Page 38 of Breathless

“Time to hit the water,Bitsy.”

“Oh, my God, you lunatic.” Laughing, I wrap my arms around his waist as he goes bounding down the beach. When water laps at his ankles, I beg him to put medown.

Several strides later, he yells, “Take a deep breath!” as I goairborne.

I scream and clench my eyes shut, and then I’m underwater. With a sputter, I swim to the top and wipe my face. The water is warm and feels amazing, but I need to get even before I can appreciate the awesomeness of PortA.

“You turd.” I choke on laughter as I charge him and try to take him down with a dunk, but he’s too fast, and he flips me into the water again. He may be bigger than I am, but I can’t let him act withimpunity.

Staying under, I swim up behind him and leap onto his back, catching him off balance, and he falls over, taking me withhim.

We roll under the water, and he wraps his arms around me as he rises to the top. I don’t know how we got out so deep, but I can’t reach the bottomanymore.

“You got lucky,” he chides, hoisting me higher. Instinctively, I wrap my legs around his waist as I cling to his broadshoulders.

“Lucky? You call that luck? That was some badassery if I do say so myself. You weigh, what, like seventy-five pounds more than I do? And you let a little girl take youdown?”

His cinnamon breath fans my face, and I smile up at him. He’s still the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, and right now, with water glistening on his body and that unfettered smile on his face, I’m one hundred percent sure no matter what happens this weekend, I will always lovehim.

Lowering his voice, he whispers, “I wouldn’t say you’re a little girl anymore,Jo.”

I swallow, my heart hammering in my chest. “No?”

He licks his bottom lip, his hands settling on my rear. “You’re all grown up now, aren’tyou?”

Staring into his bright blue eyes, I nod as we lean closer. His nose dips to mine, and I can feel it, the way we both recognize how this changeseverything.

When his lips gently skate against my skin, I’m breathless. I’ve waited a lifetime for this kiss, a lifetime to love the boy who’s grown into this stunningman.

A lifetime for him to see me, the girl next door, as something more than hissidekick.

The kiss is everything I could’ve wishedfor.

Sweet and soft butelectric.

Sublime.

Gentle kisses turn harder as my mouth opens to him and his tongue slides against mine. I shiver in his arms, overwhelmed by the sensations ricocheting through me. Overwhelmed by how much I want him. Confounded by the need to be as close to him aspossible.

The guttural moan that rumbles in his chest sends another spark of pure pleasure through me. “Fuck, Jo. Why haven’t we done thisbefore?”

I run my fingers through his hair, and our heads shift, turning the other way like an intricate dance we’ve choreographed before our lips connectagain.

I mutter the answers to hisquestion.

“Because I was tooyoung.”

Kiss.

“Because you were toostubborn.”

Kiss.

“Because we weren’tready.”

Kiss.

With a growl, he parts my lips again and delves deeper. “Well, I’m readynow.”

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