You’re the guy I can’t get out of my head.

The words bounce around my brain.

It’s me.

The guy who has her heart, who doesn’t want her back, who’s such a fucking idiot he doesn’t see what’s right in front of his face—

That’s me.

My fingers curl around her wrist. I can’t let her leave. Not now. Not until I wrap my head around this. “What?”

“It’s you.” Vulnerability fills her eyes. “It’s always been you.”

“But—”

“You’re my favorite part of every day.” Her fingers brush my neck. “You’re my favorite person in the world.”

“But Dean—”

“Is an idiot.”

“Yeah, but—”

“We’re only friends. Ryan, I’d tell you if there was anything between us. If there’d ever been anything between us.” She stares into my eyes. “There hasn’t.”

“It’s me?”

“Is that really surprising?”

Yeah. It’s incomprehensible. “You let me believe it was him.”

“I told you it wasn’t a million times.”

“You let me believe it was someone else.”

“I wasn’t ready to risk losing you.”

“You’d never—”

“Yeah, I would. If you’d known, you would have locked me out. To help me get over you.” Her hand knots in my hair.

She’s right.

I’d do anything to protect Leighton.

Even something as awful as backing away from our friendship.

“You, um…” She presses her lips together. “You aren’t saying anything.”

“It’s really me?”

“Yeah.”

“For how long?”

“Since the day we met. But that was a crush. Now that I actually know you…” Her eyes bore into mine. “Are you really over her?”

“Almost all the way.”

“Do you think about me?”

“I try not to.”

“But you do anyway?”

My nod is heavy. “You?”

“All the time.” Her eyelids press together. “You need to kiss me now.”

My eyelids flutter closed. I pull her closer. Let my lips brush hers.

It’s soft. Slow. Sweet.

Then it’s harder.

She tugs at my hair.

I pin her to the wall.

She parts her lips.

I slip my tongue into her mouth.

Two years.

She’s wanted me for two years.

And all this—

Fuck, my head is spinning. I don’t know what to say. How to handle this.

Leighton wants me.

It makes no sense.

And it makes every lick of sense in the world.

She sighs as she pulls back. “Inside. Now.”

I shift my hips backward to release her.

Her ass brushes my crotch as she turns and unlocks the door. She slides it open and steps inside.

I follow her, locking the door behind me.

She shrugs my suit jacket off her shoulders and hangs it over the side of the couch.

Her eyes find mine.

They beg for love, trust, satisfaction.

I still don’t know shit about the first two.

But I can make her come.

I need to make her come.

Now.

I press my lips to hers. Soak up every ounce of her need. Home in on every place she hurts.

I want to be her salve.

The key that unlocks her.

The puzzle piece that makes everything click together.

Is that love?

I don’t know.

I don’t know what to tell her.

Only that I need her.

Fuck, how I need her.

I peel her dress up her thighs. Over her ass.

She groans as my fingers curl into her lace panties. “Ryan.”

I pin her with my hips. Grind my hard-on against her pelvis.

Her fingers fumble over my belt. “Too many clothes.”

I peel her panties to her thighs.

“Ryan…”

My lips skim her neck.

She groans as she undoes my belt. My button. My zipper. “Mmm.” Her palm brushes my cock. “I love that you go commando.”

“Leigh.” Fuck, that feels good.

Her other hand knots in my hair. She holds my head against hers as she brings her lips to mine.

I kiss her hard.

My tongue dances with hers.

My need pours into her.

And hers pours into me.

I’m kissing Leighton. I’m kissing my best friend.

My brain can’t comprehend it.

She wraps her fingers around me. Strokes me harder.

I drag my fingertips up her thigh.

She groans against my lips as they get closer, closer, closer—

There.

She nips at my bottom lip as she strokes me.

I rub her harder.

Her groan vibrates down my neck.

I draw circles on her clit. Soft. Slow. Hard. Fast. Right. Left. There—

“Fuck.” Her blue-green eyes fill with pleasure.

She looks so fucking beautiful like this.

I watch pleasure spread over her face as I rub her.

Her eyelids press together.

Her lips part with a sigh.

Her hands fall to her sides.

I have to pin her with my hips to keep her upright.

“Ryan.” She slides her hand into my hair. “Fuck.”

I rub her with those same perfect circles.

Her neck tilts backward. Her head presses against the wall. Her thighs spread wider.

She’s inviting me into her body.

Opening herself to me.

It’s everything I want.

