in an instant, Tasha wonders if her imagination is enough to keep her satisfied long term.
Then her ex’s money mismanagement catches up to her in the form of draining her bank account, her job is threatened by a mistake that points to Ryan, and Seth takes his side. If Tasha can’t move past her trust issues long enough to uncover the truth—both with herself and the men she’s falling for—she’ll wind up broken-hearted and just plain broke.
About the Author
Allyson Lindt is a full-time geek and a fuller-time contemporary romance author. She prefers that her geeky heroes come with the alpha expansion pack and adores a heroine who can hold her own in a boardroom. She loves a sexy happily-ever-after and helping deserving cubicle dwellers find their futures together.
Table of Contents
Blurb
Other Books in This Series
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Graphically Novel Sneak Peek
More by Allyson Lindt
About the Author