Fake Marriage Box Set

I should have brought Mark out with me, but oh well. Too late for that now. If Gretchen wouldn't let me stay the night, I'd just have to pay for an Uber to bring him out to me, and then I'd have him drive me home. Otherwise, I was sure he'd enjoy having my suite to himself for the night.

I leaned in and kissed Gretchen on her doorstep, pinning her against the door. For a long moment, we stayed like that, our lips sliding cautiously against one another's. Usually, I would take control of a kiss, dominating it and forcing my way into her mouth. Then again, usually, I would expect her to open herself to me, to be practically begging for it, before I'd even done anything.

But Gretchen wasn't like the girls who I normally took home with me. There was something delicate about her.

There was nothing lacking in her passion, though.

She finally opened her mouth to me, as though she had come to a decision in her mind, and she pressed up against me, her arms coming up to twine around my neck. I slotted a leg between hers and listened to the way that she groaned, softly, against my lips, as though she needed so much more than that.

She probably did. If she was waiting for a guy to take her on five dates before he went home with her.

“I'm going to stay over,” I told her, pulling back to lean my forehead against hers. “I owe you three more dates, but I'm going to stay over.”

“Yes,” she agreed, sounding just as breathless as me. She smirked at me, though. “They'd better be good dates, though.”

“They'll be like tonight,” I told her. “But to different places. I promise.” I only hoped that Mark had enough recommendations for good places to take her, but I had to assume that he did. He had lived there his whole life, after all. I smiled and leaned back in to capture her lips.

Chapter Fourteen

Gretchen

I didn't know why I was inviting Christian inside. The date had been great, and I still had Mina's, and Mrs. Harris', words in the back of my mind. Just have fun with it.

I knew there was nothing wrong with this, but at the same time, I wasn't the kind of girl to have sex with a dude after only a couple dates. I should be holding out, out of respect for myself. Or something like that.

But at the same time, with his hands tracing hot lines down my curves, I couldn't seem to pull away from him.

“Are you sure about this?” He was sweet enough to ask as we tumbled through the front door.

I shook my head. “No,” I told him honestly. “Not at all.”

Surprisingly, that made Christian pause. “Maybe we should-”

“No,” I said, already desperate for the feeling of his leg in between mine. I could only imagine what it would feel like to have his fingers touching my mound. I blushed at the very thought of it.

Christian smiled down at me, brushing my hair back. “You're beautiful,” he said seriously.

I laughed nervously, ducking my head a little. “You say that to all your girls?”

Christian frowned. “Look, I know my reputation precedes me, but I’m not everything you think I am.”

“Sorry,” I said. “I imagine it must be difficult being you. Knowing that everyone knows all your personal business.” I trailed, wondered why I was saying this, now of all times. Was I actively trying to make sure we didn't end up having sex?

But Christian smiled at me again. “Yeah,” he agreed. “It is a bit difficult. But all the same, I have a pretty awesome life. Especially when it means that I can treat a sexy girl like you to dinner.”

And there we were, back around to the sex thing. I could almost sigh with relief as he leaned back in, kissing a heated trail along my jawline and down the line of my throat. I tilted my head back to give him better access, needing more, and he complied, licking and sucking at the delicate skin there, sending heat pooling between my legs.

Christian's arms came around me, and he scooped me up, pressing me back against the wall. I wrapped my legs around his waist, groaning at the feeling of his erection already straining to be free of his jeans.

“Bed,” I gasped out between kisses, squirming a little so that he would set me down. There were too many layers of clothing between us, but I knew that if we started stripping off here, we'd probably never make it to the bed before we coupled.

“Where is it?” Christian asked, though, beginning to carry me upstairs, making me giggle.

“Those muscles aren't just for show?” I asked teasingly. I nodded my head toward the room on the left. “It's in there.”

“Good,” Christian growled, his voice gone husky with lust.

He nudged open the door with his foot and brought me inside, tossing me gently down onto the bed and then crawling on top of me. He slid his fingers under my shirt and pulled it off over my head. Then, he groaned softly and stroked a hand over the black, lacy bra that I'd put on even though I hadn't expected that we would end up here together at the end of the night. It had been meant to make me feel confident and sexy for the date, but it was nice to see his appreciation of it as well.