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—Simone—
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I could barely glance at Banks during the boat ride back. I kept my eyes straight ahead and gripped the side bar so hard my knuckles had long since turned white.
Residual heat still lingered between my legs and grew in intensity whenever I replayed our moment over in my mind. My body still silently begged for his touch. It sang to the fantasy of Banks pulling me close without warning and kissing me like he couldn’t resist a second longer. The forbidden lure had awoken my libido from a long hiatus.
While guilt lingered at the fringes, I begged my rationale to be kind to me this time. The connection between me and Banks was increasingly hard to ignore. From the way he respected both my body and my past, opening up to him was a natural progression in the trust we cultivated.
As we approached the dock, Banks looked across and smiled. “Breathing freely again yet? Because I’m sure as hell not.”
I choked out a laugh, conveying my answer without needing to add, “Not yet.”
Our eyes locked and held, sending a renewed thrill through me.
He cleared his throat and returned his attention to reversing into his allotted mooring space. After he had the stay-ropes in place, he pulled on his t-shirt and cap, then started gathering the trash and wet towels.
I halted him by touching his forearm. “Banks?”
His dazzling hazel eyes lifted without delay. “What’s up?”
I hesitated for a beat, not wanting to offend him. “I don’t want what happened out there to change things. I uh... I don’t want you thinking we’re more when I’m not sure I can give you that.”
His focus never wavered from me, and if he was disappointed by my honesty, he did a damn fine job of hiding it.
He smirked from under the bill of his cap. “That’s okay, because I’m not sure if I can give you all of this.” He cockily motioned up and down his body.
I scoffed. “Oh please! You would have given it to me twenty minutes ago.”
He threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Yeah, you’re right. Who am I kiddin’, I totally would have. But don’t be fooled, babe; as much as I seem like an easy lay, I can assure you I’m actually extremely picky.”
I arched an eyebrow, thankful that the conversation had taken a lighter turn. “And yet you’re putting the moves on me; the hardest person in the world to get a lay out of.”
His expression turned wry as he straightened to full height, towering above me. “But the most worth it. Besides, a challenge doesn’t scare me—just makes success all the sweeter.”
Tamping down a sassy retort, I simply smirked and pushed past him to step onto the dock.
“What? No comeback, new girl?” Banks teased.
The audacity of the man spoke directly to the little part of me that was all too easily riled. “You’re too cocky for your own good.”
Following me and Pepin, Banks jumped from the boat to the dock. “Ain’t nothing wrong with a little self-confidence.”
“There is, however, such a thing as too much, and you are the walking epitome of too much.”
His grin crinkled his eyes, making them dance and sparkle with humor. “I should be offended, but I’m not. C’mon, try again,” he goaded.
I snickered and walked away. “Nice try.”
Pepin appeared at my ankles in a happy trot, and we both ignored Banks as he followed us along the wooden planks.
“Ignoring me doesn’t make me go away, new girl.”
“I know! Lord knows I’ve tried many times already,” I called over my shoulder and smiled when his hearty laugh bounced back.
“I’m the gift that keeps on giving.”
Turning, I walked backward. “Giving migraines.”
“Giving orgasms, more like.”
My jaw dropped and Banks’s eyes widened in shock. His booming laughter echoed around us a second later. “Oh fuck, that just slipped out. Your face though—” He all but doubled over and laughed his ass off.
“Yes, my face!” I exclaimed, flabbergasted. “I was not expecting orgasm talk!”
Banks crowed and guffawed until tears rolled down his cheeks. “Christ, I’m tired. Stop making me laugh.”
I threw my arms wide. “Stop with the random declarations of orgasms!”
That set him off harder, and in the end, I shook my head and made my way to shore while he continued to lose his shit.
Me and Pepin waited impatiently by the truck while Banks continued to laugh and zig-zag in our direction.
“For fuck’s sake,” I mumbled while watching him. He looked drunk.
Finally arriving at my side, he leaned his forearm against the tailgate of his truck. “Aaah, I haven’t laughed like that in a long time. Thanks, babe. I needed it.”
