I peer into the mirror, surprised to find my eyes bright and full of life. There's a vibrancy there I'm not sure I've seen before. I wrap myself in a towel and slip into my bedroom.
The door clicks closed behind me, and a hand covers my mouth.
I freeze, my heart a herd of wild horses galloping in my chest as my towel shifts, exposing a breast. The heat of his breath fans over my cheek—hot and unsteady, like he'd run a mile to get to me—or more likely, climbed a tree and crawled in my window.
At my startled gasp, his lips brush over my neck. “Shh. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Tripp rasps.
I try to turn to glare at him, but he holds me caged in his arms, my back to his front.
“I just wanted to get a chance to touch you before I have to pretend in front of everyone downstairs.”
I swallow my growl as he finally removes his hand from my mouth.
“You almost gave me a heart attack.” My tone is biting, but I find myself melting into him, despite the fact there’s a house full of people downstairs—including my very large, very overprotective brother.
“Sorry. I was gonna come in the front door, and then I... I just wanted to kiss you.”
He allows me room to turn in his arms, and I think I see vulnerability flicker briefly in his eyes as we stand nose-to-nose. But a moment laterit’s gone, and he’s smiling at me, dimples denting his cheeks in a cocky grin.
“Besides, it’s kind of hot thinking about doing it in here while everyone else is downstairs.” His fingers slide under the towel wrapped around me.
“We can’t,” I whisper. “Pops knows.”
“That didn’t stop me from making you come on my tongue last night,” he says, his mouth doing sinful things to my neck.
“Youknew?” I gasp out.
His fingers caress the curve of my breast slowly, almost reverently. I try to hold on to my outrage that Tripp was aware Pops knew about our little trysts, but his hands make that extremely difficult; my brain always gets too jumbled when I’m with him.
“He didn’t seem to mind, and he was actually pretty discreet for Pops. He gave Wes way more shit about Sawyer.”
“But everyone’s—"
“Don’t pretend you don’t like the challenge of it, Quinnie. I know you love the idea of sneaking around.”
God damn it all, I do.
Still.
But more, I love sneaking around withhim. It wouldn’t be nearly this much fun with anyone else.
My legs wobble, and I’m on the brink of caving—of letting him take me right here and now—but the sharp knock on the door freezes the heat beginning to stir in my belly.
“Dinner’s ready,” Sawyer’s voice is muffled through the door.
“‘Kay,” I croak out.
“And Quinn,” Sawyer says caustically, “Wes was a little concerned with how long it was taking Tripp to check on things in the barn, so hewent to see what was up. If he’s in there with you, he might want to get downstairs before Wes comes back if he’s attached to his balls.”
“Shit,” Tripp mumbles against my neck.
“He’s coming,” I whisper-yell.
“I didn’t need to know what stage of intercourse you were at. Just get downstairs by the time your brother gets back inside.”
Tripp’s chuckle makes goosebumps pop up on my skin. My stomach flips and my heart stutters. I live for that sound now. The rumble of it in his chest where my hand is resting, his breath fanning over my neck.
“Oh God. That’s not what I meant.”
