“I mean, who wouldn’t.” I laughed at her deadpan stare. “Anything specific?”
“Umm…” Her pursed lips and hesitation set off warning bells. “They want to see us kiss.”
“Oh, okay.” I tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible. People still lingered around, listening and watching. I was her husband, so why wouldn’t we kiss. It was perfectly natural.
Except we’d never kissed.
I’d imagined it about a thousand different times, and doing it for an Instagram photo op in front of a group of people hadn’t come close to a single one. While I should have gladly pulled her in my arms and taken my chance, a ball of dread grew when I pictured the lack of intimacy—the lack of emotion.
“Do you want me to take it?” Aubrey offered, because she was the kind of girl who happily offered to take a picture of her ex-fiancé kissing his new wife and not think another thing of it.
“That’d be perfect,” Rae answered, passing the phone off before turning to me. “Ready?”
“Are you?”
“I’ve been waiting to show that mouth who’s boss since day one.”
I barked a laugh, loving the way she bobbed her brows. “Bring it on,” I challenged.
“Okay.” She looked around, analyzing all our options. “Here.” She grabbed my hand, tugging me to where the sparkling ocean sat as our backdrop. “Now dip me and lay it on me.”
Pulling her close, I wrapped my arms around her tight and dipped.
Except there was no anticipation, only that growing ball of dread threatening to choke me.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.
Everything screamed how wrong this was, and I fought every tense muscle that urged me to stop. Especially when at the last moment, I met her eyes, and I didn’t find the playful Rae smiling back. Instead, I found a matching nervousness.
Before my lips could land on hers, I shifted and landed just outside her lips, kissing the petal soft skin of her cheek. I held myself steady to make sure we got the picture and held her tighter when her nails dragged up my neck and into my hair.
Fuck, I wished we were alone.
“Looks perfect,” Aubrey announced.
I lifted Rae up and waited for her approval.
“You guys look great,” Aubrey complimented.
“Thank you. You take an amazing picture,” Rae said.
“Will you be at the party tonight?” Aubrey asked us.
“Of course. I can’t wait,” Rae answered.
“Great. I’ll see you there.”
The walk back to our room was silent but filled with unspoken words. It wasn’t until I’d closed our door that she finally spoke.
“Why didn’t you kiss me?”
I considered my options, weighing the pros and cons of how honest I wanted to be. With a deep breath, I turned to face her, figuring why the hell not be completely honest. What did I have to lose?
“I didn’t want my first kiss with my wife to only be done for a picture. It’s not how I imagined it.”
“You’re so traditional. It’s just a kiss,” she joked, but curiosity lingered behind the brush-off.
“There’s not just anything with you, Raelynn.”
Her smile faded.
One second.
Two seconds.
“So, how did you picture it?” she finally asked.
I could’ve used words and easily explained something inconsequential. I could have said something crude and joked my way out of it. But I didn’t. I wanted her to see what I wanted. I wanted her to see me as a man who desired her—not just the friend who would do anything for her.
I needed her to see that I was passion and friendship all rolled in one. I needed her to see that I could be the perfect man for her if only she’d let me.
I wasn’t missing this chance to show her.
Closing my eyes, I plucked one of the many fantasies, letting it wash over me. When I looked at her again, I made sure she saw it all.
She didn’t say anything as I slowly closed the gap. She didn’t say anything as she retreated until her back hit the wall. She didn’t utter a single word when I towered over her and used my finger to lift her chin so she couldn’t look away.
“I imagined us being around people all day, unable to find a second alone. I imagined us both knowing how much the other wanted it. I imagined watching your mouth, letting the need grow and expand inside me with each swipe of your tongue across your lips until I’m consumed by it.”
As if she couldn’t help it, her tongue made a pass, and I stroked my thumb across her lip to smooth the dampness into the plump skin.
“I imagined us so desperate to be alone because we know any kiss we share would be savage and indecent. Our passion would take over, and it would only be for us—it’d be ours alone. We’d need time.”
“For what?” she pleaded with barely a whisper.
“Mmmmm,” I hummed, just the thought of it enough to bring me to the edge. “To feel. I want to know the give of your lip under my teeth, to know the exact spot your lips seal to mine. I’d need time to taste.” Giving in just a fraction, I snaked my tongue out to briefly brush the edge of her lips. Her whimper almost had me going back for more, but I held strong. “I want to taste every inch. Your lips, your tongue. Every part of your mouth inside and out. I want to devour you whole.”