Sugar Rush (Friend-Zoned 3)

I feel his body still. “You missed me?”

“Duh!” Oh man, I must be completely hammered. “I’ve been looking for you!” Make that obliterated.

His arms wrap around me. He gives me a gentle squeeze before releasing me. His golden eyes look down into mine as he says in all seriousness, “I’ve been looking for you too.”

Not quite wanting to let go of him, I place my hand on his thigh and smile up at him. “I dressed up.” I thank the gods above for leaving out ‘for you’.

His eyes sweep my see-through dress and flash a moment before they hood. He mutters hoarsely, “I can see that. You’re stunning.”

That’s about the time I ramble. “My friend Felicity helped me. I don’t really like all the girly things. I mean, you’ve seen my undies. I don’t really know how to make myself appealing to the opposite sex. I must’ve missed that class.”

Max makes a choked sound before downing his shot, then my own. Coughing, he wheezes, “You’re looking for a man tonight?”

My mind suddenly sobers. I smile softly, but it’s forced. “Sure. I mean, I’m only human, right? I have needs like anyone else.”

He eyes me good before saying, “You want to know how to be appealing to the opposite sex, Lena?” My eyes widen. Max is about to impart his wisdom on me. He’ll give me the key to his heart. I need to listen, and listen I will! Lifting a hand, he gently pushes stray hairs away from my face, lowers his lips to the shell of my ear, and whispers, “Just breathe, baby.”

My breath leaves me in a whoosh. Then I say the stupidest thing I could ever say right now.

“Please kiss me.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Helena

“Please,” I beg through a shaky breath. “Please kiss me.”

Max groans, running a hand down his face. “C’mon, sweetheart. You don’t even like me. Now I know you’re drunk.”

Reaching up, I take his hands down from his face and hold them tight. “I’m not drunk.” But he eyes me in a way that I know he knows I’ve been drinking, so I adjust my last statement. “I’m not that drunk. I’m tipsy at most. I’m Croatian, dude. It’ll take a lot of booze to take me down.”

He hesitates, but right now, I’m willing to do anything to have those lips on mine. Anything. Even play dirty. I play with his fingers and look down at his manly hands. They’re nice hands. “Do you know the last time I was with a guy was four years ago? Seriously, Max. Four years ago! And it’s building up inside of me, you know, that feeling? I just…I just really want to feel that again.” I fight a sigh. “I sound like a crazy person, don’t I?”

When I lift my face, we’re nose to nose. His eyes search mine a long moment before he gently presses his lips to mine. My stomach dips. He keeps his eyes on mine, watching for my reaction. The kiss lasts a few seconds and it’s nice, but as he pulls away, I feel myself pout.

That was it?

Lifting his hand, he runs his thumb over my bottom lip and utters, “Okay?” Blinking, speech evades me. I simply nod. His gaze moves down to my lips, and without meaning to, they part slightly. Max closes his eyes tightly and mutters, “I’m trying to be good here, Lena. Stop doing that.”

I’m confused. “Doing what?”

Lifting his hand, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “Stop being sexy.”

And my vagina floods.

When I discreetly press my thighs together, Max spots it. His eyes flash. “Fuck. Now you’ve done it.” His warm lips connect with mine, harder than before. One arm goes around me while the other hand fists in my hair. And it hurts. I whimper. Oh God, it hurts so good. It’s like he knows exactly what I need.

My eyes close. I moan into his mouth. I pull away only a second to pant, “More.” My hands roam his broad chest a moment before he slips his cool tongue into my mouth. He tastes like icy, sweet mint. In a moment of sheer bliss, I gasp into him and fis

t his shirt.

Tilting his head to the side, he deepens the kiss, pulling me impossibly close. His lips leave mine. He pecks kisses onto my lips before trailing down my jaw, further down my throat, kissing a line down to the valley between my breasts.

My nipples become taut; I feel them rubbing through the sheer material of my dress. Damn. I can’t stop. I want this too much. Lowering my head, I place my lips by his ear and whisper, “Take me somewhere.”

His lips still and he pulls away, covering his eyes with his hands, almost looking ashamed. “You got me fucked up.” Only loud enough for me to hear, he mutters through a sigh, “You got me seriously fucked up, cupcake.”

He moves to stand, but I snag his wrist and ask in shock, “Wh-where are you going?”