Playing by Heart

by JB Salsbury

  “Really?”

  “Yes. So give me your mouth before I roll you over and take it myself.”

  She leans down, and the movement sends bolts of pleasure up my shaft to my spine. The long strands of her damp hair tickle my neck as she holds her mouth just inches from mine. “If you want this mouth, you’re going to have to take it.”

  Fuck, I love this side of her. I squeeze her hips and rub her against me. “You sure you can handle me taking what I want?”

  “I’m sure. I mean, you’re no John Mayer, but—” She squeals when I flip her to her back and pin her ass to the bed with my hips.

  I take advantage of her parted lips and do exactly what I told her I would. I take her mouth in a brutal kiss that has us both breathless and shaking. I roll to my back and pull her on top of me, breaking the kiss long enough to tug off her top and hurl it across the room. She rips at my shirt, and I curl up to help her strip it off me.

  I reach for her boobs, but she drops to press her chest against mine. The heat from her perky tits on my pecs brings a moan up my throat, and she smiles as it rumbles against her mouth.

  She pushes up, straddling my hips, her bare chest on full display. I cup her breasts and give them a gentle squeeze before licking my lips. “If I didn’t know better, I’d wonder if you’d ever been with a naked woman before.”

  “It’s been a while, I’ll admit.” I thumb her nipples, and she sucks in a quick breath that sounds exactly like the one she graced me with the day she caught me jacking off. “Admit you loved watching me with my dick in my hand.”

  Her eyes are glazed over with lust as she peers down at me, her hands splayed on my ribcage and her nails biting into my skin. “I liked it.”

  “You loved it.” I pinch her nipples, making her moan.

  Her hips gently roll, working up a sexy friction on my hard-on.

  “You want that, Bethany?”

  Her eyebrows pinch together as if she’s fighting some internal battle.

  “It’s not a trick question. Simple yes or no.”

  Her dark brown eyes lock on mine. “I do, but…”

  Lust dissolves to reveal doubt. That won’t do.

  With a heel on the bed, I roll and push her to her back, wedging myself between her legs to give her the pressure I know she craves. “I love you.”

  She blinks at me, and some of the tension melts from her body. “You say that, but—”

  “I do.” I thrust my hips forward, dry-fucking her slowly, giving her a taste of what is hers to take. “I love you.”

  “Are you sure?”

  I bury my face into her neck and chuckle. “How can you ask me that when I’m right here, half-naked, and so eager to get inside you?” I kiss her until the doubt is erased from her mind. “I love you.”

  She flashes a shaky smile. “Okay.”

  I frown. “That’ll do for now.” I push back on my knees and hook my fingers under the elastic waistband of her shorts, pull them down her legs, and toss them away. I lift a brow. “No panties.”

  Her cheeks flush, and I run my knuckles between her breasts, down the center of her torso, over her belly button, to the junction of her thighs. She jumps at the contact and melts into the bed as I slip one finger inside.

  The monster inside me arches his back and rears back on two legs, pushing me to fuck her fast and dirty, but I smother the urge and shove my scaly alter ego to the farthest part of my mind. He doesn’t belong here, not with her.

  Bethany

  I admit that I’ve not been witness to many sexy things in my lifetime. Most of my sexual experiences could be described as sweet and romantic, never sexy.

  As Jesse sits back on his knees, wearing nothing but his jeans and the swollen rocket that punches at his zipper, I can say without question this is the sexiest experience of my life. The muscles in his powerful arm roll beneath colorful tattoos as he works his fingers between my legs. His hair is a tousled mess, one strand falling over his forehead into his eyes, but he looks positively mesmerized as he watches his hands work. His lips are parted slightly, as if he can’t get enough oxygen through his nose alone, and the tight muscles in his torso seem to swell beneath his skin.

  “You’re beautiful,” I say between heavy breaths.

  His eyes snap to mine, and they’re molten pools of hazel fire. “Funny.” Even his voice seems to shake with barely restrained anticipation. “I was about to say the same thing to you.” His gaze slides down my naked torso to between my legs. “So fucking hot.”

