“We can’t have that,” Luke said as he pulled himself up agin. “Next time I’ll have to take my shirt off to make sure I give you the full experience.”
“I’m not sure I’d survive.”
“Don’t worry, I’m CPR certified. I can breathe life back into you.”
“You already do,” I mumbled.
“Ten. What was that?”
“Nothing,” I said, sinking onto the nearest bench, propping my chin in my hand, and continuing to stare. Not even pretending to be subtle about it. I didn’t have to hide it anymore. I could watch as long as I wanted.
He reached fifteen. Then twenty. He dropped down at thirty-one.
“You realize this is deeply unfair to us mere mortals,” I said. “I thought you said you struggled to get past thirty.”
“Did I not make it clear I was trying to impress you?” he asked with a grin.
This man, just a bundle of feel-good sweetness.
“So, how’d I do?”
“Impressive,” I said in my best Darth Vadar voice, pausing before I repeated myself, emphasizing how impressive it was, because Luke wasn’t the only dork around, and for his responding laugh. “I mean really, Luke, you’re made of Greek marble and fantasies. You just performed a one-man thirst trap. I think even the park bench is smoking.”
“It was only pull-ups.”
“It was temptation and sin disguised as exercise. The most erotic display of athleticism I have ever witnessed.”
“If that’s all it takes to get you worked up, I’m telling Ez I have a new gym partner. From now on I’m doing my workouts with you.”
“That’s a terrible idea.”
“Why is that?”
“Because there’s only so much self-control a man can possess in the presence of that much physical splendor. And I’ve spent the last several months expending mine. I’d probably end up banned from the premises—no, worse than that, arrested for initiating things that are illegal to initiate in public.”
“Things like this?”
Catching me at the waist, he pulled me flush against him, engulfing me in the heady scent of him. Before I could so much as gasp, his mouth descended on mine. I liquefied under the intensity. My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt. He was a drug. Lethal. Addictive. Impossible to quit.
It took several long moments for us to come apart. When we did, the cool night air did nothing to quell the fever that had seized me.
“Luke, while that was a phenomenal kiss, what I had in mind went about three bases beyond kissing.”
His voice dropped an octave. “Gotcha. In that case, now might be the time to enact phase two of this evening. The one where you climb me like a tree?”
My blood turned viscous and congealed from the tone of his voice. I never thought I’d ever hear him speak with that edge of want, and certainly not directed at me. Arousal ripped through me, propelling me forward as I seized his hand and tugged him along, my stride quick and purposeful as we headed back home.
“Who in the name of all things merciful and sane decided we should walk?” I complained.
“Mm, I believe that was you,” Luke said.
“Yes, well, that came from past me. Past me, who had romantic notions about starlit pacing and hand holding. Past me, who failed to account for how horny I would get watching you execute forty-five pull-ups like some sort of warrior prince. I’m going to travel back in time and slap past me across the face. Possibly twice. We could be home right now, smothering each other in kisses.”
Luke squeezed my hand. “The wait makes the anticipation sweeter and the moment hotter.”
“No,” I snapped. “It makes it that much longer until I can have you. In bed. Beneath me. Around me. Everywhere.”
“Who knew you were such a fiend?”
