Summer on Lovers' Island (Jewell Cove 3)

“Like this.”

Finally his unshakeable control seemed to snap. He took her hair in his hand and tugged at it, pulling her head back firmly but not painfully, so that her lips were tilted up instead of buried in the tantalizing skin of his neck. And he kissed her, a possessive, grand kiss that nearly took the knees out from beneath her and had her gasping for breath, holding on to his shoulders as his tongue swept into her mouth and he pulled her body against his.

Their hands were everywhere. Josh’s gripped the hem of her T-shirt and he broke the kiss long enough to tug the garment over her head and drop it to the floor. His palm immediately covered her breast, the heat of him radiating through the black satin.

“Mmm,” she hummed, hastily unbuttoning his shirt, wondering what he’d say if she said screw the time-consuming part and just ripped it open the way she wanted. Desire was pulsing through her now, hot and liberating. Finally sh

e got rid of the last button and shoved the fabric over his shoulders. He moved his arms, awkwardly but efficiently, letting the shirt fall to the floor as she reached for the button and zipper of his cargo shorts.

And she might have had better progress if he hadn’t shoved his hand down inside her yoga pants, making her call out with pleasure.

Somehow her pants and panties ended up around her feet and she stomped out of them, and his shorts quickly followed.

“As awesome as it would be to take you right here,” he growled, “I think you’d better show me the way to the bedroom.” He briefly grabbed his shorts and reached for his wallet, pulled out a condom, and met her gaze with a searing, knowing look. “After the island I didn’t want to be caught unprepared again. I think we both knew this was inevitable.”

It was probably the most foolish thing in the world to do. He’d unloaded a fair chunk of baggage tonight, and he was feeling like shit because his best friend was going to be a father. Was she taking advantage because for the first time in months she was feeling a need so intense that nothing else mattered?

“It’s my turn to ask,” she said softly, closing her eyes as his fingers slid over the curve of her bottom. “Are you sure, Josh? Because I want you to be sure.”

His first answer was a kiss. Long, lazy, complete, with enough heat and intent to tell her that what had happened between them on the island was only a taste of what was to come.

“I’m sure. I want this, Lizzie. I want you. And that might be all I know for sure right now.”

Her libido was speaking far louder than her common sense. “Then that’s all I need to know,” she replied, and she turned away from him and started down the tiny hall to the master bedroom.

And if he kept his eyes on her ass the whole way, all the better.

CHAPTER 14

His phone rang at fourteen minutes after four.

Lizzie rolled over, but Josh never so much as flinched. She smiled to herself briefly as she reached for his cell. The display said: “R&J Sullivan” and she immediately sat up in bed, holding the covers to her chest.

“Josh. Josh, wake up. It’s your phone and it’s Jess.”

“Hmph,” he mumbled.

The ringing stopped.

“Josh!” She gave him a nudge this time. “Josh, wake up. It’s the middle of the night and Jess called. It has to be important.”

He rolled to his back, scrubbed his hand over his face, and blinked a few times. “It’s Jess?”

“I didn’t want to answer, in case you didn’t want her to know … you know. That we’d spent the night together.”

More like Lizzie didn’t want Jess to know. The last thing she needed was his family knowing what had gone on here tonight. Even minus the steamy details … of which there were many.

So many. Feminine muscles curled and contracted in remembrance.

He sat up, held out his hand. “Okay. Okay. God, I usually don’t sleep that soundly. I’ll call her back.”

She put the phone in his hand and watched as he hit the button to call Jess back and waited for the phone to ring. She picked up after the first ring. Lizzie heard the tone, the click, and Jess’s voice on the line in the utter quiet of the bedroom.

“Oh, thank God,” Lizzie heard Jess say. “Josh, my water broke fifteen minutes ago. Rick’s taking me to the hospital.”

“Are you having contractions yet?”

“I thought they were just Braxton Hicks tonight at Sarah’s. Best guess, according to Rick’s watch, I’m seven minutes apart.”