“Uh, you’re welcome. Though I literally did nothing apart from being shocked.”
He chuckled and beeped the locks. “That’s what set me off.”
I eyed him through a narrowed glare. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive?”
“Sure am. Jump in and I’ll drop you home.”
I settled in the passenger seat as he climbed behind the wheel with Pepin standing happily in the truck bed behind us.
“Excited for tomorrow?” Banks asked.
“What do you have planned?” My suspicions rose when he chuckled.
He gave me a look of innocence. “Nothing yet. Apart from sleeping in.”
“Good plan,” I agreed, then relaxed into the seat as Banks drove.
My hair played in the wind from the open window and my cheeks felt a little sunburned by the time he walked me to my front door.
“I feel flushed. Do I look burned?” I asked, tenderly touching my cheeks, trying to tell myself it had nothing to do with how fast my heart raced with Banks standing so close.
He hooked a finger under my chin and angled my face up, then ducked into my space. My pulse pounded hard enough to be heard from the outside.
I held my breath as he tilted my face this way and that, scrutinizing every inch intently.
“Hmm,” he hummed. “You are looking a bit pink, and I swear it’s getting worse.” He chuckled knowingly. “Yep, it’s definitely getting darker.” The back of his knuckles pressed to my cheek. “Christ, you’re your own power source.”
Embarrassed as all hell, I batted his hands away and snapped, “Stop touching me.”
Completely unphased by my blunt demand, Banks’s easy laughter rolled over me.
He leaned into my space and murmured against my ear, “If it’s any consolation, you make me feel like that on the inside, Simone.”
I gulped and my breath swallowed. “Like what?”
His voice dropped lower and sent a shiver of longing down my spine. “Like I’m going to combust and need another new heart.”
My exhalation shuddered. His tone and brazen admission sent heat flooding to my core. Arousal gathered and pooled, weightier than ever.
Banks’s fingers trailing a seductive line down my arms had my limbs growing heavy and my knees weak. As he circled his fingers against my inner wrists, he stepped further into my space until our chests bumped together. My clit ached and begged to be touched, whereas my nipples became overly sensitive to the barest contact.
Desire pulled my eyelids closed. Need had my mouth opening to release a breathy exhale.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, new girl,” Banks whispered against the shell of my ear before smoothing his lips over my cheek.
With one last tease of his fingertips to my palms, he eased away. I opened my eyes to find him as turned on as I was. His heated stare seared me and left me smoldering inside, and after one last smile, he jogged to his truck.
I stood rooted to the spot as he reversed down the drive, then let myself into the cottage and leaned against the front door. My heart raced out of my chest and the aching arousal refused to subside.
I thought a shower would dispel my need for release, but stripping in the bathroom while the shower heated only heightened my arousal. My head tipped back as my fingers made contact with my aching clit.
Sliding two fingertips through my wetness pulled a sharp gasp from my mouth. With Banks on my mind, I smoothed my fingers through the slick arousal, then pushed two inside myself. My legs widened as I withdrew them and circled the tight bud of needy nerves.
Fuck the shower; the residual memory of Banks’s erection rubbing between my legs pushed my arousal past the point of no return. My fingers tightened their grip on the bathroom vanity while the others strummed my sensitive core.
Cries of overriding pleasure left my mouth. Over and over as my orgasm climbed higher, until I couldn’t hold it off. I came with a guttural moan and rode the orgasm as hard and as far as I could.
Completely out of breath with my heart audibly racing in my ears, I pressed a hand to my chest and panted, partly shocked and partly so thankful I’d allowed myself pleasure once more.
I entered the shower on trembling legs and let the water wash over my heaving chest.
“Oh my god,” I whispered to myself as reality crept back in.
Not only did the stark realization that I’d masturbated with Banks dominating my mind sink in, but also the crushing guilt. Like I’d cheated on Reagan.
I shook my head in defeat, conflicted between pleasure and pain. The urge to reach for my little knife and inflict another line upon my fragile skin nagged at me, so I stayed in the shower until the blade no longer screamed for my attention.
After fifteen minutes, the voices mercifully quietened... For the moment, anyway.
