“Not really. Matthew will be there.” Linc’s eyes narrowed, and he scrubbed his face like he was trying to find the common link. “My cousin Gabe and Matthew are best friends. Gabe is the one who introduced us, actually.”
“Ah, I see. I’d always wondered how you two met.”
“I just…I don’t know. He’ll be there with Jessica.”
Linc went unusually quiet and looked past her shoulder, torment on his face. The muscles along his jaw rippled, and the hand on her leg tightened.
“What?” she asked.
“Can you imagine if I showed up there with you,” he said.
A sound, something between a laugh and groan, caught in her throat. “Oh yeah, that would really surprise him. I’m sure his head is still spinning from last time.”
“I don’t know why he was so shocked.” A slow sweep of his gaze filled her with sensual warmth. “You’re a beautiful, desirable woman. Just because he was too stupid to see it, doesn’t mean I was.”
Her heart squeezed at the things this man said to her, the way he made her feel about herself. It triggered a craving she couldn’t seem to sate. She leaned toward him, and need pulsed between them as their bodies touched. Heat ambushed her, and she no longer wanted to think about next week’s engagement party. Right now, she only wanted to think about Linc, and how little time they had left.
“Linc?” she murmured. Before this weekend she had no idea he was so rock solid, a guy she could count on. She touched his face, his broad shoulders. Buried underneath this perfect package was a kindness that ran deep, a man with integrity and heart—a man she knew better than to fall for, but went right ahead and did it anyway.
“Hmmm.” His lips found hers, for a long slow kiss she felt all the way to her core.
“Is there a bed on this boat?”
He turned the power off and pressed a button to drop the anchor. “Come with me,” he said, his voice rough with want. They stood, and he put a hand on her back as he guided her to the lower deck.
She went down the stairs and glanced around at the small space, taking in the little kitchenette before turning her attention to the bed. The boat swayed, and Linc put his arm around her waist to hold her steady.
“I’ve got you,” he whispered into her ear. He guided her to the bed, and as they fell, they reached for each other, their lips joining. His quick tug had her on top of him, and his body was hard and ready.
Pleasure boiled inside her as she sat up and straddled him, her eyes never leaving his as she pulled off her bathing suit cover up and removed her bikini top.
“Fuck me,” he said, and flattened his hand against her stomach.
The fire in his eyes, the heat of his palm against her body burned through her. She pushed his hand away.
He stared up at her. “What—”
She touched her breasts, rubbing her nipples, and he lasered in on the action.
“Are you trying to kill me?” he growled.
“Don’t like what you see?” she asked playfully, never having felt so wanted.
“Oh, I like it.” He lifted his hips, rubbing his cock against her ass. “Believe me I do.”
“Good.” With her legs still around his waist, she went up on her knees. With unhurried movements meant to drive him crazy, she slowly trailed her hands down her body, wiggling slightly as she reached the band on her bikini bottoms. His nostrils flared as his gaze tracked her hands. Her palms stilled on her stomach, and her breath grew shallow as she toyed with the slip of material.
“You know you’re going to pay for this,” he said.
She grinned. “Maybe that’s what I’m counting on.” She dipped her hand inside her bikini bottoms to touch herself. She gasped. “I am so wet.”
“Fuck, Lauren.”
She lightly stroked her clit, and Linc wet his lips as she rocked against her fingers, brushing her backside along his cock. The sweep of her fingers brought her so close, made her so wet and hungry, but she wanted to draw this out longer, wanted to tease and torment him. She pitched her hips forward and moaned.
Linc drew a ragged breath. “Fuck this.” She yelped when he grabbed her by the hips and flipped her over.
“Payback,” he groaned, and pinned her to the bed. He clamped down on her breast and sucked. A shuddering wave of pleasure rippled through her. She whimpered and moaned, as he kissed her furiously. Damn, she was so close to coming. Sex with this man was insane.
He shifted, his lips sweeping down her body. Pleasure hit a thousand times harder when he tugged her bikini bottoms aside and jammed his face between her legs. Her brain short-circuited, her body his to own.