Gambled - A Titan Novella by Cristin Harber Read Free Book Online Page A

myself from my husband because I didn’t push myself. That’s weak. I hid behind the excuse of ease.”
    “You thought I’d judge?” Would he have? No. Not a chance. Especially when it came down to anything in the bedroom.
    “No. Not judge.”
    “Then what?”
    “I don’t know…” She shrugged. “Do you have any secrets?”
    “From you? No.”
    Her brows bounced once, drifting down, sadly. Disappointed. “Oh.”
    Was the disappointment in him or herself? He didn’t know. He wouldn’t call what he kept private secrets. Just thoughts he hadn’t shared. Which was… a secret. Hello, genius. “Well, that’s not true. I had my own secrets, I guess.”
    Her eyes lit up, hopeful. “Tell me.”
    “I mean, I don’t have some amazing talent that I’ve kept hidden.”
    She batted his chest, and it was the first time that a warm smile had crossed her lips since they’d started the drive. Secrets weren’t secrets because he had something to hide. They’d just found a groove throughout years of marriage and kids. Asking for something bigger, stronger, more intense seemed unnecessary.
    He wasn’t any damn good at sharing. But Sarah wanted it. He exhaled heavy thoughts. This rebuilding-reconnecting stuff made for some uncomfortable moments. He rolled his shoulders and readied to flounder his way through. Only another hour and a half to kill recouping and rehashing until they reached the resort. And their private room. It had a hot tub and a private pool…
    He cleared his throat and channeled his inner emotive dude. “Jokes aside. I know you wrote it all in your notebook—you’ve never been one to keep your mouth shut when you want something—but reading those words, knowing… this assertive thing…” Nothing he said sounded like how he felt.
    But she blinked, eyes acknowledging. “I wanted something new and told you.”
    “Yes.” Exactly. “Things have always been hot. I’m not complaining. Never complained. Swear.” He crossed his heart.
    She laughed. “I should’ve given you my honey-do-me-this-way list years ago.” Her fingers smoothed the collar of his shirt where she’d pulled earlier. “Tell me something you want. Or like. Something that’d surprise me.”
    Like what? Think. “I like you direct. Explicit.” There. That wasn’t hard. Not specific, but it was fun, and he liked it. A lot.
    “I want you to pick me up in a bar. One-night stand.”
    Remembering the notebook, he nodded. “Bucket list, action item number seven. Got that one penciled in.” He squeezed around her waist, loving the change in her demeanor. “See, I’m good with specific, strategic plans.”
    “Seduce me. Screw me. Gimme a different name.” Her voice transitioned into something sexier. A low vibration. A caressing sound. “Pretend you’re meeting me all over again.”
    “Keep talking, angel. I’m listening.”
    She shook her head, tapped a finger against his pec. “Nuh-uh. Your turn.”
    Right. His turn. She’d had way more time to think about this, and her ideas were way more creative than anything he could come up with. “Thinking.”
    “Spit it out. First word that pops in mind. Now.”
    “Rope.” Rope ? Where had that come from? But visions of tactical rope, rappelling line, strong and sturdy, colored his sudden naked fantasy of her in bed.
    “You’re going to tie me up? Done. Better find a hardware store on the lovely island of Saint Lucia. Next?”
    All right. This was fun. “Not my turn. You.”
    “You’ve seen my list.”
    “But I haven’t heard it. That seductive thing going on with your voice is going to get you a round two in this back seat. Whether the driver’s here or not.”
    She bit her lip, traced it with her tongue. “Sex tape. So next time you’re on the road, I won’t be by myself.”
    He’d read sex tape . But to hear her say it. Holy hell. Reality struck, and his cock jumped to attention.
    Too bad he wasn’t going out on a job anytime soon. Titan was done with him.