Here we are, two consenting adults, completely alone and absolutely wanting to do this. I stare up at him, taking in his chiseled jawline, his stubble, his dark eyes that are undressing me right now. My heart pounds in my chest, my body hums with excitement. “A night to remember? That’s a bold prediction,” I say in a breathy voice I don’t even recognize.
“I’m confident I can back it up,” he tells me, lowering his face to mine.
He leaves just the smallest space between our mouths. Enough that I can feel his breath and can almost feel his lips against mine. It’s less than an inch and yet it’s infinitely far away because there’s still time for me to say no. To get up and walk away without allowing anything to happen. We could go back to whatever we were a minute ago. Just two people stuck out here alone together passing the time. That would be the smart thing to do—to get up and walk away because he is the very last man I should want like this.
But he’s also the man I’ve wanted like no other. The desire I have for him is all that matters in this moment. There is nothing, no one else on this planet that means anything to me right now. There’s no future, no past. It’s just the two of us here in this perfect moment.
I close my eyes and leap, letting my lips brush against his. The warmth of his kiss draws me in and the alarm in my mind shuts off completely as I allow myself to get lost in the feeling of his mouth against mine. He lifts one hand and brushes his thumb against my cheek, setting the skin on fire there. Cupping my jaw, he tilts my head and my lips part even more, begging his tongue to find its way inside. When it finally does, I let out a loud moan, then I open my eyes and pull back to see if he’s laughing at what just one little kiss can do to me.
But he’s not laughing. He’s giving me the most intense look I’ve ever seen. His eyes devour me in the moonlight. “You okay?”
I nod, my brain short-circuiting. “Yes, I just … got a little excited there, then I was worried that you’d think I was too excited.”
His lips quirk up a little. “No such thing.”
“Is this a bad idea?” I ask. “I mean, I know it’ll be …”
“Incredible?”
“Yeah, that,” I whisper. “But is it reckless?” No! Why did I ask that? Shut up, Gwen. Just shut up or you’re going to ruin everything.
“I don’t think so. Unless you won’t respect me in the morning,” he says. “Because I couldn’t live with that.”
“Oh, I’ll respect you,” I answer. “I’ll respect the hell out of you.”
There’s that half grin again that could dissolve panties all over the globe. “Then I say we allow ourselves this one night of not thinking about anything and just let ourselves have something incredible.” He lowers his face to my neck and gives me a slow, soft kiss. “There are no decisions to make. No responsibilities. No loyalties. Only us. Out here. Alone. Wanting this.”
His lips brush against my collar bone, then he makes his way up my neck. Nipping gently on my ear lobe, he whispers, “I want you, Gwendolyn Fox. I want you so badly it hurts.”
His words and his lips against my skin are waking up parts of me that have been asleep for years. Maybe forever.
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I first saw you in that little black skirt.”
“But I had vomit in my hair,” I whisper. Vomit? Seriously shut up.
He lifts his face up so he’s staring at me, those eyes doing all the things to me again. “You were still the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?” I squeak out.
“Really. And I’ve sat front row at the Victoria’s Secret show.”
I purse my lips together, then scoff. “Come on. There’s no way I’m the sexiest woman you’ve ever seen.”
“You absolutely…” Kiss. “One-hundred-percent…” Kiss. “Are.” Kiss. “The sexiest woman I’ve ever seen and if you don’t believe me, I’d be more than happy to spend all night proving it.”
Swallowing hard, I say, “All right, but I’m quite skeptical so you’ve got your work cut out for you.”
He grins at me again. “Good.”
He pulls me onto his lap, his hands cupping my bottom as I straddle him. It’s even better than I imagined, the feeling of being pressed up against him like this. He’s harder, warmer, more than I thought he’d be. I’m so caught up in exploring his arms and his chest with my hands that I barely notice my shirt being lifted over my head, or my bra being unlatched until the cool, humid air hits my nipples, making them pucker. His large hands cup my breasts, making them tingle even more. Lowering his face over my right breast, he captures my nipple in his mouth, teasing it until I can barely take it. I let out another moan, louder this time, realizing I don’t have to be quiet out here. He moves over to my other breast and gives it the same careful treatment, making me desperate for more.
I tug at the hem of his shirt, somehow managing to get it off him despite having no coordination right now. Pulling back, I take in the view of him like this—shirtless in the pale light of the moon. Perfection. He is utter perfection and the fact that he wants me blows my mind.
“Wow,” I whisper, my hands everywhere and my mouth following as I taste his skin and breathe in the scent of him. He’s teakwood and citrus, he’s oak and spice, he’s delicious and he damn well knows it.
A surge of irritation rushes through me. I’m suddenly unreasonably frustrated by the fabric of our remaining clothes. Fumbling with the button on his pants, I finally manage to get it undone, only to realize I’m going to have to climb off him to get him naked. In a frenzy of quick, sharp movements, he pulls me up so we’re both standing and we manage to strip ourselves and each other. My eyes rake over his perfect nude form, excitement building in me as I realize I get to touch that. I get to feel that.
He’s smiling as he looks me over, and there’s not a hint of self-consciousness for me, like I’ve felt with other guys. Because the expression he’s wearing is one of pure adoration. It’s like he’s worshiping my body. I’ve never felt sexier than I do in this moment with this man gazing at me in the moonlight. Unable to wait any longer, I press myself against him, crush my mouth against his, feeling the heat of his touch as he wraps me up in his strong arms and pulls me close. Our bodies fit together perfectly, like they’ve always known each other.