  Insecurity makes me wonder how many woman he’s said that to before, how many times he’s been in this exact position with someone else, how many faceless someone elses.

  He must sense me locking up because he smooths my thigh with his palm, rubbing until I relax and allow my legs to fall open again. “Yes, just like that.”

  I fist the sheets, my back arching off the bed, and he watches it all as if trying to memorize my every response. His dark brows drop low, and he bites his lip. As if he could get any sexier…

  I reach for the top button of his jeans. “My turn.”

  He doesn’t resist. Instead, he pops the button for me and holds himself up over me so I can slide my hand down the front of his jeans.

  He’s long, thick, and hard as steel. I grip him in a tight fist.

  A hiss slides from between his teeth. “Don’t stop.”

  I have no intention of stopping.

  He angles his lips over mine. We find a steady rhythm, kissing, touching, even biting at each other until we’re both a mess of over-sensitized nerve endings. Breaking the kiss, he pushes off me and stands at the foot of the bed. He pulls a foil packet from his pocket then drops his jeans and boxers to the floor. My eyes widen to behold the sight before me.

  This gorgeous man, tall, tattooed, and naked, at the foot of my bed.

  I blink when another wave of reality washes over me.

  Not just any man.

  Jesse Lee.

  How is this my life?

  Before I question it further, he’s over me again, and the heavy weight of his erection sheathed in latex presses firmly between my legs.

  “Do you have any idea how much I love you?” His voice shakes as he stares into my eyes, giving me no choice but to believe him.

  Not trusting my voice, I nod.

  He grins, pecks me softly on my lips, then pushes slowly inside. I suck in a breath at the feeling of him stretching me. Inch by inch, he enters me then waits for me to adjust before sinking in deeper.

  His knuckles brush along my cheek. “You okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “More?”

  I nod vigorously, and he chuckles softly while pushing in until I feel his hips touch mine.

  “Fuck,” he says into my neck. “We fit so good together.”

  I run my hands through his hair, fisting it and tilting my head to give him more of my neck.

  “You want that?” He licks at my pulse point.

  I do. I so do. I hate myself for wanting it, but… “Yes.”

  Against my neck, he makes a soft humming nose that is pure male satisfaction, then he opens his mouth and latches on. My back bows off the bed at his powerful suction, and the movement has him groaning into my throat. His hips thrust forward, pinning me down, forcing me to stay put as he sucks harder.

  My breath hitches at the warm burn of his mouth combined with the force of his hips. I feel like a butterfly pinned to a board, beautifully displayed beneath him.

  He breaks the seal of his lips and pulls back to admire his work. “Fuck yeah, that’s hot.”

  If I weren’t so lost to the feeling of being completely consumed by him, I might be embarrassed, but the thought of being branded, marked, owned by him is more satisfying that I ever imagined it would be.

  I pull his face over mine, kissing him and locking my heels over the backs of his thighs. He seems to like that as it spurs him into action. He alternates between long, slow, deliberate and short, punchy thrusts. He r
olls his hips to hit all the right spots, most I never knew I had.

  I’m gasping, writhing, ripping at his arms when he pushes up over me and looks down between us.

  “Watch with me,” he grunts.

  I do, and the vision of him lifting his hips then sinking inside me is all the motivation I need. I suck in a breath, throw my head back onto the pillow, and my orgasm whips through me like a violent tornado of ecstasy. I’m thrown into what seems like an alternate universe. My eyes slam shut as if to protect me from further stimulation as I soar then float slowly back to earth.

  His pace quickens. His hand drops to grasp my backside, tilting my hips so he can gain even deeper access. He shoves his face into my throat, his teeth pull at the sensitive skin where he left his mark, then he groans, slows, and collapses on me.

  We fight to catch our breath, to get oxygen back to our brains, yet hold tightly to each other to keep grounded.

  “Jesse,” I whisper.

  He adjusts a little to take his weight off my lungs but stays put with his bare chest pressed to mine. “Yeah?” He peppers my jaw, my cheek, then my eyebrows with tender kisses.

