Nuclear Heat (Firework Girls #4) by J. L. White Read Free Book Online Page A

the soft skin on the back of her neck. Eyes locked on the screen, I’m barely breathing. I gently trace my fingertip up, up, so slowly, until I reach the silky base of her hair.
    She lifts her head off my chest, just slightly. I allow another fingertip to touch her neck, then another, until I’m slowly caressing her in a way I’ll call “absentminded” later if I have to. But there’s nothing absentminded about this. Every touch of her skin sends jolts of electricity through my arms and straight to my heart.
    She slowly turns her head toward me. I leave my hand in place so I’m almost—but not quite—cradling the back of her head in my hand and almost—but not quite—holding her in my arm. God, I’m terrified, but I keep my eyes on her face, watching for her reaction.
    She looks at me. Somber. Wondering. I don’t move. I could so easily kiss those amazing lips of hers. God knows I want to. But this is as far over the line as I can go and still save face if she doesn’t want it, if she really does only see me as a friend.
    Our eyes lock together. Time seems to stop. Yet again, her presence washes over me and damn near consumes me. My heart is pounding and my cock is fighting a losing battle now. My god, how I want this woman.
    She blinks twice, her brow twitching down slightly in confusion. A half-smile appears, like she’s expecting a joke or a punchline. Then our eyes lock hard and her expression grows serious. Time stops again and I almost do it. I almost throw all caution out the window and press my lips against hers. I need to taste her. I need her. But I don’t move.
    And neither does she.
    Until she does... away from me.
    She gives a strange, short laugh and slaps my stomach lightly before angling away so she’s curled up against the arm of the couch.
    I feel as if the wind’s been knocked out of me and I almost shiver with the chill that’s dropped through my heart.
    “You big dork,” she says grinning.
    I force a smile, too. I think, under normal circumstances, I would probably tickle her side or a foot or something.
    I don’t do that.
    Under normal circumstances, she’d eventually uncurl and stretch out and rest her feet in my lap.
    She doesn’t do that either.
    What we do is watch the rest of the movie without touching at all. When it’s over, we exchange a couple of lame jokes and congratulate ourselves on showing that wall who was boss. Then we say goodbye and I leave her house with my answer.
    She doesn’t want me.
     

Chapter 6
     
Sam
     
    I’m sitting in my living room wondering when Jack’s going to show up, and trying to figure out what’s up with me today. I’m feeling strangely unsettled.
    Maybe it’s because my body’s still not at a hundred percent after the whole surgery and life-threatening infection thing.
    Maybe it’s because I’ve spent the last week staring at an empty space in my house where a wall used to be. There’s still a big gash in the adjoining wall and ceiling that now needs some drywall. It’s just rockwall, or whatever the hell they call it. Sheetrock?
    Anyway. Maybe I’ve been feeling unsettled because I finally got back on the horse and picked up a guy down at Rounders last night, but it wasn’t as great as it usually is. It’s not that the sex was bad, exactly. It should have been great, all things considered. I’ve ridden that stallion before. Plus, it had been way too long, so my body was more than ready. I’ve been a little high-strung in that department, so yeah, his hard cock ramming my wet pussy got me there just fine. Twice.
    But afterwards I felt kind of... unsatisfied.
    It’s weird.
    I mean, I get that people looking for love don’t handle casual sex very well and can feel like shit afterwards. I get it. I’m not an idiot. But there are those of us who handle casual sex just fine. Since I’m one of them, the whole thing was a little perplexing.
    It almost makes me wonder if... well. There was that moment with Jack last week.