“I saw you out of the corner of my eye as you came into the bar. I could tell there was something different about you. Youand Jonas both stood out, and I kept trying to catch a glimpse of your faces. Eventually, I saw Jonas when you were both over at the pool table, but you remained elusive. Until you went to take a shot and your eyes met mine and I felt as though the whole world stood still.”
He grins at me and I blush.
“Sorry, that was corny.”
About as corny as the contents of his combine harvester.
He turns onto his side, letting go of my hand so that his is free to prop up his head.
“And then we met and you thought I was such a dick,” he teases, reaching across to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear. My skin buzzes in the wake of his fingertips.
“Youwerea bit of a dick,” I agree with a laugh. “But I was drunk and annoying, so I think we’re even.”
“You were pretty wasted,” he concedes with a smile. “But I liked you.”
We’re in some sort of parallel universe right now. He’s spent the whole summer looking away from me and now I can finally stare into his flawed green eyes uninterrupted. It’s indescribable how thrilling it feels. I’ll never get used to it. No amount of time will ever be long enough. I wish I could tell Jonas to never come with that replacement part for the combine.
A rush of panic reminds me that wedon’thave all the time in the world. Or at least, wewon’tif I can’t break through to him once and for all.
“I can’t pinpoint when I fell for you, though,” I say.
His eyes soften. “I know whenIrealized I was a goner.”
“I think I saw the moment on your face,” I admit.
He raises an eyebrow at me inquisitively.
“Was it at the Rathskeller?”
“No, it was at the bowling alley. When you scored a strike. You were so happy, and then you glanced over at me—”
His smile fades and I frown at him.
“But you winced and looked away as though you were in pain.”
He nods. “It hurt to love you.”
I reach over and smooth those creases away. “Not today,” I murmur. “Don’t let it hurt you today.”
We stare at each other for a long moment and then he slips his hand around my waist and slowly draws me to him. The gap between us closes to mere inches and everything seems to go very still—Igo very still; even my heart holds in my chest for a beat.
His gaze lingers on my mouth and all of my senses sharpen, the air around us beginning to crackle. When his lips finally meet mine, I jolt with electricity from head to toe.
The world speeds up again and I’m lost in sensation, shivers rippling down my body in waves as he pulls me flush to his hips. Our kiss intensifies and deepens, our tongues locking and colliding, and my heart is beating frantically, all reason erased from my mind.
Then he’s lifting me on top of him and sitting us both up, his hands sliding along the backs of my bare legs to settle my knees on either side of his hips. My fingers skate along his broad shoulders and I lean in to press my lips to the hollow at the base of his neck. He bucks beneath me as my teeth graze his skin, holding me in place. The friction between us is unbearable. I want him like I’ve never wanted anyone or anything, and I can feel him and there’s no denying he wants me too.
Our kisses grow hungry and desperate and he clutches me to him, letting out a low growl that vibrates through my body.It’s the single sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. But then he slides his mouth away and pants against the side of my neck. My shivers are out of control.
“Wren. I’m losing it.”
“Me too. Please. I need you.”
I don’t know if any of that was intelligible, but suddenly we’re both in a frenzy. My fingers are on his hips, his belt. His hands are beneath the hem of my dress, skirting up to the tops of my thighs. He doesn’t stop me as I unbuckle him, nor do I stop him as he tugs at the flimsy fabric separating us. I stand up quickly to rid myself of the obstruction and then I’m slowly sinking down, and, oh, it’s completely overwhelming.
I swear, I will have bruises on my hips from where his fingers are digging into me, and I’ll want to get them tattooed there so I remember this moment for the rest of my life.
Not that I’ll ever forget it.
