Page 103 of Away We Go

For a full second, I don’t respond, revelling instead in the gentle way his mouth is just tasting mine. Like he’s been waiting for this moment and is savouring every second. And then, it changes. His lips are no longer soft but are more urgent, more insistent, and I open up for him. I kiss him back with an intensity to match his, my mouth fusing to his like it was always meant to be there.

As the kiss deepens, a soft groan escapes him and he sinks his hands into my hair. Trembling now, I draw back to gasp in some air and his lips follow mine, nibbling on my mouth before deepening the kiss again. Lifting onto my tippy toes, I push up to press my chest against his and anchor my arms around his neck. His hands shake slightly as they move to cradle my jaw, angling my mouth to gain better access and I whimper as he sucks on my lower lip, my spine tingling withallthe sensations.

We kiss like this for minutes or hours, switching from tasting each other to grinding our lips together. Nicky seems to know exactly how I want to be kissed and I know when we’re done here, I’ll be ruined for any other kisses from any other man for the rest of my life.

“Cherry—” He pulls away and gulps in a mouthful of air.

“Nope.” I crash my lips back on his, craving his touch the second it’s gone.

This time, he follows my lead, his arms banded like steel behind my back. My weak knees buckle and I give up on standing, wrapping my legs around his waist, revelling in the way his hands grip my butt to hold me up. In this position, our lips line up perfectly and I shudder when he pulls back and brushes his lips gently, gently over mine.

“Wow.”

Nicky clears his throat, not letting me go. I hold on to him, like a koala wrapped around a tree, as he nuzzles his nose in my hair.

“Cherry—” he tries again.

I lean back, drinking in his swollen pink lips and his heavy-lidded eyes. A small thrill rips through me at how thoroughly kissed he looks.

“Yes?”

“It’s probably too late to ask now, but was that okay?”

I giggle, nipping at his plump lower lip, before tightening my arms around his neck. “It was more than, okay. Don’t you think?”

His laughter is filled with relief as he carries me over to a lounge chair, lying back and settling me between his legs. I sink back against him, resting my head against his chest and looking up into the ink-black sky. We’ve been in many positions together over the past few months, but this one right here? This may be my favourite.

“I have to tell you something. To explain…” His voice is deep in the night air.

“Okay.”

He wraps his arms around my waist, his thumbs rubbing soft circles over my hips. My skin pebbles with goose pimples and I swallow down a moan.

“Firstly, I shouldn’t have launched myself at you just then. I should’ve asked for your permission.”

I wave this away. “I loved the way you launched. Very romantic.”

His chuckle vibrates through his chest. “Even still, you must feel like I’m giving you mixed signals. One minute I’m asking for space, the next my mouth is on yours.”

When he puts it like that, I guess I do have questions. I tip my head back to look up at him. “I mean, you have a point. What’s changed between Montreal and now?”

“Silverstone.” His lips are set in a grim line. “When I hit that wall at that speed, all I could think about was all the things I haven’t done. And kissing you was at the top of that list.”

“Wow,” I mouth silently.

“And I know we have a few obstacles in our way. Matt’s a big one, not to mention I’m your boss. But when I was sitting in my car, not sure if I would walk out of there alive, I promised myself not to waste any more time. To not waste another moment without you.”

My heart thunders and I roll over so I can look into his beautiful face. “Thank you for explaining. And for what it’s worth, those obstacles you’re talking about? In my mind, they don’t even exist. I want to be with you, Nicky. I’ve always wanted to be with you.”

He reaches down and hooks his hands under my arms, pulling me up so I’m lying flush against his solid body. His lips find mine with another kiss, so heavenly, I’d happily die here where we lay. With his hands gripping my face like he never wants to let me go.

“Oh my gosh.” I pull back and press my fingers to my tingling lips, glancing around me. “We’re those guests the staff will complain about for inappropriate public displays of affection.”

Nicky pulls me back to rest flush against him, his arms behind me anchoring me in place. “First, we are not guests. I own the yacht.And second, there was nothing inappropriate about that display of affection.”

I tip my head back and smile at him, exhaling deeply when his mouth fuses with mine again.

Oh, I could get used to this.

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