“That’s so sad.” Gina held her hand to his face.
“It’s not, really.” Matt pulled her onto his lap so she straddled it, and his eyes locked with hers. “Sad would have been settling for what was indiscriminately offered and so easily taken.”
“What do you mean?”
“See, I don’t want a tame love. Shallow kisses and careful touches. Love that lacks passion is a sure way to boredom and the slow path to death.” A hint of a smile appeared. He reached for her nape, and bringing her so close to him that their noses touched, his thumb traced along the bounding pulse in her neck. “I need to claim, to own, to feel it in my gut. I need out-of-breath, sloppy, rough kisses. Two sweaty bodies craving each other.”
With a swipe of her tongue, she licked her lips. Lost in the heated gaze searing into her soul, her chest heaving, Gina found it difficult to breathe. She craved him.
He knew it.
His smile widened.
And as if to contain it, Matt grazed his lip with his teeth, tenderly stroking her windblown hair.
“I want to hear in no uncertain terms that I’m the only one, grab a fistful of this pretty hair and make you look at me when I tell you how much I fucking love you. I want unleashed passion, filthy desire, and an endless inferno of lust that’s downright impossible to douse.” His head dipped to the hollow of her throat, and inhaling deeply, he dragged his lips up to her ear. “You can keep that soft and careful shit. I don’t want it.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Gina circled her arms around him, and sliding her hands underneath his shirt, she caressed his skin.
“My love is savage and raw, baby. It’s so fucking intense, and so damn unreasonable, it seems impossible to keep up with, but for the right woman it makes perfect sense.” Matt lifted his head, his gaze seeking hers. “I want that woman to be you, Gina, and if it is, then you will know, without a doubt, that my love is the only love you deserve, and the only love you’ll ever need.”
Oddio. Oh, God.
He took her mouth then, claiming it with his teeth and his tongue. She allowed it, returning his kiss with the same fervor. When had she ever known such brutal honesty, such vulnerability before?Never. He only wanted to be loved, and isn’t that what she wanted, too?
The sound of the crewman clearing his throat halted them. “Your dinner, sir. Would you like it served here or down below?”
“Right here is good,” Matt answered, unabashedly. “Thanks.”
Her cheeks heating, Gina glanced down to see the hem of her dress had ridden up well past her thighs. Mortified, she scrambled off his lap and, pulling it back down, sat like a lady should beside him.
His arm came around her shoulders, and he kissed her crown. “Did I mention how beautiful that dress is on you?”
It was a simple dress, nothing special about it.
“I thought so the moment I saw you.” Matt laced their fingers together and brought her hand to his lips. “I was so blown away that I think I forgot to tell you.”
“Thank you, but I know what you’re doing.”
“And what’s that?”
The crewman returned, setting covered plates down in front of them. He removed the domed lids to reveal perfectly seared filets, grilled asparagus, and lobster tails with drawn butter, then retreated.
“You were trying to distract me from the fact that my ass was bared for that man to see.”
“Did it work?” He grinned, and after opening another bottle of champagne, Matt refilled their glasses. “He didn’t look, baby girl. I’d have torn his eyeballs out if he had.”
Oh.
He patted his lap. “Now, come back here.”
The boat gently rocked with the waves of the lake. They took turns feeding each other their dinner, laughing together between bites. And Gina couldn’t recall ever having felt as genuinely content as she did right now.
“We’re playing at the festival in two weeks.”
“I know.”
“I want you to be there.” Matt held her chin and softly touched her lips with his. “The boys would like to meet you. Well, I suppose I should say they want to see you again.”
