His words seemed to light her confidence, as she pressed against him harder, gripping him. Although the feel of her was amazing, Max's body moved with ripples of frustration, wanting her to push his clothes away and jerk him hard. But he didn't push. Instead, he pulled down the front of the T-shirt she wore as well as the edge of her swimsuit and sucked eagerly on her nipple, earning a deep moan from her throat. Her nipples were as dark as chocolate and, just as they had before, pebbled perfectly against his tongue. As he had hoped, Grace's hand gripped him harder, rubbing stronger until his hips and hers were writhing, seeking out more friction, to make the hammock sway.
"Let me touch you," Max gasped into her neck, the salt on her sweet skin driving him beyond distraction. "Fuck, let me put my fingers in you."
"God." Her head fell back at his words, leaving him to lick and suck up to her ear and down to her collarbone.
Taking her reaction as permission, Max moved his hand to her thigh, noting how soft she felt, pulling it toward him, and opening her up. "I'll be gentle," he promised around a grunt as she continued working him, drawing an orgasm from deep in the depths of his stomach. His fingers skimmed the damp material between her legs, making her body jump.
"I've got you. I'm gonna make it so fucking good, so-"
"Max?" Josh's shout came from by the water, from beyond the trees where no one could see them, but it brought them both to a screeching halt all the same. "You out here?"
Max cursed and pulled his hands from between Grace's legs, while she flustered and moved so quickly away from him that once again the hammock tilted dangerously, leaving them both flapping to keep on it.
Josh emerged just as they had the damn thing under control. "Oh," he said, embarrassment tinging his cheeks. "Sorry, dude, I didn't realize-"
"It's okay," Max said with a hand up, even though it was the biggest damn lie he'd told. His groin pulsed with the remnants of his hard-on, which he prayed Josh didn't notice, while his heart thumped like a hammer in his chest. "What's up?"
Josh threw his thumb over his shoulder. "So we're all gonna go into town, have a few more drinks, maybe hit a club. Everyone's getting ready now. We're leaving in about thirty. You in?"
Almost.
Max glanced at Grace, taking in her flushed cheeks and aroused eyes. "You up for it?"
"Sure," she said a little too quickly, in a voice that was husky and filled with desire. "Sounds good."
"We'll be there," Max said with a salute toward Josh, who turned quickly and jogged back the way he came.
Max rubbed a hand across his forehead. "Well, that'll give Ruby something to talk about for the next million years."
Grace groaned and dropped her head to his shoulder. "She'll never let me live this down."
Max patted her hair before gently moving away. She was altogether too fucking tempting with her heat, scent, and willingness, and they'd never be ready in time if they started again. He stood carefully from the hammock and stretched his arms above his head.
When he turned back, Grace's eyes were all over him and all about the sex.
"Jesus," he muttered into his palm with a smile. "Stop it, or we'll never leave."
"What?" she asked with an innocent blink.
"You know what." He laughed, offering her his hand, which she took without pause. "Come on, let's get ready. I need a cold shower."
The shower Max took was frigid. Still, he seriously deliberated about whacking one out. Knowing Grace was in the next room all sweet and oblivious to her sexiness, however, made him equal parts exhilarated and uneasy about the prospect. After much debate, he decided against it and tried his best to think unsexy thoughts-rehab, Tate, therapy-which worked wonderfully until, after dressing, he walked back into the room to find Grace leaning over her suitcase in nothing but her underwear.
Sweet Jesus.
Her ass looked freaking spectacular, cupped by red lace that accentuated the caramel tone of her skin. He slumped against the doorjamb, stunned by the lascivious images that were suddenly flashing through his brain.
Apparently, he made a noise of appreciation, because Grace abruptly spun around with a sound of surprise, using her arms and hands to try to hide the red lace bra and panty set she wore. But that shit was futile. Max had seen all he needed to bring his body roaring back to ready, set, let's fuck.
He tried to be a gentleman, truly he did, but his eyes betrayed him on every level, skating across her thighs, her waist, before seeking out that luscious mystery between her legs. He cleared his throat, mumbled an apology, and wandered across the bedroom, finding a spot that was as far away from her as possible. When he turned back, she was clutching a towel to her body, looking as aroused as he was feeling.