Page 59 of Rebellious

She sucks in a breath. “I thought there were no rules.”

I lean down, inhaling the sweet scent of lavender. “There’s always rules, Von Bremen.”

Without giving her a second to pop off, I crash my lips down on hers. I’m not gentle, but deprived, and wholly abandoned. This time, I don’t envision all the times I’ve wanted to press my lips against hers. This time, I feel all the times I’ve wanted to silence her with my mouth. All the times I’ve wanted to devour every inch of her body so there’s nothing left but pure compliance. In this kiss, I take everything I’ve ever wanted from Aspen Von Bremen. Prom night when I walked her to the door with a kiss on the cheek. The other night when I wanted to consume her in front of the entire bar, so everyone knew she was mine. And on campus when wandering eyes followed her to class. My love for her was caged.

But not anymore.

For the next eight weeks, nothing will prevent me from taking what I’ve wanted all these years. My mother was right, I’ve always wanted Aspen and this summer, I plan on taking her.

“What’s the rules?” she asks in short pants.

I lean up, admiring her swollen lips and glistening mouth. With my thumb, I swipe along the evidence of my attack. She watches in rapt fascination as I push my thumb through my lips. I’ll never get enough of her.

“The rules,” I tell her after a moment, “you’ll find out soon.”

She enjoys playing games, and me being the Bennett who bosses her around so she can rebel is exactly who she wants to play with.

“I assume if you’re able to create rules, the same applies to me.”

I’d rather she not, but to be fair… “Sure.”

She nods, her conniving grin telling me everything I need to know. She’s plotting and I’m sure I won’t survive what she has planned for me.

“Come on,” I say, holding out my hand to pull her up. “Fenn and Drew are probably waiting.”

Her nose wrinkles and she frowns. “I say we let Drew and Fenn play by themselves today.”

This woman. “We have all summer. A few hours won’t kill us.”

My chest clenches. Even I don’t believe myself. I want every second with her, but it isn’t just me she’s leaving. Fenn and Drew both deserve some time with her.

She nods, but it lacks the enthusiasm she had a few seconds ago. “Okay. Let’s go be responsible.”

“Bout time,” Fenn bites out. “The jet skis are all gassed up and ready to go.”

I nod. “We brought the cooler.”

I hand over the soft-shelled bag and Fenn straps it over his chest. “I suppose you’re riding with Bennett?” he asks, looking at Aspen.

“As long as he doesn’t wreck us like last time.”

I glare down at her. The “wreck” tossed us both off into the water. It was a failure to focus, but she caused it.

“You can ride with me,” Drew offers. “I would never wreck.”

“She only rides with me.” Aspen grins as I toss her a life jacket.

Drew never misses an opportunity to annoy me. “Maybe she should branch out more. I’ve always been more fun. Ain’t that right, Asp?”

Aspen chuckles and buckles her life jacket, taking a step off the dock and onto the back ofmyjet ski. “How ‘bout you lead the way to this unknown part of the island?”

Drew revs his engine, not even sitting down. “Just tell my brother to keep up. We’re taking a shortcut.”

Great. Shortcuts are typically bumpy.

Shaking my head, I climb onto the jet ski, securing the engine cut-off cord to my wrist. Aspen’s arms go around my waist, eager and tight.

“Let’s do this!” Drew yells, pulling away from the boat dock, Fenn right behind him. They violate the wake rules of the cove, but they don’t care, already speeding down the middle of the lake.

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