Page 73 of Home Team Advantage
“This.”
As if he could see perfectly, Matt stepped up close, so close that she could feel his heat radiating along the entire length of her body. His hands came up and tenderly cupped either side of her face. Then, his lips were on hers.
His kiss was tentative at first, as if giving her a chance to stop him. To say no. No way she was going to do that. She’d been imagining this for too long.
Anna went up onto her toes and wrapped her hands around his neck. He growled softly, pulling her closer to him. He was aroused. His hard length pressed against her stomach, and she felt a rush of feminine satisfaction. She hadn’t imagined it. She wasn’t the only one who felt this insane attraction, even if it was only physical on his side.
He deepened the kiss, tilting her head to get the perfect angle. God, he was a fantastic kisser.
When he finally broke away, he was breathing as hard as she was. “Come with me?” he asked in a husky whisper.
“Where?”
“Does it matter?”
She didn’t even need to think about it. “No.”
She felt him smile. He wrapped his big hand and gently tugged her out of the shed.
“Wait, what about?—”
“They’ll figure it out,” he said.
Chapter Forty-Two
MATT
Matt led Anna through the trees that formed the property line between Mrs. Campbell’s property and his parents’. She came with him willingly, as eager as he was for some time alone. And thank God for that. He had been afraid her feelings for him might have cooled over the last few weeks, but he should have known better. Croies didn’t work that way.
Yes, he’d finally accepted the truth that he’d been so desperate to deny. Now that he’d be staying in Pine Ridge, there was no reason not to admit it. His decision to move forward had nothing to do with his uncles’ threats to kidnap them both and lock them in a one-room cabin in the middle of the woods until they sorted things out.
Although being locked in an isolated cabin with Anna for days or even weeks on end sounded pretty good. Maybe he’d book one for the fall, when the leaves were ablaze with color, and they could spend cool nights naked in front of the fire …
Given how she’d recently been abducted, however, he didn’t want to do anything that would dredge up those memories. When they booked that cabin, she’d be one hundred percent aware and on board.
“Get in,” he said, opening the passenger door of the Rover. He put his hands around her waist and lifted her into the seat, stealing another kiss as he did.
Jogging around to the other side, he got in, started the engine, and hit the gas. Phase one—acquisition—was complete. Now that he had her, he was anxious to get to phase two.
She patted her pockets. “Wait. I don’t have my phone.”
“You don’t need a phone.”
“I should let Mrs. Campbell know.”
“She knows.”
“She—” Anna halted abruptly, her beautiful mind putting the pieces together. The arrival of his mother and siblings. The impromptu game night. The request to go to the shed. All preplanned. “This was a setup?”
His answer was a grin. She laughed, the sound like music to his ears.
“You’re seriously not going to tell me where we’re going?”
“It’s a surprise. You trust me, don’t you?”
The question sounded light and innocent enough, but her answer was really important. He wanted her trust as much as he wanted her.
She didn’t answer right away, but when she said, “Yes,” his chest felt like it was filled with sunshine.
