The Summer of Us (Mission Cove 1)

“Promise me you’ll tread carefully.”

“I will,” I vowed against her shoulder, nosing the loose collar out of the way and teasing her skin with my lips, nipping at her softness.

I licked and bit my way back up her neck, threading my hand into her curls and pulling her mouth to mine in a soul-shattering kiss. The world ceased to exist around us—all that existed was her. Me. This moment. I stroked her tongue with mine, tasting the honey, tasting her. Losing myself in the sweetness of her. I always loved kissing Sunny, and time hadn’t changed that fact. The feel of her close, the way her mouth moved with mine, the low, sexy sounds she made—all of it amped me up. My cock ached, wanting to be inside her. My body longed to feel all of her against me—her soft skin gliding along my rougher body. The way I remembered feeling, wrapped in her embrace. The warmth of being joined with her. The intense intimacy we had shared that one night. I wanted to repeat it. Over and again.

I dragged my mouth from hers, desperately trying to find my control. “We have to stop.”

“Why?” she whimpered, trying to close the distance between us, pulling my head down toward her again.

“I promised you dinner and a show. If we don’t stop, neither is happening, because once I get you upstairs and in my bed, you aren’t leaving it until we go back to Mission Cove tomorrow, Sunny.”

Our eyes locked, and the sweetest smile curled her lips.

“I love pizza in bed.”

I gripped her hips.

“And I really don’t like theatre.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

“I’m on the pill.”

“I haven’t been with anyone for a long time. A very long time. I’m clean.”

“Take me upstairs, Linc.”

I scooped her into my arms and took the steps two at a time.I laid her on my bed and stepped back. She was a vision to behold. Dressed in my shirt, the white of it bright on the creamy sheets, her hair a mass of sunset curls around her face, and her dark eyes wide with desire as she looked at me—she took my breath away.

I yanked my shirt over my head, too eager to bother with the buttons. I cupped my erection through my pants, groaning.

“See what you do to me, Sunny?”

She lifted her arms over her head, her slender legs moving restlessly on the sheet as her breathing picked up and a warm flush tinged her cheeks, spreading down her chest as I disrobed in front of her. She licked her lips as I made fast work of the belt and zipper, pushing my pants off my legs, taking my shoes and socks with them, and standing in front of her in nothing but black boxers, my cock so hard, it strained against the waistband.

I crawled up the mattress toward her like a lion stalking its prey. I straddled her hips, leaning on my fists, looming over her. Teasingly, I tugged on the collar of the shirt she wore.

“One of us has entirely too many clothes on.”

Her words were low, sexy. “Take them off, then.”

She gasped as I gripped the tails of my dress shirt and ripped it open, the buttons flying like small UFOs in the air and landing scattered on the carpet. I let the torn material fall to the sides and feasted my eyes on her. Smooth, ivory skin, dotted with faint freckles and flushed pink along her collarbone, greeted me. Her breasts, her beautiful breasts that always fascinated me, were fuller than I remembered, her nipples a deep, dusty-rose color. They lifted and fell in rapid succession with her shallow gasps of air. I slid my hands along her arms, trailing my fingers over her warm skin, and entwining our hands over her head. I bent down close to her mouth, touching my lips to hers.

“Sunny, you are the most beautiful woman in the world.” I kissed her softly. “More gorgeous than my memories.” Another kiss, this time harder, longer. “Lovelier than my imagination.”

She shivered as I ran my lips down her neck, over her sexy collarbone, and between her breasts. Goose bumps broke out on her skin as she arched her back with a silent plea, and I closed my mouth around her nipple, sucking gently. She gripped my fingers with hers, a low moan in her throat as I moved between her breasts, kissing, sucking, licking. I released her hands to cup them, stroking my thumbs over her hard nipples.

“I’ve always loved your breasts,” I confessed. “Your tits starred in my nightly dreams.” I shook my head in amusement. “The things I wanted to do to them.”

“Tell me.”

I lowered my head, demonstrating as I spoke. “Lick them. Suck them. Squeeze them. Play with them.” I rose over her, close to her ear. “Fuck them.” I flicked my tongue on her earlobe. “I still do.”