She shook her head. “No, it’s fine.”
She could go to the game Tuesday night. She’d go insane if she spent the entire day studying. And truthfully, she was ready for her midterms. She’d be doing some reviewing next week. She had lots more work to do on her thesis, but she was really just making excuses. “I guess I can go to the game.”
“Don’t sound so thrilled.”
“We could go together,” Lovey offered.
Amber smiled at the other woman. “That would be nice. Thanks.”
“Not sure I like that idea.” Duncan frowned.
Lovey laughed. “Don’t worry, Dunc, I won’t tell her stories about how you didn’t learn to flush the toilet until you were seventeen. How you didn’t lose your virginity until you were twenty-four.”
Duncan choked. Amber sent him an amused glance.
“I don’t know whether to plead the fifth or tell you how old I really was,” he said.
Lovey laughed. “I know, you were actually sixteen.”
“How the hell do you know that?”
“Do you think Amy Bixworth kept quiet about that? She was two grades ahead of me and I heard about it. Ugh.”
“Christ.”
They watched the rest of the game. With Duncan and Marc adding commentary and explaining things it was more interesting, but without really caring which team won it wasn’t as exciting. Lovey had been right. It was more fun watching the Aces play.
“Okay, I’m going to take Lovey home.” Marc stood and stretched as the game ended. “Later, guys.”
“I’ll message you tomorrow,” Lovey told Amber. “About plans for the game on Tuesday.”
“Okay.”
The door shut behind them. Duncan turned off the TV. “Thank God they’re finally gone.” He reached for her. “Lovey was hanging out here just to annoy me.”
Amber gave a low laugh as he pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her. “Apparently it worked.”
“I could see she was dying to know what’s going on with us.”
“I could see that too. But she’s cute.”
“She’s a pain in my ass. Let’s not talk about her anymore.” And he kissed her, pushing her back down into the squishy arm of the couch. His mouth was hot, his lips firm and demanding, opening her to him so he could lick into her mouth. She gave a full-body shiver, and lust did a little flip low in her belly. She hooked her fingers over his big shoulders and held on as he kissed her into a puddle of molten desire.
“Mmm.” Long moments later he rubbed his nose alongside hers. His hand slipped under her sweater and cupped her breast. “Nice.”
“Mmm, yeah.” She blinked heavy-lidded eyes. Her body tingled everywhere, especially between her legs.
“Come to bed.”
She bit her lip. She’d wondered if he was going to want her to stay. “Okay.”
He rose and pulled her up off the couch. He flicked out lights and led the way to his bedroom. He got on the bed on his knees and, still holding her hand, tugged her onto the bed too. They knelt in front of each other, eyes fastened together.
“When we were running, you made me want to jump you.” Duncan’s fingers tightened on hers.
Her eyes widened. “Really? Why?”
“You were so damn hot. I love it that you can keep up with me.”
“For a few miles.” One corner of her mouth kicked up.
He played with her hair with one hand, still holding her hand with the other.
“Actually, you made me kind of hot too. You being all sweaty and out of breath.”
“I wasn’t out of breath.”
“If you say so.” His lips twitched and he gave her hair a tug.
“Hey. I’m in great shape.”
“Yes. Yes, you are.”
He touched his forehead to hers and they smiled into each other’s eyes. He found her other hand with his and clasped it, fingers interlocked, and kissed her again. She breathed in his delicious masculine scent as their mouths opened and joined in long, slow kisses. Her heart picked up speed.
She disentangled her fingers from his and started to work on the buttons of his shirt, their foreheads once again leaning together, breathing the same air. His nose alongside hers, he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her. She pushed his shirt, which was now open, off his shoulders and smoothed it down over his big biceps.
Their arms went around each other and she kissed his shoulder, touching his face, loving the feel of his stubble against her fingertips. He took the hem of her sweater and pulled it up and over her head, and she bent forward to kiss his chest. Once again his hands framed her face, then slid into her hair, pulling it back. She loved the tingles that slid down her spine at the gentle tug on her scalp. His mouth caught hers again, more lush kisses with his tongue sweeping inside.