Chapter 1: Introduction
The sun dipped low, casting long, lazy shadows across the room. The air was thick with humidity and the scent of a late summer's evening. Em, with her dark hair cascading down her back, was curled up on the couch, her eyes flickering between the TV screen and the pages of a magazine she was pretending to read. Oscar, sprawled out next to her, was more interested in the way her jeans hugged her ass than the latest news update flashing across the screen.
He leaned over, his fingertips brushing against her thigh. "What are you reading?"
She glanced at him, her hazel eyes sparkling with amusement.
"None of your business," she teased, playfully slapping his hand away.
Oscar grinned, undeterred. "Come on, Em. I've seen you read that article three times already. Either you're secretly planning to build a time machine, or you're just admiring the pictures of that hot scientist."
Em laughed, tossing the magazine aside. "Okay, fine. I'm just waiting for a commercial break. This show is so boring."
Oscar sat up, stretching his arms above his head. The hem of his t-shirt lifted, revealing a sliver of his taut abdomen. "Is that so?
Well, I guess I'll have to find a way to distract you then," Oscar said, a low note of playfulness in his voice. He reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind Em's ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek.
Em leaned into his touch, a small smile playing on her lips. "And how do you plan on doing that?"
Oscar's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Well, I could tell you jokes until you laugh so hard you forget what you were doing."
Em raised an eyebrow. "And I could just leave the room."
"True," Oscar admitted.
"Or, I could show you something much more entertaining." He trailed his fingers down her neck, lingering at the base of her throat. Em's breath hitched slightly, her eyes never leaving his.
"Oh, yeah?" she challenged, her voice barely above a whisper. "And what might that be?"
Oscar's lips curved into a slow smile. "I think you know what I'm talking about, Em." His hand traveled lower, tracing the line of her collarbone, the curve of her shoulder.
Em bit her lip, suppressing a shiver. "I don't know, Oscar.
You're going to have to be more specific." Em's voice was a low purr, her eyes locked onto his. She shifted slightly, her body inching closer to his.
Oscar chuckled, his hand slipping under the hem of her t-shirt. "Oh, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about." His fingers danced up her side, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.
Em's breath hitched again, her chest rising and falling with anticipation. "And if I don't?"
Oscar's eyes darkened, his hand pausing just below her breast.
"Then I guess I'll just have to show you." He leaned in, his voice a low rumble against her ear. "I think you need a little... persuasion."
Em's heart pounded in her chest, her body aching with need. "Oh, really?" she whispered, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "And what makes you think I need persuading?"
Oscar's fingers brushed against the underside of her breast, his thumb tracing a slow circle. Em's breath hitched again, her nipples hardening beneath her shirt.