  “I think I love you too.”

  He pulls back and smiles. It’s lazy, satisfied—for the first time since I’ve known him, he looks genuinely happy. “Of course you do.”

  I can’t help it, I burst out laughing. “You’re not a good person.”

  He shrugs. “I know. But when I’m with you”—his expression sobers—“I’m hopeful that one day I could be.”

  17

  Bethany

  “I love your hands,” Jesse says while studying our intertwined fingers.

  I don’t know when we woke up, only that an awareness of his body roused me from sleep. His naked chest is pressed to my back, his arm thrown over me, and our hands clasped as he flips them back and forth.

  “They’re so real, ya know?” The warmth of his breath against my bare shoulder sends goose bumps down my arm.

  “You’re not used to seeing a real woman’s hands?”

  “No, genius.” He playfully bites me. “No nail polish, no three-inch-long fake nails, no rings or tattoos… they’re just you.”

  “Yes, they are.” I try to look at my hand, at our hands together, and see what he’s seeing. “And yours are covered in ink and calloused.”

  “I’ve beat them up pretty bad.”

  I bring his knuckles to my lips and kiss every one. “They have character. Plus, they feel amazing against my skin.”

  He groans and buries his nose in my neck. “I marked you up pretty good here.” He brushes his lips against the hickey on my neck, and my face burns with embarrassment.

  “That was a big mistake. I don’t know what I was thinking.” I was out of my mind last night, obviously. I remember how badly I wanted him to leave something on my skin, proof that I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t thinking of the light-of-day consequences of my actions.

  “It doesn’t look like a mistake.” His voice rumbles against my throat. “It’s sexy.” He licks my skin. I tilt my head, opening up for his attentions, and he flexes his hips against my backside. “I’m ready to go again whenever you are.”

  I ache between my legs but not enough to turn down—

  “Bethany!” My door flies open and Ashleigh comes stomping in. “Have you seen the news?” Her gaze darts to Jesse. “Hey, Jesse.”

  “Hey.” He doesn’t seem embarrassed to have my roommate standing feet away from our naked and very turned on bodies.

  “Well?” she asks me. “Have you?”

  I sink a little lower in the sheets, pulling them up to my neck. “Ash, do you think you could come back later? Like, maybe after Jesse and I get dressed?”

  She blinks and shakes her head as if I’ve spoken in a foreign language. “Why would I do that? Neither of you have anything I haven’t seen before. Dude! You two are all over the news! Local news, TMZ, ET, Extra, you name it!”

  “Shit,” Jesse groans and rolls away from my back. He sits up, completely bare, with nothing but the top sheet tossed over his hips. He grabs his phone from the side table. “I need to call Dave.”

  “Right, I’ll, uh…” I fumble with the mess of sheet and comforter, trying to find the pajamas he tore off me last night. “I’ll step out so you can talk in privacy.”

  Jesse seems entertained by my naked PJ hunt, his lips tipped up on one side. “Take your time.”

  I glare at him, but he’s too sexy for me to even pretend to be annoyed.

  “Here.” Ashleigh tosses me my shorts and tank from across the room. “Nice trajectory, Jesse.”

  He chuckles while my cheeks burn red hot. I shimmy on my shorts under the comforter and have to drop the sheet to slip on my tank. The moment I do, I’m thrown back and Jesse’s weight covers me.

  He nuzzles my neck, moving downward and under the covers. “Just one taste.”

  I giggle and shove out from under him, flashing Ashleigh my boobs, not that she cares. She really has seen them before.

  “You have no manners!” I manage to slip on my tank and get to my feet.

  “Wow.” Ashleigh looks at me as if I’ve grown a second head. “Your hair.”

  I pat my hair and realize I must’ve grown a second head because the stuff is sticking out a good six inches. I attempt to smooth it back into a ponytail. “I went to bed with wet hair, that’s all.”

  Her eyes widen. “Nice love bite.”

  I slap my palm over the hickey.

  Her gaze darts to Jesse. “That’s impressive.”

