Pucked Off (Pucked 5)

“I might like it.”

That gets a smile out of her. “Go ahead then.”

“Want or let?” I whisper when my lips are almost touching hers.

“Want, of course.”

I touch my lips to hers, the hint of a kiss. “So you’re not upset about the pictures?”

“I’d have to be an idiot not to expect them. You’re like a celebrity.”

“I don’t want that kind of thing interfering with me and you. I want to keep you to myself.”

“Is that so?”

“Mmm. All mine.” This time I take her mouth, and she parts her lips. It escalates quickly. I don’t remember turning her around and lifting her onto the table. Or wrapping her legs around my waist, but that’s where we end up.

The rattle of the door freezes us in place.

“Hey, Poppy? You in here? Why’s the door locked?”

“That’s April,” Poppy whispers. Then she nips at my lip and does a little hip roll.

“Want me to tell her to fuck off?”

She shakes her head like she’s throwing off a daze.

“You’ll never believe what’s on Insta!” More door rattling.

“I need to let her in.” Poppy pushes on my chest.

I step back and shove my hand down the front of my pants to rearrange my now-hard dick so it’s not so obvious. Poppy bites one of her knuckles and hums. She rushes around to open the door.

April bursts in and slams it behind her. “Check this out!” She holds her phone an inch away from Poppy’s face.

It’s then that she realizes I’m here. The phone suddenly disappears behind her back. “Oh. Oh, hey, Lance Romero. Number twenty-one for Chicago. Dating my friend Poppy here.”

I wave. “Hey.”

“I’ll wait for you—” She thumbs over her shoulder, her eyes darting between us. “—out there.” She bangs into the jamb.

“You don’t have to leave. I’m about to head out since you girls have dinner plans, yeah?”

April looks from Poppy to me and then back again, doing some weird thing with her eyebrows.

Poppy’s cheeks are pink. “We do.”

“Before I go, can I check out whatever you were gonna show Poppy, massage therapist and girl I kissed in a closet when she was twelve, but said she was fourteen. And whose ponytail I love to pull.” I tug on the end.

April has this glazed look on her face. She blinks a few times and looks to Poppy as if seeking permission.

“I guess it’s okay?” Poppy looks uncertain, but April pulls her phone out from behind her back, punches a few buttons and holds it out for me to see.

I’ve seen a few variations on this picture today. Poppy’s incredibly photogenic, and whoever took the pictures is good with a camera. I’m adjusting the strap of her dress and kissing her shoulder.

Her head is bowed. The freckles dotting her nose and sprinkling her cheeks make her look soft and innocent. Her lashes almost touch her cheek, and her bottom lip is caught between her teeth. It’s the perfect combination of sexy and sweet.

“It’s a great picture, isn’t it?” I ask April.

“It is.”

“I might need to make it my screensaver.”

“You should totally do that.” April nods vigorously.

“Am I allowed to see this, or is it just between the two of you?” Poppy asks.

“I guess you can see it.” I smile at her slightly annoyed expression.

I take April’s phone and move in behind Poppy, almost mirroring the pose in the picture. “See how pretty you are?” I whisper in her ear.

April makes an odd noise. When Poppy and I look at her, she turns it into a cough and looks at the ceiling.

“At least I don’t look trollish.”

“You’re perfect.”

Her smile is as addicting as her touch, but we’re not alone, and we won’t be for a while, so I back it up and pass April her phone, turning back to Poppy. “So I can still come over later?”

“Sure. If you want to.”

“Around seven thirty is okay?”

She glances at April. “That should be good.”

“Can I stay again?”

“I actually need to sleep tonight.”

“Okaaayyy. So I’m going to wait out there for you.” April slips out the door, but leaves it ajar this time.

“I’ll let you sleep, even if I don’t want to,” I say.

“I’m not sure I believe you.”

“I promise.”

“We’ll see how good you are at keeping promises.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yes. It’s a yes.”

I tuck a loose tendril of hair behind her ear so I can touch her. “Can I steal one more of those sweet kisses before I go?”

“Just one?”

“Maybe two.” I tug on the end of her ponytail and steal three before I finally leave.CHAPTER 20FALLING IN

POPPY

“I need details. Lots of them. All of them.” April takes a hefty swig of her margarita.

“You’re not getting all the details.”

“Oh my God, he looked like he wanted to eat you. And you’re seeing him again tonight? Sweet lord, I can’t even…” She fans her face. “Did you sleep with him? You slept with him, right?”