“No, I was imagining.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not.”
Softly, his fingers caressed her cheek. “You were blushin’ just now, Summer. Your face glowed like a lighthouse. That doesn’t happen very often. What were you thinkin’?”
She knocked his hand away and faced the window. “You startled me, that’s probably why my face was red.”
He moved closer, bracketing the wall beside her with one hand. “Were you thinkin’ about being alone with Adam Fairbanks? Were you fantasizin’ about how it would be on your weddin’ night?” he whispered in her ear.
She forced a laugh. “Of course not. Nice girls, don’t think about things like that.”
He tilted his head and grinned. “But you were.”
She spun around, and her hand flew through the air to slap his face, but he stopped it before it could connect with his cheek. He grabbed her other wrist and imprisoned both arms behind her waist, then backed her up against the wall. It only took a second for her to react to the hard contours of his chest as it pushed against her bosom. Desire flowed through her. It felt so right, but this was so wrong.
She struggled. “Let me go.”
“No, Summer. I want to know what you were thinkin’.”
“I told you.”
“No, you didn’t. I want you to tell me how you think it’ll be on your weddin’ night.”
“You’re an animal,” she spat.
“Were his lips touchin’ yours in a passionate kiss?” he prodded.
She felt the quick beats of his heart, and the rhythm matched perfectly with her heartbeat. “Jesse, please.” Her voice softened. “Why are you doing this?”
His lips hovered over hers as he stared into her eyes. “I don’t know. I wish I could make some sense out of this, but I can’t.”
Jesse’s lips touched hers, and she gasped, but surprisingly, she didn’t want to pull away. Softly, his lips coaxed a response, and she didn’t know whether she should give him one. She fought the feelings, but within seconds, she couldn’t resist any longer. Her body relaxed, and for the first time in her life, she let herself experience what it felt like to be really kissed by a man.
When his grasp on her wrists relaxed, she slid her hands up and stroked his neck, then threaded her fingers through his hair. She kissed him back, thrilled over the feeling of the warmth spreading quickly through her. A soft moan released from her throat, and she wasn’t embarrassed.
He slanted his mouth over hers, and suddenly the kiss turned wild. She exhaled a throaty moan and clung to him, digging her fingers into the collar of his shirt.
“Summer,” he whispered and pulled her closer with an urgency she really didn’t understand. She had no desire to stop him. In her mind, she replayed her fantasy and wished for the reality.
Suddenly she heard her aunt’s cautious voice ringing through her head. It was wrong for her to experience this kind of pleasure. It’d be different if they were married. But they weren’t. They were each promised to other people, and that’s how it should stay.
She tore her mouth from his. “Jesse, no.” She tried to pull away, but his tight hold prevented her from moving.
“Oh, Summer,” he sighed. “Don’t stop.”
The thrill of everything happening brought a wave of disappointment, knowing this must stop. She gathered her strength and pushed herself a few inches away.
“Jesse, no,” she said louder.
He stood and looked at her for a few moments as he held her stare. “Why?”
She frowned, hoping she appeared as miserable and confused as she felt. “Can’t you see? You and Rosie are soon going to be living in this house as husband and wife, and I’ll be married soon as well. This is wrong, Jesse. I can’t kiss you like this.”
“But, you don’t understand–”
She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to move further away, but he held onto her tightly, refusing to let her go.