  He has his phone pressed to his ear, and he smirks. “Thanks. Dave,” Jesse says into his phone. “What’s going on?”

  Ashleigh and I tiptoe out of the room, closing the door before heading to the kitchen. There’s already a fresh pot of coffee, and Ash is wearing flannel pants with her leather corset, which means she hasn’t even gone to sleep yet.

  “I was scrolling on my phone this morning and saw Jesse’s name was trending.” She grabs her phone and hits a button then hands it to me. “Apparently so are you.”

  The Coast-to-Coast Casanova Jesse Lee is spotted with his latest conquest.

  Jesse Lee gives up Hollywood A-listers for a waitress.

  Woman scorned by Jesse Lee speaks out about his latest girl.

  Jesse Lee and his #slumfuck

  Every headline has a photo of Jesse and me kissing in the diner.

  “Slumfuck? Can’t say I’m happy about that. I was hoping for one of those celebrity couple names, ya know? Like Jesany or Bethesse.” I hand the phone back to Ash. “Which one sounds better?”

  She blinks, stunned. “So you’re okay with all this?”

  “I don’t care what they think. It doesn’t matter.”

  “Don’t care, huh? What about your parents? How do you think they’ll feel about waking up to this on their newsfeed?”

  I swallow the bitter taste in my mouth. “My parents still watch their news on TV, and my dad thinks social media is from the devil, so I’m sure I’m okay.” I sip my coffee and try telling my racing heart that even if my parents do find out, they won’t believe something just because they read it; they’ll believe me. “And anyway, they’re going to find out eventually.”

  Her blue eyes sparkle with confusion. “Why? Pretty soon he’ll go back to Los Angeles and continue living his life, but you’ll forever be known as Jesse Lee’s slumfuck.”

  “That’s not what’s going to happen.” I peek down the hallway, making sure he’s still safely behind the soundproofing of my bedroom door. “He loves me.”

  She blinks. “I’m sorry. What?”

  “Jesse told me yesterday that he loves me. And, Ash, I love him too.”

  Her brows drop, and she frowns.

  “This isn’t some random fling. We’re…” What are we? “Look, I don’t know what we are, but I know we’re more than sex.”

  “Bethany,” she whispers sadly.

  “It’s fine, I promise. I know what I’m doing.
”

  “Look, I don’t deny he feels something for you, but he doesn’t belong to himself.”

  “Of course he does—”

  “He can’t walk away from his career. It’s literally who he is.”

  “I would never expect him to do that. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out.”

  She slides onto a barstool, her shoulders slumping. “He’s not going to be able to give you what you want.”

  “How do you know what I want?”

  My bedroom door opens and Jesse emerges, fully clothed. He heads my way with the confidence and swagger of a multi-platinum recording artist—probably because he is one. I smile at my own joke as he comes around the breakfast bar. He presses up behind me, circles my waist with his arms, and kisses my neck.

  I sneak a peek at Ashleigh, who’s watching as if what she’s seeing is causing her physical pain.

  “Coffee?” I hold up my cup, and Jesse takes it from me, kissing me softly before taking a sip. “What did Dave say?”

  He shrugs. “He’s got it contained.”

  I look smugly at Ashleigh and resist the urge to stick out my tongue.

  Jesse drains the rest of the coffee and kisses my jaw. “I have to go. Can I see you tonight?”

  “Of course.”

  He looks at Ashleigh. “What crawled up your ass?”

  “Oh, the list…” She sighs dramatically. “You don’t have time for me to detail the many things that have been in my ass.”

  Jesse chuckles. “Lovely.”

  He pulls out his phone and types a quick text. I want to snoop, but I don’t think we’re at that part in our relationship yet.

  But we’ve said we love each other.

  Okay, so maybe we’re going at this a bit backward, but that doesn’t make it wrong.

  “I gotta run.” He gives me a real kiss. His tongue tastes like toothpaste and coffee, and the thought that he used my toothbrush makes me insanely hot. I pull him closer, and he breaks the kiss with a knowing smile. “I love you.”