The guys’ chatter fills the air. They’re noisy and full of life. Maybe lunch included a couple of beers?
As they round the side of the house and see us, they let up a cheer, and I can’t help but giggle. They’re just being so silly.
Ed runs up the steps to Katherine and lifts her up and out of our circle.
Hunter is next, taking the stairs two at a time and barreling toward me like he’s going to walk right through me. I stumble backward, so he doesn’t knock into me, but he keeps going, and I back away from him and the group.
“Tell me you missed me,” he says, grinning at me like he just won the lottery.
“What?” I say, an answering smile forming on my lips.
“Tell me you’ve been thinking about me all day.” His tone is cocky, and part of me wants to smack it out of him. The other part of me feels my nipples tighten against my shirt.
I narrow my eyes. Is he serious? We’re too far away from the rest of our party for him to be hoping for someone to overhear. “Thinking about you?” I clarify.
I slow down, and he’s as close to me as he can be without touching me. Our feet are toe-to-toe, and he lowers his head so his face is an inch from mine. “Tell me,” he says in challenge.
My heart starts to race, and I can’t catch my breath. His body heat warms me. His smile makes me giddy. His scent of freshly washed skin fills my nose. It’s all so overwhelming.
“Tell me,” he demands.
“You’ve crossed my mind,” I say. “Thinking about how you’ve tortured me by not telling me you had the wigs.”
He grins and slides his hand around my hip to my lower back.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask. “You knew I was mad at you.”
“I think you kinda like being mad at me.”
I roll my eyes. Like anyone enjoys being mad.
“I’ve been thinking about you,” he says. He presses a kiss on my head. Did he hit his head out there on the boat and come back convinced we’re actually dating?
“Are you okay? How many beers have you had?” I ask.
“I want to kiss you,” he says.
“Oh.” I’m too shocked to think of a good answer.
“I’ve been thinking about how you’ll taste. How you’ll feel.”
“Hunter,” I whisper.
“I mean it,” he says. “For real.”
Our eyes lock, and all I can see is a man who knows what he wants. Determined. Sure and sexy as hell.
I give him a small nod. It’s all he needs.
He pushes his hand into my hair and glances down at my lips before leaning in and pressing his soft mouth against mine. My hand tentatively slides up his shirt, and then I almost groan as my palm hits his warm skin. I open my mouth a little, and his tongue slides between my lips, urgent. Pressing. Possessive.
I feel it in my knees, at the base of my spine, between my legs—a low buzz of something. Desire. Yearning. Need.
It’s the best kiss I’ve ever had.
But I want more.
He must feel the same because he pulls me closer. There’s no space between us. Our bodies press together tightly as we explore each other. His hand presses on my ass, pushing me closer to him as his other grips my hair.
