Forbidden Fling (Wildwood 1)

With nothing else invading his thoughts, he focused on the luscious cushion of her breasts against his chest, the soft mound of her sex against his cock, the feel of her small waist beneath his arm.

And, God, her mouth. Wet. Warm. Wild.

He tore out of the kiss, lifting her into his arms and starting for the house. “Fuck, I need you.”

She bit her way down his neck, and tingles spread across his skin, but at the same time she murmured breathless attempts at logic. “We can’t keep doing this. Too complicated. If anyone finds out . . .”

He pushed his door open, covered her mouth with his, and let his tongue talk her out of leaving. By the time they were inside, she had her legs wrapped at his hips, one hand deep in his hair, the other working his belt open.

The thrill of winning her over spread through him like fire. He kicked the door closed, and Delaney pulled out of the kiss, breathless, both hands moving to the buttons of his shirt. Turning a circle, he searched for the closest horizontal surface. But his kitchen was a mess, his sofa was covered with laundry, and his dining room table was strewn with paperwork.

Then her mouth found his again, licking and biting and sucking, while her hands worked on his shirt, and his desperation mounted.

“This is the last time,” she murmured between kisses. “Not happening again.”

Fuck that. He turned a half circle and rested her butt on a wide, deep windowsill. Her thighs opened, and she pulled him between her legs.

Ethan grabbed her wrists and held them still. Her eyes lifted to his, floating with questions.

“What if I don’t want this to be the last time?” he asked even while a small part of his brain screamed, What are you thinking?

“Ethan.” His name came out as part reprimand, part where-the-hell-did-that-come-from?

“We have something, and it’s not going away.”

“Neither of us wants anything more than this. I’m not staying. Regardless of what I decide to do with the bar.”

“Whatever this is will burn itself out by then, right? There’s no point in making ourselves miserable when we both want each other.”

“Yes, there is.” The sexual haze cleared from her eyes. “There’s a definite point, and it’s called keeping your job, keeping peace with your family, holding on to the respect you’ve built here.”

Something stirred deep in his heart. Something he’d never felt before. Something he couldn’t ignore, couldn’t just will away.

He cupped her face with both hands and caressed her cheeks with his thumbs. “You’ve always been the caretaker. A lot of years with no mom, an alcoholic dad, and two younger sisters. You’ve always taken care of everyone else, haven’t you? The way you’re trying to take care of me now.”

Surprise flashed in her eyes before her gaze fell away and she shook her head. She pulled her hands from his shirt and pressed them against the ledge. “Maybe I should go.”

“Maybe you should just admit how much you like me.”

She huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes.

“Maybe you should just admit how much you want me.” He tipped her head back, looked directly into her eyes. “Maybe we should both just admit that we care about each other. That for however long we’re in this, it’s happening because there’s more between us than a physical need to hook up.”

“You don’t know me well enough to care.”

“I know you better than you think. I know the girl you tried to hide from everyone back in high school. And I still see her in you now.”

She laughed as if the idea were ludicrous. “I didn’t try to—”

“Wildwood Vineyards Convalescent Home.”

Her smile froze, then fell in confusion. “What?”

“You were there doing community service work for an underage drinking charge.”

“How did you—”

“Because I was there at the same time doing the last of my community service work to earn my Eagle Scout.”