I lay back and stretch my arm out, encouraging Charlotte to snuggle closer. Normally, I’d feel like a lazy son of a bitch, sitting around doing nothing during the day. But spending time with Charlotte—actual moments where we can talk, connect, and just be together—is rare, so I soak up every second. “Sunbathing in New York isn’t quite the same as Mississippi.”
“No. My God. I thought that was the thirteenth circle of hell, it was so hot.”
“You’re not going to like where I’m going to suggest we honeymoon, then.”
“Let me guess,” she says in a dry tone. “Somewhere with lax banking laws in the southern hemisphere.”
I grin and hug her tighter. “This is why we’re so perfect together.”
“Rock and Hope got to go to Hawaii.” She pouts. “Wrath and Trinity went to Belize.”
“Belize might work.” I tease my fingers over the tops of her breasts, ready to burst out of the skimpy suit top. “I’ll need to hire a very private villa or something. Can’t have anyone else seeing you in this.”
She tips her head down. “Steer implied I was getting fat last night.”
Rage drowns out all the other noises around us for a second. “He did what?”
She relays the story and I wonder if Rooster and Shelby are having a similar conversation this morning.
“Then Jiggy threatened to spill his guts on the floor and Steer left.”
“What a jackass.” I rest my hand over her belly button. “I’m sorry.”
“We were thinking he must already have his head in Tennessee since he’s moving there soon.”
“Yeah, well, pissing off all his brothers up here isn’t the smartest move. Deadbranch will probably be the first charter Priest sends Rooster to investigate when he’s on the road this summer.”
“Have you ever thought about moving to one of the other charters?”
“What? No. My whole family…everything is here.”
“I know.” She tips her head down. “I was just wondering.”
I slide my hand lower. “You know what I was wondering?”
Her hips shift as if her body knows the answer to my question. “No, what?”
“If I can make you come just by rubbing your little clit through your swimsuit.” I lean in and press a kiss to her cheek. “What do you think?”
“No,” she whispers. “I don’t want to traumatize Carter again. He just recovered from the last time he caught us out here.”
“Try again, Sunshine. He’s not home. I checked.”
“But—”
“He’s booked up at Bronze’s all day. Then headed to Bianca’s.”
A light breeze rustles through the tall pine trees, emphasizing how peaceful it is outside.
I leave my hand resting against her stomach, the tips of my fingers millimeters from the edge of her bikini bottoms. “May I?”
Her chest rises and falls faster. “May you what?”
I stroke my middle finger lightly against her soft skin, showing her exactly what I want to do. Her nipples press into hard little points against the thin white fabric. I drop my head and wrap my lips around one, sucking through the material.
She gasps. “Marcel.”
I release her nipple. “What’s it going to be, Charlotte? Under or over?” I tease my fingers along the elastic waistband and her legs fall open. “Not good enough. Say it.”