Page 9 of Rum Sips and Salty Lips

“What are your expectations, princess?”

She reacts to the name, sitting upright and inching closer to me. “Did Nathan say something about the ‘princess of Wendell Beach’ title? It’s not really a thing. I organize a beach cleanup a few times a year. A few local business owners started calling me that in their posts. This town is too easy to impress.”

“Expectations, princess.” She’s not easy to distract, until she is. I shouldn’t admit how much I want to hear more about her volunteering.

“This is a one-time thing. Just a fling. No feelings. No commitments. We tell no one. We don’t even need to bring it up with each other.”

“I’m a big secret for you to keep.” I’m hard thinking about what comes next—I can barely pay attention to what she’s saying.

“We’ll see,” she says, not batting an eye for a second at my innuendo. “It’s easier this way. You’re new in town. We don’t know how much we’ll be interacting in the future. I’m not looking for anything serious. I bet you’re leaving at the end of winter anyway. Heading back to Boston and your other company or wherever you decide. There’s plenty of fish in the sea for you to occupy yourself until then.”

“I agree to your terms.” I do. I have no reason to expect this will go any further than tonight. I’m open to the idea. I’d like to get to know her more. I have a history of burning hot and then burning out. I don’t want to anymore. If I date—and I wasn’t planning on dating so soon after my move—I want it to be something meaningful. Maybe even permanent.

Maybe this doesn’t go anywhere after tonight. Right now, I’d be open to exploring her again in a few months.

I don’t correct her where she’s wrong. I won’t be leaving at the end of the winter and have no plans to occupy my time with anyone else.

I fully intend to take the night I get with Carina and make the most of it.

She inched closer to me as we had our little game. But she’s not close enough to touch. We watch each other. It’s another game to see who’ll move first.

I won’t. I can’t.

She’s been playing it safe with me all day. I won’t let her do that now.

I look her in the eyes, and she looks at me for what feels like a solid minute in silence. Then she crosses the space between us and kisses me.

She’s tentative at first, exploring the way my lips feel against hers. She’s soft and sweet from the rum. Her tongue traces the seam of my lips and I’m done being gentle. I plunge into her mouth. This is supposed to be about her, but I’m selfish. So I take.

I cup her cheek, holding her exactly where I want her as her arms go around my neck and she climbs onto my lap. I need her closer. I need our clothes gone.

Nothing has ever felt this good.

four

CARINA

This bastard mademe make the first move.

His body rolls in waves beneath me.

I should have known he could get under my skin and sense what I need. As I straddle his lap and grind into his hard dick, I don’t care how he did it. Not when everything about him feels good.

I didn’t plan on this when I walked over here. I wanted my phone back. But Orion is so fucking hot, and I was open to the idea if it happened.

Nothing about this is permanent. That’s why I only do flings. I know the expectations. He doesn’t think he’s leaving me on his pile of broken hearts. Both of us walk away as equals.

He pulls back and brushes a strand of hair that escaped my ponytail behind my ear and cradles my head so I’m looking at him. “Let’s move to my cabin.”

“Yes, please. And so you know, I was tested recently too.” He gave me the courtesy of telling me his health status and I want to do the same. I also have an IUD, but I won’t mention it. I believehim, but going without the condom requires far more trust than I have. “This is a one-time thing.”

“You already said so. No need to continue trying to convince me.”

“And don’t get any ideas in your head about leaving me brokenhearted behind you.” I can do this and be flirty with him. It’s also the stubborn streak in my back. I refuse to be someone’s conquest, the fool who fell in love and got left behind.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” His smile is devastating.

I scramble off his lap with far less grace than I would like, and as soon as I’m standing again, he is right there with me. Kissing me like he’s on a schedule and has only a little bit of time to possess me. My hands drift over his body, cataloging every muscle sailing has given him. We move to the cabin where he shuts and locks the door.

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