Five

“You’re so bad at this. Let’s just stop.”

“Once more. I’ll beat you this time, I swear.”

“That’s what you said the last three times.”

“For real this time.”

“That’s what you said last time.”

Ben groans and drops his controller on the coffee table. “You’re just too good. I’m not as bad as I used to be. I beat Jo the last time we played.”

“She probably let you win.”

“She didn’t.”

“She did. There’s no way you can beat her with the kind of skill you have. You have a long way to go, buddy.”

“Buddy?” he grumbles. “Now I’m buddy?”

I turn off the console and turn to him. “What do you want to be?”

“Something that rhymes with that.”

I work my brain a little…what the fuck?

I roll my eyes. “In your dreams.”

He narrows his eyes. “You know, people who have a thing for bad boys have one thing in common.”

“What’s that?”

“They like it rough.”

I can only stare at him.

He leans in. “And do you know what people who like being manhandled in bed have in common? Many have a da—”

I press my hand to his mouth. “I get it.”

“You do?” his muffled voice comes from behind my palm.

I nod. “But you’re wrong.”

“Am I?”

I nod again.

He takes hold of my hand and pushes it aside. “What is it that you like so much about bad boys, then?”

“I didn’t say I like them.”

“But you did. You said you like them so much that you have to go to extreme lengths to ensure they don’t tempt you. What’s so tempting about them?”

You know what? I should have just kept beating his ass playing video games…

I reach for my phone and take a look at the clock. My eyes widen at the numbers on the screen. How is it two a.m already? “You should probably get back,” I tell him.

He leans in to take a look at the time. “Yeah, I should,” he says, but makes no move to release my hand. Seconds later, he adds, “I don’t want to go.”

I look at him. He is looking at me, his gaze steady. 

I swallow and try to act like his gaze isn’t setting my skin on fire. “Shouldn’t you get back and ensure your brother is not setting the house on fire?”

Besides playing games for the last couple of hours, we have also talked about a lot of things. He ended up telling me a few stories about his brother’s reckless antics.

“He can do whatever he wants. It’s his house,” he says. Then he tugs my hand and my body follows, pressing up against his side. “We only postponed one thing on my list, you know.”

“What list?” I ask, getting breathless at our proximity. It doesn’t help that his eyes openly move from mine and land on my lips.

“The one where I was going to kiss you, make love to you, then ask you to be my boyfriend.”

Oh. I swallow as my mind takes an express trip to the gutter.

His eyes narrow as I keep looking at him, speechless. “I’m not making another mistake, am I?” he asks.

I shake my head fast. As if I’m afraid he’ll decide this too is a bad idea and stop it.

“Good,” he says. “That’s good.” He slaps my thigh lightly. “Get up here.”

I obey instantly, swinging my leg over his lap and straddling him with both my knees sinking on the cushions. In my new position, I have to look down at him while he looks up at me. My heart pumps faster in my chest, and that seems to be sending a whole lot of blood to the south of my body.

His hands rest on my thighs then trail upwards to my hips. “I’ve been thinking about that night for the past eight months. I was thinking maybe you could give me something else to think about for the next six.”

Fuck, he sure is straightforward, isn’t he? I’m not complaining though. He is saying all the things I’m thinking.

Maybe I should return the favour and show him what I’m thinking.

I lift my hands to his shoulders, which I grip as I lean forward and join our lips in a kiss.