Free Rough Tumble by Keri Ford Page A

Humor crinkled the corners.
    “It’s true. I know you think I’m cute and all, but it’s just for show.”
    “ Hmm . I think that’s what your brothers say about you.” That time she knew she stepped in closer. Oh, this was crazy. It was exciting. Holy heck, what was she doing? She didn’t care and inched a bit closer. “No, they call you crazy. And annoying. And a lot of four-letter words.”
    “They would know better than anyone.”
    The tips of her breasts now touched his chest. A charge was building. Vibrations hummed through her ears. The sound of her pulse throbbing so fast. “I think you’re full of it most of the time.”
    He faked hurt feelings. “Cold, Woman. Cold.”
    She was anything but cold. Warm. Very, very warm. And with his smile like that? The corner all turned up enough that his barely there dimple showed. Getting warmer. “Trent.”
    “I know.”
    Then maybe he could explain it to her? Or not. Just going with it seemed like a much better idea. This was what she wanted after all. Leaning a little closer. Stepping a little closer. He touched her arm. Fingers caressed up and down. That’s the only place they touched, but it was electric fire burning through her. The pads of his fingers caressing her arm.
    How many nights had she thought of this? Nights. Please. How many hours, day and nights had she imagined this moment of his head lowering. Her moving in. Countless times.
    She put her hand flat on his chest. She’d swatted him there, popped him with dishrags and any number of other things. This was wow. His heart pounded under her palm and she made the last move. She stepped in, slid her hands up his chest and aiming to wrap them around his neck.
    A moment of ‘was this a good idea’ crossed through, but it wasn’t fast enough. His lips topped hers. Arms wrapped around her waist. His fingers that had always remained politely across the middle of her back reached low and were over the top of her ass. Not grabbing. But there. Resting.
    Firing her blood, tingling her skin under his touch. His lips teased, pressed at the corners of her mouth. She stepped into him. Put her hips to his. Had his hard abs and chest against the front of hers. Those fingers just resting on her lower back curled and tossed a shiver up her back.
    His lips pressed over hers and she opened for him, accepted his tongue sliding across hers. A moan rumbled in his chest, hummed against her breasts. He pulled her against him and she pulled against his neck. Wanting closer. Needing him closer.
    And if she had it her way, with less clothes on.
    He cupped her ass and lifted, turned, putting her on the kitchen counter. His hands traced down her thighs, and she opened her legs for him, hooked her ankles together at his back and pulled him between her.
    “Tonya.”
    “Yes,” It was the safest thing she knew to say that wouldn’t stop this. A thousand times, yes. Stopping—not an option.
    Faintly, that bothersome part that lurked in the back of her mind, reminded her of what she was putting to risk. Reminded her that he was by all accounts, a best friend to her and just over the last few days she’d nearly lost him and it had been some of the hardest days of her life thinking he wouldn’t be back.
    Damn that thing in the back of her mind. He kissed against her jaw. She opened her mouth to say his name. Something, anything. But he was kissing her. Hungry and wanting. His hands were under her shirt. The rough pads of his fingers caused her stomach to tighten and release. Caused her thighs to squeeze and grip him, then release.
    Wanting so much. His mouth was on her neck, going along the curve into her shoulder. That stupid worry was back. She squeezed her eyes tight, willing it to go away, but it just wouldn’t leave. “Trent.”
    He stopped. He didn’t lift. His face was turned against her throat and fingers stroked along the curves of her bra. Restless and needy. His touches never ended, only flowed from one part of her