She side-eyes me, taking another sensual lick of ice cream before her free hand reaches for mine, tugging me backward. “You promised me fireworks, Mr. Hart, and I want to see some fireworks.”
With Holly’s hand firmly clasped in mine, we stroll through the crowded sidewalks, pausing to check out the occasional vendor booth. Once she’s finished with her ice cream, I lead her toward the high school baseball field to watch the fireworks. Most of the town had their blankets or lawn chairs set out on the ball field as soon as the sun rose today, staking their claim for the best view of the show. As we walk, Holly occasionally squeezes my hand in a soft gesture, and I squeeze it back two times, letting her know I’m here.
We reach the outskirts of the ball field, and I find an open spot beneath an old pine tree. It’s close enough that we will have a good view without having to strain our necks to see them.
“This alright?” I ask once we stop, and with her hand still clasped in mine, she slowly spins, looking around at the crowd surrounding us.
“Looks great to me.”
I take a seat, spreading my legs out in front of me, and Holly sits in between them, pulling her knees up to nestle in. She wraps my arms around her, and I pull her taught.
My little tease rolls her hips, just a little, just enough that my dick wakes up, wanting to make himself known. “What do you think you’re doing?” I mumble and brush my lips against the side of her hair. She smells like something warm, honey, maybe. Honey and fresh air, like the grass after a spring rain. I inhale a heavy breath, wanting to remember that smell.
“Whatever do you mean?” she asks, feigning confusion. She adjusts herself again, positioning my cock between the cheeks of her ass, and I grumble, causing her to chuckle. I push against her, making sure she feels exactly what she’s doing to me. She pulls her lips in between her teeth to keep her smile from showing. “This is a family event, Grayson. Control yourself.”
With one hand, I gather her hair and bring it across her back to her opposite shoulder, exposing her neck to me. I nuzzle against the back of her head, letting her soft, silky hair tickle my face. And then I drop my lips, planting a kiss to the side of her neck.
Goosebumps immediately rise on her skin, and her shoulders tense, only for a second, before she leans to the side, dropping her shoulders and giving me better access. I press soft, slow kisses against her sleek neck, letting my bottom lip drag up to her ear as I keep one eye out for random passersby.
“Grayson,” she mumbles, slowly rolling her hips against me. The friction is perfect, and my hand falls to her hip, needing to still her before I come in my pants with the entire town surrounding us.
“Seems like I’m not the one that needs to control myself,” I whisper, nipping at her ear. I can hear her smile just as much as I can see it, and she swirls her ass once more. The move is so minuscule, I’m the only one who would notice. But it doesn’t stop the blood from roaring in my veins, begging me to drag her back to my house and fuck her until the sun rises. I tighten my hold on her hip, fingertips digging into her soft flesh. “You’re playing a dangerous game, sweetheart.”
A pocket of red explodes in the sky in front of us just as Holly’s head turns to face me. She jumps a little, and her hand flies out to her chest. I chuckle, releasing my hold on her hip to pull her further into my arms as we watch another incredible show unfold.
Copper Ridge puts a hell of an effort into the fireworks display. Funds are raised throughout the entire year. The grocery store asks customers at checkout to donate or round up their purchase for the fund. The library does a book drive with all proceeds going to the event, and all of the businesses on Main Street have cans at the cash register with signs asking for loose change. It all adds up enough that our sleepy little town can put on a decent show.
It’s been my favorite event of the year ever since I was little. When we were kids, my parents would drive the truck down to the park and we’d set up blankets and pillows in the back. We’d cuddle together and have snacks and stay up way past our bedtime to watch. It was some of the best nights I had as a kid, but tonight, it feels different. Tonight is more than just another fireworks show. There’s something blooming deep in my chest, filling up a vacant spot that I didn’t know I had.
“This is incredible,” Holly whispers, tilting her head to the side so I can hear her. Her mouth is dangerously closeto mine, and I lean forward, watching the blues and reds dance off of her creamy skin.
