Page 138 of On the Line
“And what exactly would that be?”
“That we’re back together.”
“Honey, if people think that, they’ve got the right idea.”
Lexie’s face split into a grin, and she rose up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips.
They spent the next few hours that way, alternately kissing, holding hands, always touching in some way, and circling around their friends, belting the words to every single song the DJ blasted into the balmy New York summer night.
When the party disbanded, and the couples not staying at the cabin drove off—including both the Jean and Daniels parents—Lexie looked at Mitch. “You’re sleeping with me tonight, right?”
“Define ‘sleeping’,” he said with a wide yawn.
“I mean, I’m not going to try and have my way with you, if that’s what you’re asking. We’ve just…” She trailed off, chewing on her lower lip.
“What?” He asked, sliding a finger under her chin and tipping her head back to meet her gaze.
“We’ve wasted so much time,” she whispered. “I don’t want to waste anymore.”
His heart swelled, and he gathered her in his arms, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said.
She backed away with a smile and grabbed his hand, leading him inside.
When they’d first arrived here two days ago, Brent had explained to Mitch that the cabin had been about half its current size when two of his Jean ancestors bought it decades ago, the title being passed down through the generations until eventually, Brent’s dad came to own it, free and clear. Brent had used his first big contract extension to purchase more of the shoreline and the neighboring property, which had been a vacant lot. This gave them a long swath of uninterrupted beach, the opportunity to add major square footage to the cabin, and to upgrade the interior with all the modern amenities.
On one end, the first floor contained a large open-concept kitchen, dining, and family room, with a sliding door that opened onto a flagstone patio. The opposite end housed two bedrooms, each with an attached bath, that Brent and Nate had long ago claimed as their own.
The second level was full of bedrooms—four to be exact, including another master suite for the Jean parents—and two bathrooms, with a loft that had a full wall of windows that overlooked the lake.
Mitch and Lexie entered the house through the patio door, Mitch snorting when he found Cole passed out on the couch. Apparently, he’d been too drunk to make the drive back to his hotel.
“Should we wake him?” Lexie asked. “There is an empty room.”
“Nah, he’s fine down here.”
“If you say so,” Lexie whispered, then strode away from Mitch to reach into the refrigerator and grab a couple bottles of water.
They snuck past him and up the stairs, Lexie wincing when one of them creaked.
Mitch felt surprisingly steady for the amount of alcohol he’d consumed, more drunk on the feel of Lexie’s hand as she slid it back into his than any beer or wine could ever make him.
Brent and Berkley had long since disappeared into their room downstairs, and Nate was nowhere to be found, presumably in his own as well. Jessica and Mackenzie had opted to share a room for the weekend, leaving the remaining three rooms on the second level for Amelia, Lexie, and Mitch. Logan had opted to stay at the nearby bed and breakfast with his parents.
Upstairs was quiet, the doors to both Mackenzie and Jessica’s, and Amelia’s rooms closed, the sounds of soft, even breaths drifting out to them as they crept by.
The moment they entered the room and the door clicked shut behind them, Mitch had Lexie pressed against it. Now that he’d had a small taste of her earlier, and finally had her back in his arms after so much time apart, he wanted the whole damn meal.
“Now who’s trying to have their way with who,” she said breathlessly as he trailed kisses down the column of her neck.
God, he’d forgotten how soft her skin was, and how wild her favored cinnamon and vanilla lotion drove him.
Lexie put her hands on his chest and applied pressure, enough for him to yield a step, raising his head to look at her.
“As badly as I want to strip you down and ride you until the sun comes up,” she said, “I want to go slow.”
“How slow?”
“I want to make sure we’ve both got our heads on straight about this. That we’re going into it with open eyes…and hearts. That we’re clear with each other on exactly what we’re expecting and what we can give in return. We did everything all wrong last time.”
