She turned her attention back to the piles of food on the table. “You’re planning on helping, right? You know I can’t eat all this.”
“Oh, don’t you worry. I’ll help. Don’t think for a second I’d leave all this for you to handle by yourself.”
The two couples laughed and talked while picking over the food. Ellie had met Juliet at Good Beginnings when she first arrived in Bliss. They’d had several casual conversations since, but spending more time with her only proved Ellie’s sneaking suspicion that she really liked the woman. She could see the two of them ending up great friends, if things worked out. And the love Juliet felt for Ian was unmistakable.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with an explosion of colors, the band set up and began playing. James stood and extended his hand. “Dance with me.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Ellie said as she untangled herself from the picnic table.
“I think you missed the part where I wasn’t asking.” James smiled and led her to the dance floor and Ellie could have sworn she heard Juliet muttering something about a bossy gene.
Somewhere between the breeze, the music, and the look in James’ eyes as they danced, Ellie lost herself to the moment. For such a muscular guy, the man could really move. When she asked him about it, he credited martial arts for helping him learn to be quick on his feet then lifted her up and swung her around, her legs sweeping along behind her, before he lowered her to the ground, and dipped her back while she laughed and shrieked.
“Strong and fast,” he said. “All the better to keep my opponents on their toes.”
“Is that what you’re doing to me?” she asked as the music ended. “Keeping me on my toes?”
James’ lips tightened into a thin line and his eyebrows clenched together. “You’re not my opponent, Ellie.” The band started playing a slow song and he pulled her close. “You’re my friend.” He rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone and for whatever reason, that little bit of skin on skin contact ignited her desire for him. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder to hide the blush spreading across her face
“I like being your friend,” she murmured, her lips brushing his collarbone.
Was it her imagination or did he sigh at the whisper of her breath against his throat? Pull her a little tighter? Maybe?
She looked up and found him staring down at her, his gaze heated. She licked her lips, her focus darting from his mouth to his eyes and back again.
“Ellie?” he asked with a low growl in his throat. “Can I kiss you?”
“You don’t have to ask, you know.” Ellie swallowed. “Kissing is part of our deal.”
“Right. I remember. But I want to kiss you. Not fake girlfriend Ellie, but the woman I have in my arms right now.”
Every ounce of good sense went on high alert, warning her that she needed to stick to the agreement and not allow things between them to get muddled. “I’d like that very much,” she said, her mouth paying no attention to her head.
James leaned in, his tongue sliding over her lower lip so lightly Ellie wondered if she imagined it. His gentle mouth contradicted the hard stone of his body and she sagged in his arms, opening herself to him. She grazed his lip with her teeth and he growled in appreciation as they swayed in time to the music.
The kiss ended before the song and James stopped moving but didn’t let her go. Ellie didn’t want him to stop. She wanted him to press his lips to hers again. Wanted him to run his hands along her body again. Wanted to feel the corded muscles in his arms and shoulders jump and bunch beneath her hands. Desire pooled between her legs and James pushed his hips forward, the evidence of his own desire pressed into her stomach.
“God, I want you,” she murmured, gazing up at him, not even caring that her mouth was operating without permission again.
James crushed her body to his. “The feeling is mutual.”
She wanted to slide her hand into his pants and run her fingers across his dick, feel it jump to life, then tease him with long, slow caresses. Meanwhile, her thoughts went to war, battling over whether it was a good or bad thing that she was in public and couldn’t act on her desire. The band started playing again and all around them, couples danced and laughed, but still, James didn’t let go.
He didn’t look away.
His eyes remained locked on hers the way her body still pressed against his. The beat of the music entwined with the rhythmic rush of the waves against the shore.
Finally, James blinked rapidly and licked his lips. “Ready to go?”
For once, Ellie’s mouth didn’t know what to say. No, she didn’t want to go. Not if it meant their time together was over. But yes, if he was going to take her somewhere quiet, somewhere they could be alone, then yes, she was all kinds of ready for that.
Not knowing what he meant was torture, but she nodded, unwilling to put any pressure on him. “If you are,” she managed at last.
“Fuck yeah, I’m ready.” He took her hand and weaved through the crowd, a guided missile en route to its target.
Doubt and lust locked in a gruesome battle in Ellie’s mind.
He’s ready to leave because he’s mad at you for kissing him!
He’s ready to leave because he wants to get you alone and kiss you some more!
He likes you!
He hates you!
Chapter Sixteen
Ellie
The bike roared through the streets of Bliss, and Ellie’s heart sank as she realized they were heading back to the café, not James’ house. As he pulled up beside her car and put down
