Sugar

I had plenty to say, but my lips wouldn’t move.

“Ah, fuck. Are you going to cry?”

“No.” But I did want to punch him in the dick.

“Don’t get all sensitive. I prefer you bitchy.”

Oh, I could be a bitch. If he only knew how much…

“First of all, I’m not going to cry. I just needed a second to process everything you said. Second, I don’t work out for anyone but myself. It’s a great stress reliever, and I use it as an outlet when I’m tense. And third, I ate the second piece, so shut the fuck up about my eating habits.”

“You know, there are other outlets for stress relief—”

“Oh, my God! Do you ever think of anything but sex?”

“I’m just saying, my door’s closer than the gym.”

“If you’re such a sex god, why don’t I ever see any women at your place?”

“Maybe I take my business elsewhere.”

I snatched the remote back and plopped on the couch. “I’m sure you do.”

He sat beside me and stole the remote again. “I have plenty of sex. Way more than you.”

“Well, I don’t doubt that.”

He turned and gave me a questioning glance. “When’s the last time someone gave you something worth thinking about?”

“I got flowers yester—”

“No, I mean something that made you scream in a good way.”

The last time I ordered someone to make me scream. “It’s been a while.”

“Why, though? You’re beautiful, sort of fun. Are you going through some kind of celibacy thing on purpose?”

“Maybe I’m trying to graduate from ‘sort of fun’ to something that’s actually flattering. Let’s just say I’m picky and it’s not worth my time if it’s not done my way.”

“So you haven’t had good sex.”

I twisted to face him. “I’ve had incredible sex, but if everyone did it that good, it wouldn’t be incredible. Trust me, I’ve had good sex.”

“How good?”

“Great.”

His eyes narrowed. “Meh, I don’t believe you.”

I scoffed, and folded my arms, then scoffed again. “Well, lucky for you, I don’t give a dirty fuck if you believe me or not.”

“You sure about that?”

“Put on a damn movie.”

He chuckled. “One day you’ll give a dirty fuck. And I’ll give it right back.” He shut off the lamp and hit play.

“What the hell is this?”

“Shh… You don’t want to miss the backstory, that’s what makes it hot.”

“Oh. My. God. I’m not watching porn with you!”

“Just a few minutes.”

I reached for the remote, and he jerked his hand out of reach.

“Give it.”

“Five minutes, then we can watch whatever you want.”

“Noah!” I stretched over him, but his damn long arms were like telephone poles. “Change it!”

“It’s a good one. Chicks like the ones with a plot.”

That was it. I locked in on his nipple with my thumb and knuckle and pinched hard. “Shut it off!”

“Ow! Fuck! Okay! Okay!”

The remote fell to the floor, and I let go. Bad acting and crappy lines played on the surround system as I tried to change the movie. “How the hell do you work this thing?”

“I think you dislocated my areola.”

“You’ll live.” I finally found the source button, and the screen switched to something appropriate.

“I really think you did some damage.”

I glanced over my shoulder to find him peeking under the collar of his T-shirt. My lips twitched. There was something so adorable about him in that moment. I pictured myself straddling his thighs, removing his shirt, and kissing his nipple all better.

Good God! I needed to get the hell out of there.

I placed the remote on the coffee table. “Seeing as you’re busy with other things, I think I’ll just head home.”

He dropped his shirt and grabbed my arm, taking me off guard as he yanked me to the sofa and pinned me there.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“You pinched mine, now I get to pinch yours.”

“Uh, no. That’s not how this works.”

“Chicken.”

“Yeah, that’ll convince me.”

“Pussy?”

“You wish. Get off.”

“Fair is fair, Avery.”

“You stole the remote, hijacked the television and put on pornography, so I pinched your nipple. That’s fair.”

His weight settled over me, silently warning he wasn’t going to let me up until I gave in. “Fine. Over the shirt for ten seconds. That’s it. And I’ll be sure not to whine like a baby, the way you did.”

He took my wrists and yanked them over my head, pressing them into the couch pillows. I became hyper-aware of the span of flesh now showing just above the waistband of my pants.

“Don’t move.”

I rolled my eyes, so not used to being bossed around when it came to this. “Oh, okay.”

He sat up and stared at my chest, but didn’t touch me.

“Are you gonna do it?”

“I will. Be patient.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes again. “Don’t forget, I have to be at the gym in the morning. Aaaannnny day now. Whenever you’re ready.”

“You talk too much.”

“Well, what’s the hold-up?”

“I’m waiting for your nipples to get hard.”