This Can't Be Love (Whispering Bay Romance 5)

He hesitated. “Let’s just say my sister thinks with her heart and not her head.”

And I think with my head and not my heart. He didn’t have to say that out loud but the message was clear.

It was like opening a little window into his soul. They’d been living in the same house for over a week now but this was the first time they’d shared anything real between them.

“Hey, Sarah!” Cameron yelled from the shoreline, wrenching them back into the present. “Watch this!” He threw the stick to Toby, who obediently ran to retrieve it.

She applauded. “Way to go, Toby!”

“I think Cameron has a crush on you,” he said quietly. “Toby probably does, too.”

“It’s the bacon,” she said, feeling flustered. Which was silly. It wasn’t like he was the one who had a crush on her. They were talking about a thirteen-year-old boy and a dog here. Except the way he was suddenly looking at her…

“I’m sorry tonight didn’t turn out the way you planned,” he said. “I know you were looking forward to a night alone at the house.”

“Oh, no, this is good.” It was better than good. As a matter of fact, Sarah couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed herself more. Oh God. It had happened. She liked Luke. This was bad on so many levels. Time to get out of here. “I think the fire is almost dead.”

“Not yet,” he said. “There’re still a few embers left.”

His words sounded more like a challenge than a statement. If she got up to leave now, it would seem as if she was running away. She mentally frowned. Running away from what? From him?

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. Between the salty gulf air and the sound of the waves, she should be sleepy. But there was something else that hadn’t been there before. Or maybe it had and she’d been able to shake it off. But now, sitting so close to Luke…she couldn’t deny what it was. This was more than just like. This was red-hot attraction.

She opened her eyes to find him staring at her.

“I promised myself I wasn’t going to do this,” he said.

Her pulse kicked into overdrive. “Do what?” she squeaked.

He leaned over and cupped the back of her head with his hand. “Just this one time,” he whispered. “So we’ll both know.”

Then he kissed her. Softly at first, and she couldn’t help but kiss him back. It was a nice kiss, until it wasn’t. His tongue found a way inside and the nice kiss turned into something more demanding. More urgent. And she couldn’t help but respond to it as well. She moaned and leaned into him, placing her arms around his neck, and before she knew it, he’d pulled her from her chair and onto his lap.

She probably shouldn’t be surprised that Luke kissed exactly the way he looked. Gorgeously perfect. He held her against his hard body, one hand snaking down to run along her calf and up to her knee until she melted against him. Just like the marshmallows they’d roasted tonight for the s’mores. She squirmed, wanting more and he laughed a little without breaking contact. Suddenly, she felt him tense.

The sound of Toby barking cut through Sarah’s scrambled brain. She broke off the kiss and jumped from his lap just in time for Toby and Cameron to come running back onto the patio.

“Toby loved the water!” Cameron said, oblivious to what he’d just interrupted. Thank God, because how embarrassing would it have been to be caught by a thirteen-year-old? Sarah felt her cheeks heat up at the thought.

“I think the fire has died out,” she said to no one in particular. “So, I’m off to bed!” She sounded like a blithering idiot, but she couldn’t help herself.

“See you tomorrow,” Cameron said. “Remember, we’re going to play Monopoly.”

“Sure. Of course,” she said, finally sneaking a peek at Luke. He seemed completely composed as if they hadn’t just been making out like a couple of love-starved heathens.

She scurried back in the house, brushed her teeth and settled herself on the inflatable mattress, but sleep eluded her. Every little sound in the house seemed to be magnified times ten. She could hear Cameron and Luke as they talked a little, then went off to their respective beds for the night. Cameron was sleeping on the living room couch and that part of the house went instantly quiet. After today, the kid had to be exhausted.

She listened as the water ran in the bathroom. That would be Luke, probably brushing his teeth. But then she heard the shower, and her body stilled. Luke was a morning shower person, but, of course, he’d gone fishing today, so maybe he simply wanted to wash the day’s grime off. Or maybe this was the aftereffects of their kiss.

Was he taking the proverbial cold shower?

She would have had to be dead not to have felt his raging hard-on when she’d sat on his lap. Even now, almost an hour later, she could still feel the thrill of discovering that he wanted her.

Her legs thrashed restlessly against the soft cotton sheets. She wouldn’t mind a cold shower herself. What would happen if she snuck into the bathroom and joined him?

Images of hot shower sex (not that she’d ever had hot shower sex, but she had a good imagination) flashed through her brain. This was terrible. Tonight had been an utter disaster. Not only did she like Luke, she wanted him.

Just this one time. So, we’ll both know.