Page 34 of Your Two Lips
Then Emily was in my arms and kissing me. Holy shit, she felt good. Even better than I imagined. One second, I was edging toward a fight, the next, I was in heaven.
Her body molded to mine, her nipples firm beneath her thin sweater. Damn, I did not want to get hard. She smelled like lilacs and sunshine and tasted like forever.
I was sunk. All my conversations with my dick and my heart about how we didn’t fit together dissolved. We fit together perfectly.
Deepening the kiss, I slid my hands up her back and pulled her closer. The ends of her ponytail brushed my fingertips, and I wanted to wrap my hand in it, hold her there while I explored the silky skin behind her ear.
A loud throat-clearing sound broke through, and Emily leaned away, ending the kiss. Her eyes held a question. Anything for you, baby, I will do anything.
I heard a buzzing sound. Shitbag was talking. Emily turned to face him, but I was not ready to stop touching her, so I slipped my arm around her waist, keeping her close.
“This guy? The rich girl with the bad boy.” Joel chuckled. “It won’t last. He can’t give you the life you’re used to.”
“What life is that, Joel? One where I’m lied to and made a fool of? One where I go to parties, smile at your associates, listen to their petty wives, and play a part? Is that the life you think I’ll miss?” She lowered her voice. “Finn gives me everything I need every night. I’ve gotten quite used tothatlife.”
Damn. This girl. She was some kind of badass in princess clothing. On a bike, drinking bourbon, and definitely hitting this guy where it hurt. Jake chuckled behind me.
“That’s it? You’re better, so you can wrap your legs around any dick you want? I put in the time. You owe me.”
I stood a breath away from his face and felt Jake’s eagle eyes on us, waiting for the word to tag in. Nope, this guy’s all mine. I stared him down, my arm muscles straining as I resisted the urge to choke him.
“No one speaks to her that way.” He was seconds away from falling off this gangplank compliments of my fist. I didn’t give two shits that the water was dangerously cold or if he could swim.
“She told me about you. Joel, is it?” I smirked. “I sort of pity you. You had an incredible woman, and you fucked it up. Now, she knows you’re not good enough.” I leaned in. “And you know it too.”
His eyes flashed through the alcohol haze. “Pity me. Ha. You think you’re good enough?” he scoffed.
I kept my voice low. “If she says I am, you can bet I won’t fuck it up.” I stepped back to my place next to Emily. I wanted to pound him, but Emily was letting me hold her, touch her, and I wasn’t giving that up, not even to fight shitbag.
“You okay, baby?” I looked into her bright green eyes. She nodded, her expression tender as we made our way down the gangplank and met ReeAnn without a backward glance. Jake stayed close to her.
Once we were at the large catamaran called theNat & Nell, Jake jumped up the steps leading onto the stern and held out a hand for ReeAnn. “Emily, you were a direct hit back there,” he said. “Damn. Remind me not to piss you off. You went for the jugular with all of that ‘he gives me everything I need.’”
Emily chuckled and shifted to board the boat. I reluctantly let her out of my grasp. She was a little shakey and God help me; now that I knew what it was like to hold her, I wanted more.
She turned to me, a sheepish expression on her beautiful face. “Sorry about that, the kiss.” Her eyes were wide and unfocused. “Thank you for going along.”
“No problem.” I tried to sound relaxed when all I wanted was to grab her hand, run to the nearest private space, and kiss her again, for longer and with less clothing. Instead, I helped her into the boat.
“You know, you could have picked me, Emily. I am all about giving the right woman everything she needs every night,” Jake said. I glared at him over Emily’s head, but he was busy telegraphing his thoughts to ReeAnn while she was busy smacking him on the arm.
“Stop being an ass for one night,” she said.
23
EMILY
He kissed me back,and I felt it everywhere. My surroundings blurred to just his firm lips, gentle but dominating.
I had never felt so surrounded and protected. All my fears about sex were getting drowned out by another voice telling me I could trust Finn to show me everything. My ice cream-fueled plan to seduce him after the race was more like a survival plan now that I knew the softness of his lips, the smell of his skin, and how it felt to be in his arms.
Despite my lack of sailing prowess, our boat won our heat. More than a few times, I caught myself staring at the tattoo along Finn’s bicep or the ridges of ab muscles peeking out from under his T-shirt as he heaved something above his head. His dark hair, damp with sweat, curled out from under his Mariners baseball hat, and his aviator sunglasses hid a gaze that caused a rush of heat to my core.
After seeing Joel and kissing Finn, I needed a day to get it together. So, I met him at the farm on Friday for a midday ride.
“What’s going on at the barn?” It was busier than usual, with people milling around.
“Oh, the farm family meal. I call it Food Friday. Mom cooks for all the crews twice a month. Have you eaten?” he asked.
