The Love Game (The Game #1)(19)
Author: Emma Hart

“Time out!” Braden calls. I look up again, and I’m met by a sweaty, shirtless Braden jogging towards me. His face breaks out into a smile, and he hops onto the small porch. “Hey, Angel.”

“Hey,” I say quietly. “Braden-”

“If you’re gonna apologize about yesterday, then stop right there.” He steps towards me and brushes some hair away from my eye. “We’re all entitled to a freak-out once in a while, right?”

“Right.” I smile at him. “So, we’re good?”

He laughs. “Maddie, we never weren’t good. I just figured you needed time to cool down.”

I nod in agreement, and he reaches out to tuck me into his side. We rest back on the porch, our backs to the rest of the field. My hand rests on his stomach, and with my decision to finish this fresh in my mind, I take the game up another level.

I trace the grooves in his torso with the tip of my finger, my thumb brushing the solid packs of muscle as I go. His grip on my waist tightens as I approach the subtly defined ‘v’ by the waistband of his shorts. I feel him shiver, and his free hand clamps down onto mine an inch before I reach his shorts.

“Maddie,” he whispers in a deeper voice than I’ve ever heard him use. “If I were you, I’d stop there.”

Bingo.

“Why?” I smile, amused, and look up at him. “I was only wondering if that muscle went as far down as it looks like it does.”

He turns to me, his electric blue eyes clouding over with desire. “It goes further.”

I bite my top lip, pulling the corner of it into my mouth and glance down at our clasped hands. He clears his throat, and I snap my eyes to his.

“Sorry,” I whisper. “Just curious.”

Braden moves his head down, putting his lips next to my ear. “Angel, you can be curious all you like, but unless you want my frat brothers to see what you look like in your birthday suit, it’s wise if you stop right there.”

Warmth erupts in my belly. Holy… I swallow. This is totally turning around on me. I can’t even do justice to the turned-on tone of his voice. It’s a husky, masculine sound that vibrates right through my body. I can feel it wrapping around every inch of my skin.

“Okay,” I breathe out. “I’ll stop.”

I slide my hand out from under his and up his body, reaching his shoulder and trailing it down his arm. Goose-pimples erupt in my hand’s wake, and he makes a growling sound deep in his throat. I control my smile, linking my fingers through his bigger ones.

I said I’d stop. I didn’t say when.

He exhales loudly, his breath fluttering my hair. “Maddie.”

“I’ve stopped.” I bite my lip. “Sorry.”

He shakes his head, smiling and leans his forehead against mine. I look up into his eyes, my eyelashes tickling my skin. He rubs the tip of his nose against mine and gently tips his head so his lips brush mine. I move up to my tip toes, squeezing his hand. I wrap my free arm around his neck gently, returning the kiss.

So I like kissing the guy I hate. Shoot me.

“Hey, Carter! Put my girl down!” Kay yells, a door slamming behind her. I smile against Braden’s lips and drop back down from my tip toes.

“Hey, Kay,” I greet her, turning round.

She looks between me and Braden. “You two are like a walking  p**n  movie.”

“Hey, can’t I kiss my girl now?” Braden looks at her. “It’s not my fault if I want to show her off.”

I blush a little. A forced blush. A very forced blush. No, I’m lying. It wasn’t forced at all. Crap.

“You can.” She sniffs. “Just not when I’m around.”

Megan slaps the back of her arm. “Don’t be so f**king grumpy. It’s nice to see them happy!”

I smile at her.

“Thank you, Meggy.” Braden grins at her. Kay huffs, flips him off, and turns to join Lila and Ryan. “Man, she really hates me, huh?”

“It’s because you don’t have a vagina.” Megan giggles. “At least, I hope you don’t.”

“I can assure you,” Braden replies, looking right at me. “There is no vagina in my pants.”

I bite my lip again to stop myself from grinning like crazy.

So I skipped a stage. This one is way more fun.

Chapter Eighteen – Braden

I’m f**ked. Genuinely f**ked.

Maddie’s hand trailing down my stomach equaled an instant, rock hard, raging hard on. My dick standing to attention so fast it could well have been doing an army drill.

I curse the fact she’s not like my usual girls. Usually, a suggestive smile and a wink is all that’s needed. But no, I have to wine and f**king dine Maddie. I might as well serenade her under the f**king stars – and you know what? If I could sing, I damn well would.

Because I have to want what I can’t have, all the time. And Maddie? Maddie is at the top of that list. Hell, she’s at the top of every f**king list I own.

She is so damn untouchable, like a rare stone in a museum surrounded by laser lights. I feel like a ninja, dodging one more laser light daily and getting one step closer to worming my way into her heart.

But then, do I want her in love with me? The problem with this challenge is that it’s not just a quick roll in the hay. I have to get to know her, I have to pretend to care about her – but when does pretending start becoming real?

I know her mom was killed. I know she’s not close to her brother, that she loves her dad, and I also know that when she’s in a bad mood her dirty mouth can rival mine on a good day. And that’s sexy, on her.

Prim, proper Maddie going bad is the biggest f**kin’ turn on I’ve ever had.

Shit.

I get up, slamming my bedroom door behind me. I can’t stay in my room thinking about her. I practically run into Aston and Ryan at the bottom of the stairs and grab their arms, shoving them through the front door and round the side of the house.

“Dude? What the f**k?” Aston rubs his arms.

“You two.” I look between them. “Are driving me f**king crazy.”

“What?”

“This challenge. Do you know how hard it is to have that hot piece of ass rubbing up against me, knowing I can’t drag her off to f**k her?” I resist the urge to slam my fist into the wall.

Ryan smirks. “You agreed, bro. I was only kidding, but then you agreed. You can’t back out now. She’s wrapped around your little finger.”

“Yeah, and that’s the problem.” I look at him pointedly. “I don’t want her wrapped around my little finger. I want her wrapped round my f**king dick.”

“So just drag her off to bed,” Aston suggests. “You two were getting’ pretty cozy last night, if you get what I mean.”