Worth It (Forbidden Men, #6)(82)

“Oh.” I flushed hard, feeling stupid and immature for not even thinking about that. “Sorry, I didn’t even think.”

“It’s okay,” he reassured me, pulling me in close for a hug before kissing my hair. “I have an idea, though, of something we could do instead of going all the way.” He met my eyes to send me a look that made me feel warm...all over. “But it involves third base. You interested?”

My sex clenched hard, and I brightened immediately, exhaling my joy and relief. “Yes. I’m definitely interested.”

He slid his finger over my breast and then down, down toward my navel. “And you have to get all the way naked.”

I made a sound in the back of my throat, not sure if it was from nerves or excitement. But I bobbed my head, accepting those terms. “Not here, though.” Not this close to my family. “If you get caught here again, you’ll definitely go to jail.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to be worried about that the entire time.”

He nodded, understanding and respecting my wishes. “The dock, then?”

Perfect. “Yes, please.”

He grinned back, looking as excited as I felt. “Okay, then. Climb on.” When he turned his back to me and crouched down, I frowned. He huffed out a breath. “I’m not letting you traipse through the woods at night barefoot, and I don’t think I can wait for you to go all the way back inside to get some sensible shoes, so I’m carrying you.”

Shaking my head over his gallantry, I climbed onto his back, trying not to strangle him as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

“So...” He reached back and caught my thighs before hefting me higher. Then he started walking. “How was the cotillion?”

I waited until we were away from the gazebo and finally in the woods before answering. “Fine.”

“Mmm.” He made a noncommittal sound in his throat before asking, “Anything good to eat there?”

“Seafood,” I answered, glumly.

He knew I wasn’t a fan, so he made a sympathetic sound. “What about dancing? Was there a dance too?”

“Yeah.” I sighed, wondering why he was so curious about my dull, boring evening. “There’s always one at the cotillion.”

“Did you dance with anyone?”

I blinked before a grin spread across my face. “Are you jealous?”

He growled, but pressed. “Did you dance with anyone or not?”

Still beaming, I leaned around his shoulder to kiss his cheek. “No. Of course not. No one ever asks me to dance.”

“Good.”

“What?” I scowled, but he sat me down at the dock’s ramp because we’d reached the strip pit.

Then he turned to me and took my hand. After lifting my fingers to his mouth and kissing the knuckles, he asked, “Will you dance with me? Right now?”

My lips parted. But then I nodded eagerly. “Okay.”

He walked me onto the dock and turned to face me, sliding his arms around my waist. “We don’t have any music, so this might get awkward, but...” Stepping into a strange kind of waltz, he began to dance.

I followed his lead, gazing up into his eyes and reveling in every feature of his face the moonlight offered.

With a warm smile, he leaned in to brush his nose along my temple. “When you said cotillion, I pictured you wearing one of those southern, 1800 dresses with a big hoop skirt that belled out, but this is really modern.”

I sighed as his fingers moved over my spaghetti straps. “Yeah, my mother said that in this situation, it’s more important to keep up with the style of the times than to follow tradition.”

He nodded. “It’s a really pretty dress, but...I’m a little more interested in what’s under it, so...it’s going to have to go.” Lowering the straps, he eased the front down, once again revealing my breasts, then he pushed it lower to my hips, letting me know he really did want it off.

I reached down and helped him, pulling it the rest of the way off until it could tumble down my legs and pool at my feet, leaving me in nothing but a pair of white panties.

“God, you’re beautiful.” Lightly moving his hands over my breasts, he continued to dance with me until his hands moved lower, then lower still.

When he reached the waistband of my panties, I held my breath.

His fingers gripped and slid the cloth down.

“Does this happen inside every girl when she dances with a boy, or is it just me?”

He glanced up. “I don’t know; what’s happening inside you?”

I smiled. “I’m really, really wanting to explore third base right now.”

My panties dropped the rest of the way to the ground, and his palm moved over my backside. “Good,” he said into my ear. “Now lie down, and we’ll get started.”

Nerves assailed me; I hesitated. But Knox took my hand and knelt on the dock with me. Then he spread out my dress so I could lie on it. At the last second, he ripped off his shirt to provide my head with extra pillowing. Then he motioned for me to get into place.

I was shaky and nervous, and he could tell as he stared down at me. Taking my balled hands, he kissed them until I relaxed and opened them. “We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, but I really want to make you feel good, City.”