“Mesmerizing,” I respond, completely unable to tear my gaze away from her. She watches the show in front of us for another second before she must feel my stare. Her head tilts and her brown eyes meet mine. Her gaze flips from my eyes to my lips, then back again, and I pray that she feels this same pull I do, this same rightness that’s met with having her in my arms.
I lift a hand, keeping her tilted in my lap with one arm, and using the other to comb my fingers through her hair. I start at her temples, slowly grazing my fingertips across her scalp, then down the back of her neck, letting the ends fall through my fingers. I repeat the act, watching as her lashes practically flutter in response.
Fireworks, I keep reminding myself. Look up at the damn fireworks. But it’s useless, because all I can do is stare at the woman in my arms, the one that’s currently raking her nails through the side of my hair. She grips the ends, pulling my head toward her as she lifts her chin up, and our lips meet as another explosion sounds overhead.
Her lips are soft. Supple at first, and she tastes like her signature strawberry lemonade along with something else, something sweet. She pulls back just a hair, but the tingling sensation she leaves on my lips has me wantingmore. I chase the kiss, and she whimpers, the sound trapped with my mouth.
I pull back, needing to adjust the way she’s sitting to get better access, and she must think the same because she twists in my lap, just a little, just enough so I can touch her, taste her. Our lips meet again, and she inhales sharply, whimpering when my tongue darts out to run along the edge of her bottom lip. She opens for me, and her kisses are eager. Heated. My hand leaves her hair to slide along her leg that’s currently draped over mine, up past her thigh, curling around to her ass, and when I give a hearty squeeze, she grinds herself against me.
I break the kiss, remembering that we’re surrounded by nearly the entire town, and that any minute, a family member, or former elementary teacher, or God forbid someone’s kid could walk by and see us. “Come here,” I say, gesturing for her to stand.
I lead us toward the parking lot, eager to throw her in my truck and take us home, but my body is screaming, and my lips are itching to taste her again. Guiding us away from the throng of people, I mumble apology after apology as we temporarily block their view of the fireworks. We pass the concession stand that’s closing down for the night, ignoring the workers cleaning up. A band is setting up in the pavilion, ready to play as soon as the fireworksare done. It’s empty as of now, so I cut across the concrete floor, waving briefly to Harper who’s setting up the bar and she waves back, giggling at my flushed state.
As soon as we cross the pavilion, it’s dark again, and instead of leading her the rest of the way to the parking lot, I pull her abruptly to the side, through a small thicket of trees, and spin her to press her back against the one concrete wall of the pavilion.
With the fireworks behind her and the tree branches so thick the moon can’t shine through, I can barely see the outline of Holly’s chest as it rises and falls with heavy breaths. I don’t need to see her, though. I can hear her breathing and feel her warm hand in mine. And then she’s on me, grabbing my shirt, curling her hands into fists, and tugging me to her. I fall into her abruptly, wincing in case I hurt her, but she doesn’t mind. One of her long, sinfully sexy legs raises to wrap around my hip, and I hold it, reaching to grab the other. With a quick grunt, I lift her up, pressing her back against the wall as her legs circle my waist.
The position puts her a head taller than me, and like the goddess she is, she holds herself up as her hands grab for my face. I crash my lips to hers again, kissing her, licking, feeling feverish as my tongue traces her mouth. God, I don’t know if I’ve ever wanted someone like this.So much that I find my hips rocking against her core, literally humping her against the wall. And God, if I don’t slow down, I know I could come in my pants in public. “Baby,” I groan, slapping a palm against the wall behind her head.
“I know,” she moans, pulling away and forcing my head to her neck. I follow her lead, nipping and sucking my way down her jaw before I latch on to the sensitive part of skin under her ear.She whimpers against my touch, leaning down to kiss my lips, my neck, brushing her swollen bottom lip against my jaw. “Grayson,” she coos. “Take me home right now.”
Chapter Twenty
Holly
“Baby,” Grayson groans as his hand leaves the steering wheel to roam up my thigh. I reach over and wrap my fingers around his large hand, squeezing softly. I slide us higher, and higher, until I take the curve of my inner thigh and bring him to my center, his hand cupping my pussy over my shorts.
