“It is. We’re way at the back of my property. The water you can see from the house is the big lake; this is just a little bay.”
“It’s lovely!”
“I did a lot of work on it. It was quite overgrown. We cleared the beach, and I had some sand moved from another area to make it a little nicer, but otherwise, it’s the way I found it.”
“Can you swim here?”
“It’s a little cold, but yes. I do on occasion later in the season.” I laid the blanket on the sand that was still damp from the earlier rain. Avery sat down and I sat behind her, trapping her between my legs. I wrapped my bare arms around her, closing my eyes and letting the peacefulness surround us. She eased back with a sigh, her body relaxed and supple.
The sun felt good on my face, the breeze drifting over my skin, lifting my hair off my forehead as it blew past. It swirled up the scent of the water and sand; the pungent aroma of the washed-up pieces of driftwood and kelp were heavy and rich in the air.
> Drawing in a deep lungful of air, the honeyed fragrance of the woman in my arms overwhelmed me. I buried my face into her curls, nuzzling the silky strands, breathing in her soothing scent. When her fingers reached up to play with my hair, I hummed in happiness, tightening my arms.
Her heartbeat picked up as I nudged her hair over her shoulder, grazing my lips down the column of her neck, flicking my tongue along the warm skin. She whimpered, and pressed back against me, causing my cock to swell as her grip tightened on my hair, keeping me close.
Leisurely, I dragged my hand over the bend of her arm, elbow to wrist and back down, a continuous circuit of gentle, teasing strokes. Another whimper escaped her mouth and goosebumps broke out on her skin when I slid my hand closer to her shoulder. I ghosted my fingers over the curve and down her side, to graze the edge of her breast, only to start again at the wrist.
Her nipples puckered against my arm that held her secure.
My dick hardened further in response.
Turning my head, I traced my tongue over the crease in her elbow, dipping and tasting, leaving a trail of moisture that made her shiver. Her breathing quickened; little pants of desire that increased as I teased and stroked, my fingers dancing and moving in a constant pattern, touching and tickling, but never settling. I pulled her tighter to my chest. Her hand clamped around my forearm as she let out a low, sexy moan, pushing her head into my shoulder, exposing more of her neck.
I ran wet open-mouthed kisses on her fragrant skin, nipping and tugging at her earlobe. “You like that, Avery? You like me touching you?” I growled in her ear.
“Yes.” She panted. “Oh, God . . . yes.”
I drew in the soft skin of her neck and sucked lightly. “Do you want more?”
She gasped, pushing herself into me, trapping my raging hard-on between us.
I groaned. “Do you?”
“Yes. Daniel, yes.”
I wrapped my hand around her hair, tilting her head back. Her eyes were wide and filled with desire. I brushed my mouth against hers, trailing my tongue over her bottom lip, tasting the apple she had eaten. “How much more?”
“You. I want you. Please. Now . . .”
Our eyes held.
“Are you sure, Avery?”
I wanted to make her mine. If she was ready, so was I. It was fast, but I didn’t care—it felt right. We’d already covered the subject of our pasts and protection in our talk the previous night, and we were safe. There was nothing stopping us if she was sure about this—about us. But it was her choice. Always her choice.
“Yes,” she said, breathless. “I’m positive.”
In a second, I had her under me on the blanket, a mass of entwined limbs and warmth. The small square of cloth did nothing to protect us from the beach, but neither of us cared. The damp of the sand soaked into the cloth and denim, the rough grit of the beach clinging to everything.
It didn’t matter.
I couldn’t get close enough. I couldn’t taste her enough. Nothing existed but her. Us.
Our passion erupted, finally allowed to explode. I weaved my hand into her hair, holding her face close as I ravished her mouth. Sand clung to the dampness of our arms and feet, the coarse grains scratching against our bodies. I slid my hand under her tank, running up her stomach, ghosting over her skin. As my palm covered the curve of her breast, she gasped, bowing closer, her hand digging into the sand. She dug her other hand into the small of my back, sliding her fingers under my waistband and gripping my ass. I grunted my approval into her mouth, thrusting forward.
Clothing disappeared fast—every inch of new skin uncovered, explored and tasted. The material of her tank tore easily under my fists, and I pulled away long enough to yank mine over my head, wanting to feel the touch of her silky skin. Her mouth was so sweet and wet, and her taste wrecked me forever. I didn’t want to be without it now. The feel of her was like nothing else on earth.
She moaned and gasped as I traced swells and dips, learning them with my hands and memorizing with my mouth. Avery’s hands tugged at my shoulders, frantically caressing and stroking, as her nails pressed into my skin, the slight sting making me hiss.