“But…he was totally flirting with my sister at the wedding,” she said, incredulous. “I saw and thought, ‘Wow. He’s way too old for her.’ He’s lucky I didn’t have a few words with him about that, because let me tell you something: I’ve had plenty ofwordswith Nick since then. That bastard’s on my list. But back to Wes. If he’s gay, why was he putting the moves on her?”
I definitely needed to see Shannon taking Wes to task at least once before I died. My life would not be complete without it.
“He came out to me when he was in high school but he’s in the closet around our parents,” I said. “My father enforced Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell when he was a commanding officer, and he’s made enough comments over the years to let us all know where he stands. But every time I think about it, I know he wouldn’t shut Wes out. He’d need some time with it, but wouldn’t disown Wes.” I shrugged and dug into the vanilla ice cream accompanying the peaches. “If there is anything I know to be true, it’s that my mother would stage a coup before that shit went down.”
“You don’t think I could turn him?” Shannon forked a piece of fruit and held it up, examining it before taking a bite.
I dropped my hand to her thigh and leaned into her. “Your pussy is busy enough with me. It doesn’t need another challenge.”
Peach juice glistened on her lips like an invitation. My hand moved to the back of her neck and I pressed my mouth to hers, sucking the sweetness from her skin. Her fork clattered to the ground as she sighed against me.
“I like you like this,” I said, my fingers twisting in her hair.
“Drunk?” she asked. “I’ve heard that before. All of my law school friends said I was too much to deal with until I’d had a few beers.”
“Relaxed,” I clarified. “You’re never too much for me. But right now, you just look…” I leaned back and cupped her face, my thumb sweeping across her flushed cheek as I studied her. “Like you aren’t holding up the world. Like you’re as sweet and simple as summer peaches. But sweet and simple are the last words I’d use to describe you. You’re smart and beautiful and really fucking complicated.”
“Too complicated?”
“Probably not,” I said, my lips brushing over her neck. “Why don’t you sit on my face while I think about it?”
“I like you like this, too,” she said.
I kissed along her jaw and cheeks until I landed on her mouth, and there was no way I could pretend this wasn’t the way I wanted the weekend to unfold. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t wanteveryweekend to unfold this way. “That’s good because you’re going to disappear with me in November.”
“I am?” she asked. I gave her a quick nod while my fingertips grazed her collarbones. “That’s a nice idea but I’ll have to think it over.”
“Mmhmm,” I murmured against her jaw. “You can think all you want while you’re sitting on my face, but know this: I’ll be seeing you again, peanut.”
Chapter Eight
SHANNON
Fifteen months ago
It wasn’t easyleaving Montauk.
We stayed in bed until Monday morning turned into afternoon and then evening, and though we’d planned to catch an early ferry, we agreed a later one was equally good.
I never revisited Will’s mention of November, and now, standing on the ferry with his chest against my back and his arms locked around my waist, I found myself in the awkward position of wanting totalk.
But also, I didn’t.
“Stop it,” Will growled against my hair. “You’re stressing. It happens when you think. Just chill the fuck out.”
“How does the government trust you with top secret information when your answer to is everything is ‘chill the fuck out’? Is there anything you take seriously?”
“Mmhmm. And I can take a mission seriously but find a way to be relaxed when I’m on the water with a pretty girl who happens to be rubbing her ass against my cock. Worrying doesn’t solve anything. Look at the ocean. Be calm.” He bent and pressed his lips below my ear. “And I didn’t tell you to stop rubbing all over me.”
I wanted it to be that easy—be calm—but it wasneverthat easy for me.
We were quiet when the ferry docked in New London, but our embraces were tighter, our touches were firmer, as if we were trying to leave marks on each other. Proof this happened.
Traffic was heavy following the holiday weekend, and it only clogged my thoughts with reminders of all the work I hadn’t accomplish these past few days.
“I see you’re busy freaking the fuck out despite my direct orders to the contrary,” Will said when the city came into view. “Still worried about getting those trousers dry cleaned?”
I yanked his hand away from its resting place on my knee. “Why are you such an asshole?”
