Page 10 of Seduced By the Mountain Man

"Like you want me to kiss you," he said, his gaze dropping to my lips. "Even though you're still mad at me."

"I am mad at you," I confirmed, tilting my face up to his.

"I know," he murmured, leaning in until our breaths mingled. "I'm hoping you'll kiss me anyway."

I don't know who moved first. Maybe we both did. All I know is that one moment we were staring at each other, and the next his mouth was on mine, hot and demanding.

My hands slid up his arms to the nape of his neck, his skin still cool and damp from the lake. His hands circled my waist, pulling me flush against him, the soft material of my hoodie soaking through immediately from his wet body. Ididn't care. All I cared about was the taste of him—like the wild huckleberries that grew along the lakeshore—and the firm pressure of his lips moving against mine.

The kiss deepened, his tongue sliding against mine in a way that made me moan softly. One of his hands tangled in my hair, angling my head to give him better access. The other splayed across my lower back, pressing me even closer.

Every rational thought fled my mind. There was only sensation—the solid warmth of him against me, the gentle scrape of stubble against my skin, the familiar yet thrilling way our bodies fit together.

When he groaned my name against my lips, something snapped inside me. This was exactly what I'd promised myself wouldn't happen. History repeating itself.

With supreme effort, I tore my mouth from his, both of us breathing hard.

"This isn't happening again," I said, my voice husky with desire that undermined my words.

His eyes, heavy-lidded and dark with want, searched mine. "Feels like it already is."

"No," I said, more firmly. "We had our chance. You walked away."

"I made a mistake," he said, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "I'm trying to fix it."

"Some things can't be fixed," I replied, ducking under his arm. "Goodnight, Jace."

I walked away quickly, not daring to look back, my lips still tingling from his kiss. Behind me, I heard him call my name, but I kept going, my stride purposeful.

Let him be the one left wanting more this time. Let him be the one to lie awake remembering the taste and feel of a kiss that shouldn't have happened.

Let him be the one to wonder what might have been.

By the time I reached the cabin, my heart had slowed, but the memory of his lips on mine remained. I touched my fingers to my mouth, feeling the slight swelling there. My clothes were damp from his body, my hair mussed from his hands.

Evidence of a moment of weakness I wouldn't repeat. Couldn't repeat.

No matter how good it had felt. No matter how right.

Because at the end of the day, nothing had changed. He was still my brother's best friend. That was still a line we shouldn't—no, couldn’t—cross.

Even if, for one burning moment on a lakeside dock at sunset, crossing that line had felt like coming home.

Chapter Four

“Crossed Lines”

Jace

I hadn't slept worth a damn.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Delaney—her lips reddened from my kisses, amber eyes dark with want, that soft gasp when I'd pulled her against me on the dock. The taste of her lingered like a ghost, making my senses crave more.

The pale light of dawn found me already up, staring at my phone, Tyler's contact pulled up. My thumb hovered over the call button. What would I even say?Hey man, I know she's your little sister, but I can't stop thinking about her. And last night we kissed like the world was ending, and I'm pretty sure if she hadn't walked away, I would've taken her right there on the dock.

Yeah, that would go over great.

I tossed the phone aside and headed for the shower, cranking the water as cold as it would go. The icy spray shocked my system but did little to cool the heat that had been building since I'd watched Delaney walk away last night, her hips swayingslightly, hair tumbling down her back, the memory of her pressed against me still burning through my veins.

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