Page 56 of Cherry Picked
“What?” I looked myself up and down, feeling my legs prickle in the cold cave air.
Hawk swallowed. “Nothing. No. Just. Uh. Realizing that if I wanted to, I could duck back into that tent and touch you right now. Kiss you. Do… lots of other things.”
“So many other things,” I agreed, letting my voice go rough.
Hawk turned away, and his shoulders heaved in a sigh. “Maybe a good boyfriendly thing to do would be to put some clothes on.”
I snorted and sat up. “Does this mean I’m supposed to stay fully dressed until after the vote?” I demanded, stepping out of the tent so I could hop into my jeans and pull on my shirt. “Should I hide my ankles and wear gloves in case ofnaked-palm touching,lest you get distracted and ravish me in a garden, like in one of your spicy PnPs?”
He stepped up close to me until our chests bumped. “Don’t knock the naked-palm touching,” he whispered against my lips. “I’m really seeing the appeal. In fact, I’m gonna be thinking of naked-palm touching all morning until I see you at the potluck this afternoon—”
I pulled back to look at him. “Wait… you’re coming?”
He nodded. “Of course. Otherwise,I’llget run out of town. The Pilkners are coming up here to take over the campout protest for me, at least for tonight. Conrad said Greta keeps telling him to be more spontaneous now that they’re retired, so…”
“So he decided ‘Surprise, honey, I signed us up to sleep in a tent on a mountain’ was a good choice?”
“Mmmhmm. And thank goodness he did because I can’t wait one more night to be with you. So, here’s what I propose…” He walked his fingers up my chest slowly. “I’m going to my meeting. You’re going to help your mom. I’ll come to the diner to help out—and that’s not a euphemism,” he said severely. “Then after the celebration is over, I’m going to stalk you back to your house in the nice, secluded woods, get my naked palms all over you, and beg you to take my virginity in the garden, or the bedroom, or that random room you added onto the back of the house that I’m kinda thinking maybe you could turn into a dedicatedravishingroom… In fact, I think we should try to hitallthe rooms. Okay?”
My head swam, and my dick moved. “Oh.”
“Oh?” He frowned. “I am willing to consider amendments to this proposal, you know.”
“No! No, no, no. I just… I didn’t realizethiswas what being in a relationship would be like.” I grinned. “Maybe I’ve been missing out.”
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Maybe we both have.” Hawk lifted up on his toes, wrapped his arms around my waist, and kissed me. “So let’s make up for lost time, okay?”
I grabbed his chin and leaned in to kiss him. “As you wish.”
ChapterTwelve
HAWK
“It’s been many years since I had such an exemplary vegetable.” ~ Mr. Collins
I came off the mountain feeling euphoric. Even though Jack had been gone for hours, I still felt the imprint of his lips on mine, of his hands on my hips, of his warm breath in my hair.
He wanted me.
When I pulled my car in front of the farmhouse at Sunday Orchard shortly after noon, I was so happy I felt buoyant. Like little champagne bubbles of excitement fizzed through my bloodstream. It wasn’t every day a person got to experience something they’d been dreaming of for seven years and then spent two weeks thinking they would never, ever have. But today wasmyday, and I defied the universe itself to try to bring down my mood.
I have kissed Jack Wyatt—more than once—and he’s agreed to pop my cherry. Jane Austen herself could not have written me a happier ending than this. Come at me, bro.
“Afternoon, everyone!” I sang as I walked through the front door.
Luke sat cross-legged on the couch surrounded by papers, as usual—probably lesson plans, crochet patterns, or a combination of both. Webb, dressed in his usual summer uniform of cargo shorts and a Sunday Orchard T-shirt, sat slumped beside him, a cold drink in his hand. And Aiden crouched on the braided rug at their feet with our old dog, Sally Ann, and his new puppy, Black Bear.
“Uncle Hawk!” Aiden cried. “I thought you lived on a mountain now!”
“Only temporarily.” I grinned. “And I had to come back for Pye Day, right?”
“Yeah! So… maybe can you help me?” he asked eagerly, all big green eyes and sandy hair. “I wanted to enter either Sally Ann or Bear into the pet show at the potluck, but neither one of ’em knows any tricks. Luke says Bear’s too little to learn, and Dad says Sally Ann’s too old, so I figured maybe if I tried to teach themtogether, they’d help each other.”
“That’s good thinking.” I raised an eyebrow at my brother. “And I think you need to remind your dad that old dogs can definitely learn new tricks if you give them the right motivation. Right, Webb?”
Webb rolled his eyes and leaned into Luke’s side.
“You mean, like… give ’em treats?” Aiden suggested doubtfully.
