When he returns to my mouth, the kiss is slower, sweeter, but no less intense.
“Sunset,” he murmurs against my lips, laughing breathlessly.“Make that noise again and I’ll embarrass myself like a fifteen-year-old.”
We both laugh. His hat lies somewhere in the grass, forgotten.
“I could kiss you all night,” he whispers, brushing his lips over mine again, softer this time.“But I want to take this slow. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before.”
His vulnerability softens everything inside me.
“I’ve never felt like this either,” I whisper back.
And when he smiles, dimples flashing, eyes shining, I know I’m already falling.
CHAPTER 14
Casper
After my shift I’m at my parents’house for dinner. Chris, of course, is here too. When I walk in, I head straight into the kitchen and see her.
Penny. Wearing jeans and a green sweater, her hair up in a bun, fluffy slippers on her feet. I bite my tongue, fists clenching at my sides. The urge to pull her to me and kiss the hell out of those sweet cherry lips hits me like a freight train. This girl is like a damn drug. The more I have, the more I want.
The memory of her lips on mine last night, soft, hesitant, then turning into fire when I pulled her closer, hits me like a sucker punch. I’ve kissed women before. Hell, more than I should’ve. But none of them ever left me reeling like that. None of them tasted likehome.
Penny catches me staring and blushes. I smile, loving the fact I can make her do that.
“Earth to Cas.” Grace startles me, smirking wickedly.“You ok there?”
“Hey, baby sis, don’t you have homework to do?” I shoot back.
“Shut it.” She points a carrot at me like a weapon.
My mom turns from the stove, wiping her hands on a towel.“Oh hi, Cas. Come here, give your mama a hug.” I hug her, then look right back at Penny.“Hey,” I say as I pull her in too, because not touching her isn’t an option.
Her scent, peaches and vanilla, wraps around me and my heart damn near leaps out of my chest.
“Hi,” she says softly, shy.
“The boys are over there.” Grace jerks her thumb toward the living room.“This is a girls-only zone.”
I wink at Penny and head toward the noise.
The living room’s the usual chaos, football blaring, Ethan on his feet yelling, Chris next to him, grinning and throwing in his own commentary, Jude quietly shaking his head like he’s heard it all before, Dex sprawled out with his feet on the coffee table.
“That’s a foul! Are these refs blind?” Ethan shouts, arms flying.
“It’s called good defense,” Jude mutters, not even looking away from the screen.
“Defense my ass!” Chris growls from next to Ethan, shaking his head.
Dex laughs and tosses me a beer.“They’ve been arguing about the same play since last Thanksgiving.”
Dad sits in his chair, beer in hand, smug grin plastered on his face.“Game’s not even close, boys. My team’s winning, as usual.”
“Only‘cause the refs are on your payroll,” Ethan grumbles.
“Keep crying, son,” Dad says, raising his bottle.“Doesn’t change the scoreboard.”
The room smells like beer and chips, the kind of comfort that never changes. This is tradition, football, food, and my brothers yelling at each other like the world depends on it.
