I playfully punch his shoulder and laugh. “Very funny.”
“I thought so.”
“Don’t forget the wine. Drunken pillow fights are way better.”
“Damn, I was definitely going to the wrong parties when I was in college.”
I roll my eyes and sigh. “You’re ridiculous.”
He takes a quick step in front of me and pushes my body back and through a door that’s marked ‘employees only’ before I can stop him. The hallway is empty, but there are closed doors all down the hall, which means anyone could come out at any time.
I feel the arousal through his jeans as he arches his hips against me.
“What are you doing?” I hiss quietly.
“What? Never engaged in public sex before?” He arches a brow.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn, but he presses his lips to that spot on my neck that instantly paralyzes my thinking. “Stop it.” I laugh, pushing my palms against him, but it’s no use. His body feels like cement against mine. “Don’t make me scream,” I threaten. “Because I will.”
He wraps his hands around my wrists and pins them up against the wall above my head. “I plan to make you scream nice and loud, baby. No worries there.”
His lips trail up and down my neck, switching off between sucking and kissing on my earlobe and jawline. I curse that he knows all my sensitive spots that get my body buzzing. He knows it’s impossible for me to resist him when he does that.
“Can you at least hold off until we get in the car?” I plead, too worried about people walking by and seeing or hearing us.
One of his hands lowers down my body and slides in between my legs, rubbing against the fabric of my jeans. “Not until I feel you shaking against me first.”
“No,” I whisper loudly. I push his chest, but it only drives him to rub his hand faster and harder.
“Just one, baby. Let me hear it.”
“Damn you,” I groan. The hallway we’re in is dimmed, not as bright as the main walkway, so I finally give in and relax into his hold.
“That’s my girl,” he praises. He unbuttons my jeans and lowers the zipper. He slips a hand inside over my panties and continues his delicious torture.
I bite my lip to keep from moaning aloud, but the faster he speeds up, the harder it gets to stay quiet. He notices my struggle and covers his mouth over mine, allowing me to release them against his lips.
“Mm…” he hums against my lips. “Even your lips taste good when you come, baby.”
He slides his hand out and slowly licks his fingers covered in my arousal. I feel my insides burning as he stares intently at me, the scent of what he does to me floating between the two of us.
He brings his hands down and buttons my jeans back up, leaving me soaked and wanting more. “Now let’s get you home before I fuck you right here against this wall.”
“Lead the way.” I grab his hand and smile, nearly skipping to the car.
MORGAN
Aunt Mel’s retirement party was a blast. It lasted all night long and into the early hours of the next morning. After a day of rest, I officially begin my new job as the gallery manager.
“You look so cute,” Aspen gushes, straightening my tie.
“I’m not really going for cute.” I frown. “Dead sexy maybe…”
She flashes me a look that I’ve come to known as the ‘Shut up’ or ‘Stop talking’ look.
She adjusts my tie and rolls the collar over it, sliding her hands down my new button-up dress shirt. “Handsome, is that better? You look very handsome.”
“How about professional?” I arch a brow.
“You’re in a suit and tie,” she reminds me. “Besides professional, you look very handsome.”
“Thank you.” I give her a quick kiss on the lips.
“And cute,” she blurts out. I lower my hands down her back and give her a quick slap on the ass. She yelps and laughs, batting my hands away.
“I’ll miss you.” I kiss her forehead gently. Aspen moved in just a few months after graduation, and we have spent every single day together since. She and Natalia grew even closer. We took advantage of the summer to explore around San Francisco, doing all the touristy stuff that most locals take for granted, and even set up a studio in my basement big enough for all three of us to paint in.
But this was a good and exciting change. We’ll continue working together and soon Aspen would start her first semester at the University of San Francisco in museum studies.
Everything’s fitting together just perfectly. I even understand Natalia most of the time, thanks to Aspen for deciphering her ‘girl code’ or whatever the hell that is.
“Well, Mr. Hampton,” she says, handing me the new briefcase she bought me as a ‘new job’ gift. “You ready for your first day as Gallery Manager?” She wraps her arms around my waist and tilts her head up so I can kiss those full, cherry lips of hers.
“I sure am, Mrs. Hampton.” I kiss those lips as if they’re my lifelines. “I love you,” I call over my shoulder as I walk toward the front door.
“I love you, too!” she calls back, giving me her infamous smolder look that she knows I find irresistible.
“Save that for tonight!” I blow her a quick kiss before opening the door.
“I expect you to rip my little red panties off with those lips tonight,” she quips.
I arch a brow and smirk. “Challenge accepted!”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Connect with Brooke:
www.brookecumberland.com
Facebook.com/brookecumberlandauthor
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BOOKS BY BROOKE CUMBERLAND
Series
The Intern Serials
The Spark Series
The Riverside Trilogy
Standalones
Dangerous Temptations
Pushing the Limits
COMING IN 2016
Breaking the Limits: a student/teacher romance
(Kendall’s story)
Baby, Make it Hurt
An enemies to lovers romance
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book has been in my head for a year now. Aspen and Morgan have struggled to get their story out, and I’ve struggled to get their words out on paper. Anxiety and depression are issues I personally struggle with, and I wanted to develop her character true to the way one would act and feel with anxiety and depression. Her character didn’t come easy, took a lot of deleting, re-writing, and bouncing ideas off other people. I owe a lot of thanks to some very close people in my life for their continuous support while helping me, guiding me, and most of all—pushing me.
Katie Webb—Over a year ago, I first met you and everything in my life changed. I never knew what it felt like to have a genuine best friend. I never had that in my life. I had friends, where I thought we were close like best friends, but I was the only one giving. It wasn’t until you came into my life that I finally knew what it meant to have a soul sister. It’s as if you came into my life at just the perfect time because God knew I needed you. And I hope I never have to go a day without you in it. Thank you for all you do. Thank you for being strong, my shoulder to cry on, a friend to laugh with, a book nerd like me who understands book boyfriends and alpha males, and an all-around amazing, genuine person. The world would be a better place if all people had your southern heart. I love you!