The Summer Deal (Wildstone #5)(51)

Before she’d caught her breath, he was inside her. “Brynn,” he said huskily. “Look at me.”

She managed to open her eyes. His own were filled with heat and affection and desire.

“You’re so beautiful.”

And then his mouth found hers again and she couldn’t think; all she could do was feel as their bodies strained against each other. They moved together like this was a dance, but there was nothing practiced about it. It was shockingly powerful and primal, and she loved it, even as it overwhelmed her. This time he came with her, shuddering in her arms as they gasped for breath, savoring every last second.

After, he tucked his face into the crook of her neck, where she could feel the heat of his breath against her skin as he slowly regained control. When he finally lifted his head and looked at her, she knew.

This wasn’t a playful, casual hookup between friends.

This wasn’t a friends with benefits situation.

Something was happening between them, something intangible and yet more real than anything else in her life.

Everything was going to be different now, she knew that. What she didn’t know was how. She stared into his eyes, not quite knowing if their tentative friendship would survive this . . . until he smiled at her. Relief flooded her as he leaned in and pressed his lips to her damp temple.

“It’s okay, Brynn. We’re okay.”

Good thing, as she was rag-doll floppy and still making contented, purring noises. All she could do was bask in the glow and the way his hands were slowly moving over her body, soothing, calming, comforting as he headed south. She got her hands involved in the action, and the next thing she knew, she was moaning and rocking up into him again, needing more. “Aren’t you tired after all that hard work you just did getting us here?”

He laughed softly and looked up at her from between her thighs. “If you think this is work, then I’m doing it wrong.”

She arched into him without conscious thought, her body wanting more of him. And for once, her body and her brain were in accord. “Trust me,” she gasped. “You’re not doing anything wrong.”

He smiled and rubbed his stubbled cheek against her belly, his warm breath on the underside of her breast as he moved up her body toward her mouth.

“Again?” she whispered hopefully.

“Unless you’d rather sleep?”

She slid her fingers into his hair and tightened, bringing his mouth to hers. “There’s no sleeping in detention.”





Chapter 17


From sixteen-year-old Brynn’s summer camp journal: Dear Moms,

Okay, so this year is . . . SO MUCH FUN! I know, shock, right? I bet you never thought you’d get this letter. ? But now that I’m a junior camp counselor, we get to stay up late, and there’s a TV they let us use, AND . . . there’re cute guys!

Still no Kinsey. Or Eli. BUT get this. Kinsey called me. Wanted to know if I’d see her. I was like, yeah, right. And then she hung up on me! I immediately felt bad, so I called her right back, but she sent me to voice mail. I feel like such a jerk, but I also feel like that stupid little kid again, you know? Why does she make me so crazy?

Gotta run. We’re going to make s’mores.

Love you both!

Brynn

BRYNN WOKE UP wrapped around her own personal heater. Eli was on his back; she was pressed up against him, her face smashed into his armpit, her arm and leg holding him down. Her body couldn’t have said “mine” any more clearly than if she’d crawled inside him.

It was light outside and she froze. She’d slept with him, here in his bed, all night. How had that happened?

Okay, so she knew how it’d happened. He’d pleasured her into a near coma. But now it was morning, and she was really great at making mornings awkward, so, holding her breath, she tried to disentangle herself without waking him up. But just being this close to the body that had given her such pleasure throughout the night had her body getting . . . ideas.

No. You’ve got morning breath and God knows what your hair looks like. Plus you have to pee, and— Her stomach growled loud enough to wake the dead.

“Hungry?”

Her gaze flew to Eli’s, which was sleepy, sated, and . . . sexy as hell.

And also amused.

Her stomach growled again, and he laughed softly.

Okay, so he wasn’t feeling awkward. No emotional conflict for him as he stopped her attempted escape by tucking her beneath him. Pushing her hair from her eyes, he got serious. “You okay with everything that happened last night?”

She blinked. “Are you asking me if you were good?”

He smiled. Right. He knew he’d been good. He probably still had the nail indentions in his ass to prove it. “I’m asking if you’re okay,” he clarified.

“I’m pretty sure I’m better than okay.”

“Glad to hear it.” He kissed her softly. “Going to try to keep you that way.”

“It’s not your responsibility.”

“I know. I just like seeing you happy. And if I can be the cause of it, even better.”

She bit her lower lip.

“What?”

“So for you, last night was . . . okay?”

He laughed sexily, then tightened his grip on her when she tried to wriggle free. “Brynn, last night was . . . amazing. If you’d held out on me for even another second, I’d have started begging. Go out with me tonight.”