“What kind of kissing?” He leaned closer, and I shook my head.
“No, we’re not doing this in the car. I’m not that sort of fella.”
“Yes, you are,” he said with a snort.
Frowning, I threw open my door and got out, then closed it before heading around to his side. He was already half out when I got around to him, and I took some of the bags from him. We left Vail’s food in the trunk.
“That’s a lie,” Fallon singsonged. “We’ve all done something in the car before.”
I ignored him because, damn it, he was right. Instead, I juggled most of the bags in one hand, then locked the car before putting the keys in my pocket. I was quick to link our fingers again. His palm was warm against mine and he smelled of rosewood. I leaned in to get a better whiff.
He laughed. “Do you like it?”
“What is it?”
“New cologne that Vail got me. He said it wasso me.” His arm bumped against mine, and I tugged him in closer because it was a nice feeling to have him near.
“He’s right, but isn’t he always?”
We both laughed as we took a walkway lined by solar lights over the small dunes filled with a mixture of sand and spots of brown grass. The ocean wasn’t pounding against the shore tonight, and instead there was a gentle wave every few minutes, making it a perfect time for a romantic picnic. The weather was on my side, and regardless of the coolness of the wind, it wasn’t the coldest it’d been lately. We were heading into spring, and I couldn’t wait until we reached summer.
“You’re lucky you’re sexy or I wouldn’t be outside on a night like this.”
I laughed. “It’s not even that cold, rabbit. We’ve had a lot worse.”
“But I hate the cold. Aspen scarred me with the weather in Maine. They wearlayersthere.” His words came out as a cute little whine, and I tugged him closer, kissing his temple.
“I’ll keep ye real warm.”
“You better.” He patted my abs and leaned against me.
We stopped at a glass-fronted beach shelter halfway to where the waves hit the shoreline and rested the bags on the sand. The shelter was simple; it had a sturdy roof, and the back was made of built-in wooden benches. I got to work while Fallon watched me, taking out the battery-operated lanterns and switching them on one at a time. They were a lot brighter than I’d expected, and they created a beautiful halo of light around us, which even stretched down along the beach to the water.
Next, I spread out the picnic blanket on the sandy spot between the bench and the glass and waved my hand at it. “For ye, beautiful sir.”
He huffed but grinned as he sat down. Yanking his coat tighter around himself, he shook his head. “It’s cold.”
I rolled my eyes and sat beside him, dragging him against me and wrapping my arms firmly around his shoulders. He leaned his weight on me. I doubted he was as cold as he claimed because he’d lived here his entire life, and I’d seen him take freezing ice baths after a rough training session without so much as a wince. No, I suspected he was playing it up to get close to me, but I didn’t mind.
“Better?” I teased.
He sighed happily. “So much better. You’re harder than I expected.”
I snorted.
He laughed loudly. “I meant your chest, because you know, I’ve already felt your dick more than a few times while it’s hard.”
“Ye’ve also seen me naked a lot, too.”
“Yeah, but this is different.” He inhaled deeply and relaxed against me. “It’s.... I don’t know how to explain it. This is nice.”
“We haven’t even eaten dinner yet and ye’re sayin’ it’s nice? Bloody hell. I must be doing something right.” I pressed my nose into his blond hair and breathed him in. While his cologne was rosewood, his hair was something different and it smelled really good, too.
“It’s been weird without Aspen and Cillian,” he whispered.
“Aye, it has.” I laid my cheek on his head and stared out at the water. The waves danced along the shore, reaching up as though trying hard to touch us, but getting nowhere near. The sound was peaceful, though, and the quietness of the beach was perfect for a night like this. “I’ve been feeling the same. Since I joined the Company, I’ve always had both their backs. Now I’m home without them while they’re off in Miami. I’ve been useless. Nothin’ but a messenger boy.”
“I think something’s wrong.” He shivered, and I held him tighter.
