His tongue swipes over the seam of my lips, begging for entry and like the stupid lovesick girl I am, I open to him.
He slides his tongue into my mouth, tangling it with my own as he climbs fully onto the bed, settling his broad body between my legs. I can feel his erection, even through all of the layers separating us.
I slide my hands through his too-long hair, tugging on the strands in pleasure when he nips at my lower lip.
He breaks our kiss, moving his attention to my jaw and neck. “Fuck, Luna,” he murmurs against my lust-drenched skin. “You feel so good.”
I whimper and he presses his hips harder into mine, rolling them in a way that has me shifting and squirming in search of the release my body so desperately craves.
We move together in torturous harmony; our bodies in sync even if we aren’t.
“Stella.” The way he moans my name, deep and low, sends a shiver rolling through me. “Tell me to stop,” he pleads, brushing his nose along the column of my neck.
“I can’t.” I exhale a shaky breath and draw his lips back to mine. “Just kiss me. Kiss me like there isn’t an ocean of hurt between us. Kiss me like I’m the only thing that matters.”
His brow creases as he cups my cheek, his calloused fingers tickling my skin. “Don’t you get it, Luna? You are the only thing that matters.” His lips feather over mine, but before he can deepen the kiss, I push him away.
He goes willingly, rolling so that he’s sitting on the edge of the bed with his feet planted on the floor. “Stella.”
I give him a sad smile. “You should go.”
With a slow, resigned nod, Samson stands, not bothering to hide the way his erection strains against his jeans. “This isn’t over,” he says, heading for the door.
I pull the covers up to my chin. “It never started.”
After a night of fitful sleep, I’m up with the sun. My dreams were plagued by memories of the man I used to love... that I still love, if I’m being honest. But I’ve been lying to myself for the last nine months, that I was over him, so why stop now?
One kiss—one soul-shattering kiss—isn’t going to change the irreparable damage between us.
We had a plan... an agreement. A promise, and he broke it when he left me.
My body may be eager for his touch, but my heart remembers the pain he left in his wake.
I’m not prone to making the smartest decisions when it comes to Samson Carter. He makes me crazy and desperate and reckless.
Which is why I’m up before everyone else. Avoidance is the name of the game; he can’t corner me if he can’t find me.
I crawl out of bed and swap my pajamas for a two-piece swimsuit and a pair of jean shorts before tiptoeing to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I throw my hair up into a messy bun and toss my flip-flops into my bag so they don’t make noise while I sneak down the stairs.
I’m tempted to make a pot of coffee, but with the guest bedroom being on the first floor, I decide not to risk it. I leave a quick note for my parents and then slip out the back door.
It’s not even six in the morning and it feels like it’s a million degrees outside, but the destination I have in mind is tucked away, with plenty of shade. It’s perfect for a lazy day of hiding... I mean relaxing.
The cold lake water tickles my toes as I creep down the shore to where we store our canoes. I grab the first one I see and pull it behind me. Once I’m knee-deep, I climb in.
My oar slices through the water, as I think about everything and nothing all at once. My brain feels like it’s going to explode, like I need a sign on my forehead—caution, contents under pressure.
After about fifteen minutes, I reach my destination, a little island in the middle of the lake. I paddle as far in as I can before hopping out and dragging the canoe to shore.
I heft my bag over my shoulder, stopping only to slide on my sandals, before venturing into the brush until I find my spot.
It’s nothing special, just a pile of big rocks, but it’s my favorite place at the lake. And more importantly, it’s private.
I grab my towel and Kindle, settling in for a day of reading. But before I can finish the first chapter, a shadow falls over me.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” I shout as I set my Kindle down onto the flat rock beside me.
“I said we needed to talk.”
“Pretty sure we proved we aren’t capable of talking, so maybe we should just stay away from each other.”