Tipping her forward onto her elbows, he sank to the hilt into her pulsing heat. “So fucking good. I love being inside you.”
She couldn’t stop her cries of pleasure. Waves of ecstasy pulled her into some other realm. A low rumble vibrated from his chest as he slammed her from behind. He palmed one breast; his other hand fisted into the rug near her arm. His thrusts became erratic, his shaft throbbing inside her. He dropped his face between her shoulder blades, finally breaking apart.
Lory collapsed on the blanket, exhausted from the workout but completely satiated.
And mindlessly in love.
He kissed along her spine, then pulled away before helping her up.
She spun in his arms and planted a kiss on his lips. “That was amazing.”
He grinned. “You’re amazing. I love you.”
Pulling her closer, he plied her face with kisses. Across her cheeks and her nose. Over her forehead. She giggled, swatting him away.
Then he froze before she heard an audible swallow. After loosening the embrace, he gripped her by the arms. “Oh, fuck.” His face turned pale as he stared down at her in horror.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“We didn’t use a condom.”
“It’s okay, I’m on the pill.” Heat flushed her face in a ridiculous show of chagrin. Particularly after what they’d just done. Turning away, she searched for her underwear.
“Oh. Good.” He smiled. “How about that skinny dip?” He snatched the panties she’d just retrieved, holding them up like a flag. His grin wide enough to show off most of his teeth.
“Hey!” She jumped, reaching for the satin. He was too damn tall.
They’d played this game once before. He’d pinched a Judy Blume novel from her when she was thirteen.
And I got it back before he’d finished one sentence. Lory smiled as she dug her fingers into his ribs.
He flinched, dropping the underwear on the rug.
Ha! Gotcha… oh, shit!
Catching her in a bear hug, he lifted her off her feet before she could grab them. “I promised to clean up any mess. I don’t think I did a good enough job.”
That was true. Their skin was sticky from the dessert, among other things. Distracted by the press of their bodies, she wasn’t prepared for the shock of cold water. A scream ripped from her throat as a belly laugh tumbled from his mouth.
“Fuck, it’s cold,” she spluttered.
“Screamer.”
She opened her mouth to serve him a retort, but his kiss cut her off.
Her limbs wrapped around his warmth.
And before long, they had steam curling off their bodies.
Nighttime Visits
Lorelei
December
A thump outside her window startled her awake. Shit. I fell asleep. She bolted upright, her novel tumbling off her chest to the floor, and rubbed her eyes. A tap sounded on the glass. Stumbling over, she lifted the dormer for him to climb through.
“Shh,” she hissed, immediately wondering why she’d bothered. So what if we get caught?
TV noise drifted upstairs. Squealing tires and gunshots. Chances were, nobody would hear them anyways.
“Sorry. I texted but you didn’t answer.” He stretched to his full height before pulling her into a hug. “Did I wake you?”
Burying her face in his chest, she pulled in his scent with a deep breath. Soap and man. “I didn’t mean to doze off. I felt a little out of sorts, so I came to bed early. I wanted to wait for you.”
“It’s okay. You’re tired. Do you want me to leave?”
No. She shook her head, gripping him tighter. Two months, they’d been together. Weeks of furtive glances and illicit liaisons. Moments as slippery as black ice. She was very much in danger of falling and breaking her heart. Why did he still want to hide their relationship?
“Lie down. I wanna hold you.” His whisper teased her ear.
Lory crawled into bed, rubbing her unsettled tummy while he took off his boots and coat. “I’ve missed you.”
“Same.”
Then why are we still sneaking around? “When are we going to tell everyone?”
Nobody had said a word, but their families weren’t stupid. Her parents had eyeballed her with suspicion a few times after she’d disappeared for a ‘walk.’ Was Toni ashamed of being with her because she’d been with his brother? Like she was secondhand goods?
Lory breathed through her nose, trying to calm her system. She wanted to go out. On an actual date. In public. But they were still stealing moments in the fields, and he was still climbing the magnolia tree.
His brows dipped. “I’m not ready for anyone else’s opinion.”
Her throat cramped. Yep, he was embarrassed. “Are you worried they’ll be disappointed?”
His head jerked back as a groove carved into his forehead. He joined her on the mattress, propped on his side to face her. “Hell, no. It’s none of anybody else’s business. Is that what you think? They don’t want to see us together?”
She bit her lip, reluctant to express her fears. But hiding things like that would only make them fester and grow out of proportion. “I’m worried you don’t want them to see us together.”
His mouth parted on a huff as he stared at her. “I’ve been a dick.” Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned softly.
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
He dropped his hand to reveal eyes filled with remorse. “I have. I was selfish, not wanting to share you, and I made you think I was hiding you like a dirty secret.”
Okay, yeah. You did.
“For the record, my family know how I feel about you. They knew before I told you. Apparently, my poker face sucks.”
Oh. The knot in her stomach loosened. That explained why Sophia had foisted her onto Toni at the fair. Bless her cotton socks. Lory owed his sister big time. “Why don’t you use the front door
