Read Online A Numbers Game by Tracy Solheim - Free Book Online Page A

the way forward for the both of them was to forget the past. They’d both been young and made mistakes all those years ago: Heath by succumbing to peer pressure and she by running away. She didn’t want to waste any more of their lives. Sliding her hands up his chest, she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. With a stretch up onto her toes, her lips had better access to the bare skin along his throat.
    “Mmmm,” she sighed. “Okay.”
    Heath cupped her face between his hands as the desperation shining in his eyes pierced into hers. “I’m serious, Merrit. You have to really mean it. I’m not saying this just to get you back into bed. It’s the truth. I need to know that you believe me.”
    “I believe you,” she heard herself whisper as her mind gave its final surrender. Perhaps it was her greatest personality flaw to be sucked into trusting the wrong man, but she prayed that wouldn’t be the case again this time. Because this time, his betrayal would surely kill her.
    “Thank God.” Heath’s murmured words were nearly lost within his heavy sigh before he took her mouth in a kiss. A heated frenzy overtook them both and their hands tangled in an effort to shed their clothes. The strap she’d been fighting with all night was yanked down her arm by Heath as he dragged her dress over her hips. She pulled at the zipper of his pants before he stepped away, shucking his shoes, pants, and underwear all in one athletic move. His shirt was next.
    Merrit felt the breath catch in her lungs as their bodies finally met, skin to skin, with only the scrap of her lace panties between them. Heath’s fingers caressed her nape as he pulled her in for a deep, drugging kiss, while his other hand slipped beneath the fabric. She dug her nails into his biceps when he brushed his thumb along her wet seam. Their kiss became needier as he worked his finger inside her, causing her hips to circle rhythmically. Dazed, her fingers trailed down his sculpted torso to reach between their bodies where they wrapped around his hard length. Her insides squeezed around his finger as her own hands stroked him.
    A strangled groan erupted from Heath as he broke the kiss. “Wrap your arms and legs around me,” he said, his fingers gripping her bottom as he lifted her like a limp rag doll. She nipped at his ear in frustration, raking her fingers through his hair. He carried her into the bedroom where he laid her gently on the bed. “Wait here,” he commanded. Merrit sucked in several quick breaths, her heated skin shivering in the cool air-conditioning, before he returned from the living room and tossed his wallet onto the nightstand. He had the foil wrapper undone and was beginning to roll the condom on before she realized what he was doing.
    “Wait,” she gasped, reaching for him. “I wasn’t done with you yet.”
    He captured both her wrists, pulling her arms over her head with one hand. Supporting himself with his other arm braced against the mattress, he slowly lowered his body on top of hers. “You’ll get your chance later. Right now, I’m in charge. I’m the superior one, remember?”
    Merrit moaned with pleasure as his warm, hard body settled on to hers. She didn’t bother moving her hands, even after his fingers released them to skim over her flushed skin. Heath was unrelenting with his mouth and his fingers as he proceeded to show her just exactly who was in charge. Her hips writhed beneath his, and that feeling of being strung out invaded her nerve endings, making her breathing fracture.
    “Heath,” she begged, but his mouth and his hands only moved lower on her body. Dragging his fingers along her skin, he shoved her panties over her hips and then he stilled. He brushed his lips over the scar where her tattoo had been removed. The move was so tender and reverent that unshed tears burned in the back of her eyes.
    “I always thought we’d be connected by those stupid things,” his lips murmured against her skin.
    Her