“You want there to be some tension,” he said in a low voice that had nothing to do with not scaring away the fish.
“There’s plenty of that in the air,” Evie whispered. She nudged her hips back, tucking her ass against his groin.
His dick swelled with a swiftness he hadn’t experienced since freshman year phys ed.
Bryson groaned. “Evie, please.”
“You know, erotic fishing wasn’t on my bingo card, but I can’t say I mind it.”
“Fuck the fish,” he said, yanking the pole from the water and tossing it to the ground.
Burying his face against her throat, he gripped Evie by the waist, turned, and backed her up against the live oak a few steps away. Bryson settled her against the tree’s thick trunk and cradled the back of her head in his left palm. He traced the curve of her jaw with his lips, running them across her soft skin, basking in the low moans rising from her throat.
He flattened his right hand against her stomach, then inched upward, his fingers tingling as they skimmed the underside of her breast. He brushed his index finger across her nipple and sucked in the gasp she released against his mouth.
He plied her with deep, sensual kisses, probing the inside of her mouth with his tongue while his hand became bolder in its exploration, pinching and squeezing and rubbing her through the fabric of her shirt.
He was dying to slip his hand underneath the hem and feel her skin against his fingers, but if that happened, all clothes would be off within a matter of minutes. The first time he made love to Evie would not be under a tree in his parents’ backyard.
Which meant he should put an end to this now.
He gave his tongue one last, reluctant swipe inside her mouth before pulling away.
“Okay, I think I like fishing now,” Evie said with a breathy laugh.
Bryson tried to reply, but all he could do was smile and concentrate on catching his breath.
“I like your version of fishing even better than the one I grew up doing,” he said when he was finally able to speak.
Her gentle laugh rippled across his cheek. “Maybe you can give me a proper fishing lesson the next time,” she said.
Bryson drew his head back and gazed down at her. “Already thinking about coming back?”
“You promised to take me out on the boat,” she said.
“That I did.” He nodded, then chuckled. “You know, up until we got here, I contemplated turning around,” Bryson admitted.
“Why?” she asked.
He considered holding back the truth, then decided against it.
“Because you grew up in a house ten times the size of this one. And people who grew up like you always made me feel as small as that pebble right there.”
“Really, Bryson? This again?”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry. I know it isn’t fair, becauseyounever treated me that way, but you have to understand, Ev. From the time I entered high school, I was made to feel like I was less than. Your ex took his share of digs during the three semesters we were lab partners.”
“Because he’s an asshole,” she said. “We already established that.”
“There are many assholes like Cameron in this world.”
“And you thought I was one of them.” It wasn’t a question; it was an accusation.
“At first I did,” he admitted. “I quickly learned how wrong I was, because youprovedme wrong. I’ve learned it’sa defense mechanism. That it’s my brain’s way of protecting itself against those taunts I suffered throughout high school. I’ve worked hard at not automatically expecting the worst in people, but I still fall short.”
“Why did you stay at that high school if it was so bad?” Evie asked. “The school we spoke at this morning seems amazing.”
“The school I went to had better opportunities,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t regret staying there, but I’ll admit it took a while for the scars to heal.”
