Thank God.
“Come on,” I jerk my head toward the wheel. “Let’s go before the line gets too long.”
Aspen hops up onto the ledge of the booth and slides her legs over. Why can’t anyone use the door?
“Help me?” she asks, holding her arms out innocently.
I groan and walk over, standing in between her legs. I grab her hips before she stops me.
“Wait!”
“What?”
Her smile, almost as if it were in slow motion, widens.
“No.” I know that look.
I try to step back, but her cross-country-toned legs wrap around me and slam me into the wooden booth. “I owe you a kiss for your donation.”
“No.” I try pulling back, but her legs keep me pinned. “You know the rules.”
She cocks her head to the side. “Oh, Bennett, Bennett, Bennett.” She pinches my chin between her fingers. “I haven’t forgotten the rules.” She licks her lips, her gaze solely focused on my lips. “But this is a purchase. You paid for a service, and I would never send a customer away unhappy.”
I scoff. “You’re not kissing me. Not after last night.”
“No,” she agrees, leaning in closer, her breath on my face. “You’regoing to kissme.”
I shake my head. “Not happening.”
She tips one shoulder. “Then you’ll just have to step aside and let Liam have your turn.” She waves at someone behind me. I don’t have to turn around to know it’s Liam, still waiting to be inappropriate with his soon-to-be employee. “You either let him have a turn or kiss me.”
Motherfucker.
I blow out a breath. “You know I can’t. Not after last night, Asp. Come on, think about this.”
“I’ll be with you in just a moment, Liam,” she calls over my head, completely ignoring me.
Fine. Fuck it. Aspen said it herself; it’s a transaction. I made a donation. Our rules are still intact if we do this.
“Tick Tock, James—”
I don’t let her finish. I knot her hair in my hands and tug her head back, her breath catching. Starting at her throat, I skim my way up, taking the time to savor the feeling of her skin under mine. Her legs tighten and I know she’s thinking exactly what I am: don’t stop.
Inching up her throat, I place a kiss at her jaw, reveling in the warmth and the faint smell of sunscreen.
“Don’t tease me,” she pleads.
“Never,” I answer, dragging my hands across her face, cupping her cheeks. Our eyes meet, hers wide and excited. It’s the worst thing I could have ever seen because now, all I’ll want to do is recreate this look over and over. Want. Love. And excitement.
Closing my eyes, I crash our mouths together. She fists my shirt and pulls me in, her mouth, tasting of passion fruit bubblegum, wields to mine, letting me take everything from her. Nipping, licking, I taste every facet of Aspen Von Bremen. I taste every skinned knee and salty tear. I taste every achievement she’s had. Graduation. First Place in the Varsity Division Cross Country Match. Every single moment I’ve wanted to kiss her, I take.
I kiss her like I’ve wanted from the first time she cried in my arms and begged me to break the rules. In this one kiss, I pour every ounce of love I have for her. She has to know the rules are torture for me too. And it’s only in these exceptions we can be free.
“Bennett,” she moans under my lips.
“Holy shit, boy!”
At the sound of Uncle Hayes’s voice, I jump back.