Page 29 of Secrets and S'mores
“Hey!” I yelp, covering my head with my arms. But the goats both stick their noses in the scoop of my hoodie. Reaching in, I find a couple of apple slices. After the treats are removed and fed to the greedy goats, they leave me alone.
“Did you seriously put apples in my hoodie?” I ask, and Ember bursts into laughter. I vault the fence and grab her around the waist. “I can’t believe you tried to get me mauled by goats.”
“But they’re so sweet, they would never maul anyone,” she says, her voice high. As she laughs, her head tips back. I’m inches from her neck. Dark green waves tumble over her shoulders and down her back. She’s so gorgeous it hurts.
Her hands go to my shoulders to steady herself, and then she’s looking up at me with those eyes framed in dark lashes. She’s stunning when she’s angry or serious, but laughing - laughing Ember is something else entirely.
Despite the fact we are in the garden in the middle of the morning and anyone could see, I can’t help myself. I’m pulled to her. She tips her face, a silent invitation, and our lips meet.
She’s soft and warm, her mouth sliding over mine until her lips part. I love how she tastes like sugar and chocolate. Her fingers thread into my hair and I growl at the light tug as she pulls me closer. Her hips press into mine as I back her into the fence.
I’m lost to the feel of her. It’s everything I remember from our first kiss and more. Pleasure and need mingle with affection. Her nails scrape my scalp as she clings to me, pressed between the fence post and my body.
One arm wraps around her waist to hold her up as her knees weaken. The other goes to the nape of her neck so I can angle her to kiss deeper. She lets out a breathy moan in her throat.
Her leg hikes up on my hip, like she’s trying to climb me. Without thinking, I push my thigh between her legs. She squirms, grinding against me. My hand travels down to her ass, lifting her until she’s half straddling me and my knee hits the fence post.
My mouth goes to her throat, nibbling as I lick and suck my way to the crook of her neck. “Onyx,” she whimpers.
Her hands go to my shoulders, pushing me back. I release her, stumbling back a step as her feet hit the ground again. She grips the fence behind her to stay upright. Her glazed eyes find mine, her chest heaving as she pants.
What did I do wrong?
“We can’t,” she gasps. “Your brother is right over there,” she gasps, tipping her head towards where Cedar is back to transplanting seedlings in the center of the garden. She steps closer again until her breasts brush my chest. “At least we can’t do this here in the middle of your pack’s garden.”
Every thought is wiped from my mind. I want her so badly. This flirtation has built and built until she’s all I can think about.
“Let’s go back to the cabin,” I say, breathless. She nods.
As we walk back to my family’s cabin, I watch her. She glances at me, a small, sweet smile on her face. Her heart-shaped face is flushed and I want to kiss that blush from her nose down her chest.
I want her to stay. She can be happy here. I’ll do everything I can to make sure of it. But she’ll never want to stay when everyone is being cold and judgmental to her. If they can see her the way I do, that might change. She’s already won over my mother. Hazel and Marigold won’t be a problem. Mentally, I make a list of what I can do.
“I smell like farm animals. I’m going to go shower, but I’ll see you after, okay?” she murmurs, slipping into Briar’s room. I stare at the closed door dumbly.
I take the fastest shower of my life, and when I get out, Cedar is back. My mind races with everything I need to say. He sits at the kitchen table dipping vegetables in ranch.
Sitting across from him, I lean forward to get his attention.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“I need you to be nicer to Ember,” I say, trying to keep my cool.
“I am,” he says, frowning at me.
“You’ve kinda been an asshole to her, questioning her every chance you get.” Anger seeps into my tone.
“I’m not doing anything.”
“Oh really? You’ve upset her at least twice, and you’re definitely not being welcoming.”
He watches me for a moment. “Why are you so upset about this?”
“She doesn’t deserve it.” My hands flatten on the table, trying to resist knocking the carrot out of his hand as he crunches another bite.
“She tried to kill you last year. She tried to kill Hazel the year before. She’s been unkind to everyone since she got here,” he says thoughtfully.
He doesn’t see. He’s taking everything at face value.
