I pulled back. “Neverm—”

“Yes,” he said at the same time.

“What?” I whispered.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

T W E N T Y – S E V E N

We roared past my house. Jack had asked me if I needed anything from home. I didn’t. The short drive to the beach house took hours. I tried not to think of the last time I left there. It was only yesterday afternoon and it felt like eons ago, like I was just a little girl back then.

Finally, we stowed the bike, took our helmets off, and laughing, raced up the stairs to the house. Jack fumbled with the door lock, but finally we were inside.

I laid the backpack down, and he hauled me back and spun me around pinning me against the wall with his hard body. I did some crazy moan-gasp thing, and looking me deep in the eyes, he hitched my leg up against his thigh and pressed against my center.

Holy shit.

My heart was beating hard in my chest, almost in my throat. I clutched at him. I wanted to feel his strength, so I pushed his jacket off his shoulders.

He let go of my bare thigh for a moment while he shucked off his jacket and let it fall to the floor.

I kept my leg hooked around him, reluctant to lose contact for even a moment. I reached for his t-shirt, but he grabbed it behind his head and pulled it off, our gaze only breaking for a millisecond.

My cold hands found Jack’s warm, smooth skin.

He tensed under my touch, his eyes now slate grey in the darkened hall.

Jack’s hand came up to my face, and his thumb brushed over my lips like when my tongue had accidentally found him. This time he pushed it against my lips, seeking entry. I hesitated a split second before sucking him into my mouth to taste the tang of his skin. Jack’s breathing hitched as he fed it to me, sliding it in and out against my tongue. His mouth grew taut, his nostrils flaring slightly, his gaze pinned on the action.

Watching his reactions, my own breath had grown shallow and irregular. My pulse was spiking, the heat inside of me swirling up between us like a fever.

Slowly he pulled his thumb out and rubbed the wet pad across my lower lip pulling my lip down.

The laughing was over.

Every point of contact my body had with Jack’s was like a conduit for an ever-increasing maelstrom of feeling. The feel of his rough denim clad hips under my bare thigh, the press of his hardness against my apex, and the warm skin of his hand as it roamed up my thigh and waist to my neck, to my chest. His mouth. My heart.

Jack tugged my scarf from its loosely wound place at my neck. In moments, his hand cupped my breast through my dress, his thumb running across my nipple.

My breath came in ragged gasps. “Jack ...” I managed, my chest involuntarily thrusting forward into his hand.

His lips quirked. “What about this?” he whispered roughly and slipped his fingers under the low neckline of my dress, tugging it and my bra down. He feathered a light touch around my bare nipple in the cool air.

“Gah ...,” I managed.

He chuckled, and then his warm hand palmed my breast more fully and I moaned.

His eyes flickered. Sliding down my body, he bent his legs and hooked my other leg around him. He stood up quickly, taking my weight, his hands on my bare thighs and pressed me firmly back against the wall.

I gasped and grabbed onto his broad shoulders to steady myself.

Jack’s face was intense as he lowered his mouth to mine. He stopped millimeters away, his breath softly fanning my lips.

“Are you sure?” he whispered.

I nodded. “Yes.”

He captured my mouth into a deep kiss and pressed himself hard against me.

I moaned and pressed back, sliding my tongue into his mouth and kissing him with every ounce of feeling I had inside me. Showing him how I felt.

A rough sound emanated from deep in his throat. “God, Keri Ann,” he murmured, his mouth leaving mine and leaving a hot, moist trail down my neck and under my ear. “You have no idea how you make me feel.”

I shivered.

I knew what he was making me feel. Was he feeling the same? I was on a tidal wave of sensation that was almost too much. I felt like I was quaking inside.

“Hang on tight,” he said guiding my arms more firmly around his neck. He pulled away from the wall and headed for the stairs.

“You have a habit of carrying me up stairs.” I laughed nervously as he effortlessly ascended.

“I’m part caveman, you know, I can’t help it. Something about you brings it out in me.”

“Oh wait,” I said, as we got to the top of the stairs. “We might need the back pack.”

“Why?”

I hid my flaming face back into his neck. “Protection.”

“What?”

“Protection,” I said a little louder, mortified.

In his bedroom, rather than setting me down, he tossed me onto the soft covers. “I knew it.”

“What?”

“I knew you’d be blushing. I heard you the first time, I just wanted to see your face,” he said devilishly and darted back down the stairs.

I quickly snapped my knees together, aware of how I’d landed.

He was back in a flash, holding a box.

My nerves started getting the better of me. There he was with his magnificent body, bare chested, jeans hanging on his hips, his hair unkempt both from the helmet and my fingers running through it. A god like this had probably had his pick of women for years and had probably picked all the flawless ones.

“A bit presumptuous, weren’t you?” he teased.

“Um ... I ... ”

“I’m glad. I was thinking I was going to have to tear Devon’s bedroom and bathroom apart looking for some.” He moved toward the lamp on the bedside table.

I swallowed. “You could probably keep that off ... if you wanted.”

He switched it on and came back around, putting a knee on the bed between my feet and cocking his head to the side.

I made to sit up but he stayed me. “Not on your life. You’re gorgeous Keri Ann. I’ve been fantasizing about you naked since we met. You don’t think I’m going to miss my chance, do you?” He raised a naughty eyebrow.

And just like that, the wave of nerves subsided.

“Come here, then,” I whispered more huskily than I’d intended. Complying immediately, Jack’s mouth was on mine.

I welcomed him eagerly, returning the passionate thrust and parry of his tongue and arching up to his body. We drank and nipped at each other hungrily, hands roaming and bodies straining.

Breathing hard, Jack pulled back enough to pull my cowboy boots off, then he pulled me up to my knees and grasped the bottom of my dress.

I lifted my arms to assist him, thankful for Jazz’s assistance in picking out my hot pink bra and panties set.

“Seriously?” Jack asked, his voice strained. “You’re killing me.” He braced stock still watching me from beneath his dark lashes. His jaw was clenched hard.

Just like last night, I ran my palm down the planes of his chest, but this time when I got to his jeans, he didn’t stop me.

My heart pounded as my fingers worked to unbutton Jack’s jeans. The bulge under my hand was making them a little hard to manage and every time my fingers brushed against him, I heard his breathing change. I didn’t know his reactions to my hands on him could cause such a corresponding reaction in me. I was hot and throbbing and desperate to have him naked.