Scene with Pearce and Rachel, from Pearce’s POV. Needing Her comes out June 5th!

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I set my spoon down. “So what are your plans this week?”

“The usual. Work and school.” She smiles. “And hopefully, my handsome boyfriend will come visit me.” She takes a bite of ice cream.

“And what if he came over every night this week?” I take the spoon from her hand and place it back in her bowl.

“Hmm. That’s a lot of nights. And it’s getting harder and harder to be around you without—”

I kiss her before she can finish. “Which is why we need to spend time together. You’ll never get to know me if we’re always apart. So what do you say? You won’t have to cook. I’ll bring dinner every night.”

She mulls it over. “I like the idea, but I won’t get any studying done if you’re there.”

“And why is that?” I bring her face to mine and kiss her. “I promise not to bother you.” I kiss her cheek, then over to her ear. “I’ll sit quietly on the couch.”

She shivers at the feel of my breath. “If you’re there, I’ll want to join you on the couch.”

I kiss her neck. “Then join me on the couch. You can sit next to me and study.”

She closes her eyes, tilting her head and exposing more of her neck for me to kiss. “I guarantee I won’t be able to study if you do this when you’re at my apartment.”

“Let’s try it and see.” I stand up and lift her off the stool.

“What are you doing?”

I carry her to the couch and set her down, then hand her one of my business books from the side table. “Go ahead. Pretend it’s one of your textbooks.”

She laughs. “Okay.” She opens the book and starts reading.

I sit next to her, sweeping her hair aside and gently kissing her neck. Her body relaxes into the couch and her eyes fall shut.

“Yeah, this isn’t going to work,” she says, as the book drops to the floor.

I pick her legs up, setting them on the couch as she lies back. I lie over her and kiss her, this time on her lips. “I’m still coming over.”

She pulls me closer and whispers, “I didn’t invite you.”

“I’m coming over anyway.”