Leighton is everything I want—her heart, her head, her body.

I still don’t know shit about the first two.

And this—

Fuck, it’s been awhile.

I need to know her. Every inch of her. Every place that makes her purr.

She groans against my mouth as I tease her with one finger.

Two.

Three.

“Fuck.” She throws her head back. Leans her weight against the wall.

Her teeth sink into her lip as I slide three fingers inside her.

“Fuck, you’re wet.” I drive my fingers deeper.

“Ryan.” Her breath is as heavy as her nod. “More. Now.”

I bring my thumb to her clit. Rub her as I fuck her with my fingers.

Her lips find mine.

She groans against my mouth, rocking her hips to grind against my thumb.

It feels so fucking right, bringing her all this pleasure.

She feels so fucking mine.

I need her to be mine.

She pulls back with a heavy sigh. “Fuck. Ryan. Oh God.”

“Louder.”

“Ryan.” She turns her head to one side as she groans my name again and again.

She pulses against my fingers as she comes.

When she’s finished, I release her. Bring my hand to my lips. Suck the taste of her from my fingertips.

She stares at me in a trance. Lust or love or need, I don’t know. But I know I need it.

All of it.

“Take off your dress,” I demand.

“Take off your suit.”

“Come here.”

She moves closer. Undoes the knot of my tie and tosses it aside. Fumbles over my buttons. Pushes my shirt off my shoulders.

I kick off my shoes. Step out of my slacks.

Her eyes stay glued to mine as she undoes the zipper of her dress.

She pulls it over her head and lets it fall to the floor. “Bed now.”

Her apartment is tiny. It’s a dozen steps to her bed. I fall backward onto it. Take her hands. Pull her body on top of mine.

She stares down at me with every ounce of affection in the world.

I drag my fingertips up her stomach. Over her breasts, collarbones, shoulders.

I cup her over her bra.

She reaches behind her back to unhook the black lace then slides it off her shoulders.

“Fuck.” I bring my thumb to her nipple. “So much better than I imagined.”

She groans as I draw circles around her nipple. “I’m safe. And I’m on the pill. If you’re—”

“I am. You sure?”

“A hundred percent.” She plants her palms on my chest and slings her leg over my hip. “I feel like I’m in a dream.”

“You are my dream.” I press my palm against her back to pull her closer.

She gasps as I bring her nipple to my mouth. “Fuck.”

I suck softly. Then harder. She tastes so fucking good.

And the way she’s responding to me—

Fuck.

I bring one hand to her hip. Guide her body over mine.

My tip strains against her.

Then it’s one inch at a time.

Fuck.

I suck harder on her nipple.

“Ryan.” She knots her hand in my hair. “Oh God.”

Her groan is exactly what I need.

It’s everything I need.

She stares down at me as she rocks against me.

That’s Leighton on top of me.

That’s her soft, sweet cunt wrapped around me.

That’s her groan filling the room.

I toy with her nipples as she fucks me. Watch her brow knit with pleasure. Watch her lips part with groan after groan.

She reaches to her hair, pulls out the pins, lets it fall over her cheeks. “You feel so fucking good.” She digs the heel of her hand into my chest. Uses it for leverage to lift her hips then drive down on me.

My last conscious thought flees my brain.

My world is a blur of Leighton. Her purple hair falling in front of her blue-green eyes. Her red lips curling in pleasure. Her nails digging into my chest. Her cunt pulling me deeper.

Her groans run together.

They get higher.

Needier.

I bring my thumb to her clit. Rub her as she drives down on me.

“Ryan, fuck.” A groan falls off her lips. Another. Another.

She drives through her orgasm, rocking her hips against me, grinding against my cock and fingers.

I flip her onto her back. Pry her thighs apart. Plant my hands outside her shoulders.

With one hard thrust, I drive into her.

She wraps her hands around my back to pull me closer.

My body sinks into hers.

Her legs wrap around my thighs.

My lips find hers.

I thrust into her with steady strokes. I savor every soft, wet inch of her. Every groan. Every gasp.

Every fucking part of her.

We stay pressed together, limbs tangled, tongues dancing together until I’m there.

Pleasure spreads out from my pelvis.

My cock pulses as I come inside her.

Fuck.

I rock through my orgasm. Once I’ve spilled every drop, I collapse next to Leighton and wrap my arms around her.

She looks up at me with a hazy smile.

I pull her closer.

And I hold her like I’m never going to let her go.