So. Long(211)

He slid his hands up along either side of my jaw, pushing them into the hair at my temples, pulling me in as his mouth found mine. I’d only ever kissed Buck, but I knew he had to be something special. The way his tongue moved with mine, building pressure in all the secret places hidden from the world, places I only wanted to share with him.

Heat ripped through me as he walked me backward, not breaking our kiss. The backs of my calves hit the side of his bed, and I lowered myself to sit. He let go and stood back, staring at me.

I reached for the hem of my top, but the shake of his head halted me.

“Wait.” His dimples disappeared as he bit the corner of his bottom lip.

I paused, holding my breath. Every hope of changing his mind balanced on the tightrope stretched between me and him.

“Maybe we shouldn’t do this, Lou.”

I dropped my chin, looking up at him through my lashes. “You promised. You’ve been promising me for over a year, Buck.”

He scratched his forehead and ran his fingers through his blacker than black hair, leaving it disheveled and sexy as hell. “I know, but…maybe it’s not the best idea.”

“When has a bad idea ever stopped you?” I hooked my foot around his knee and pulled him closer.

His frown faded and his sly grin returned. He always smiled like that when he was about to do something that would get him, or both of us, into hot water.

“True dat.” He shed his shirt and reached for mine, pulling it over my head.

He laid me down, his bed springs squeaking.

As he rolled to his side, he took me with him. My bare breasts pressed against his chest, and his strong arms held me close. His hot mouth played havoc on my senses as he nipped and sucked at the sensitive spot where my pulse beat like mad at the side of my neck. His big hand slid under my skirt and cupped my ass cheek as he moved his attention to my lips.

His tongue teased as it darted in and out, sliding against my own. The throb in my panties insisted on more as he hooked his thumb into the elastic riding low on my hips.

He pulled back, catching my jaw in one hand and looking into my eyes. “Lou, I want you so bad right now, but I don’t want you to have regrets.”

I pushed my fingers through the soft hair at his nape. Pulling him to me, I wrapped my legs around him.

Grinding against the erection still hidden behind his jeans, I kissed his jaw. “How could I ever regret loving you?”

A small throb beats at the apex of my thighs. Just one memory and he’s got my pussy humming, longing for one more moment with him—his hands, his mouth, his cock.

Damn him.

He leans forward, elbows on his knees, his gaze finding mine, holding it until I look away.

“What’s happening in your life that took you to that dive?”

I expel a huff. “Well, it certainly isn’t what I planned to do with my summer, if that’s what you’re asking. I didn’t even want to come back to this hell hole of a town. I would rather another deployment to fucking Bahrain. But, Aunt Delores needs me, so I’m here.”

“Bahrain? Wow. You really got to go places. Good. That’s what I wanted for you. What you wanted for you.”

All I ever wanted was him. But I can’t tell him that. “Well, I didn’t get exactly what I wanted, but the military was the next best choice. I’m glad I did it.”

“Really? Because when I first heard you’d gone off and joined the Marines, I wondered what happened to you that you chose that road. It had to be hard.”

“What happened to me? Seriously? My life was fucked from the start. And then—then you happened. After you left, I pretty much wanted to be anybody but me. So I got the fuck out of Dodge too.”

His shoulders drop. “I’m sorry, Lou. I—I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. It’s the opposite of what I hoped for your life. But maybe, maybe we can try—”

I have to stop him.

I stand, careful to keep the majority of my weight on my right foot. “Just go home, Buck. I don’t know what you want, but it’s doubtful you’ll find it here.”

He stands, towering over me, his hand landing on my hip. “Maybe I’ve already found it.”

His eyes search mine as he runs the back of his fingers down my cheek, stepping closer. My pulse rate doubles at his touch.

Fuck. I pull in a deep breath, taking in his scent—clean and crisp, as though he just showered, combined with a tinge of something woodsy. I swallow, fighting the desire to fall forward and savor any morsel of affection I can get from him.

Pathetic.

I gently wrap my fingers over his wrist, removing his hand from my face. He lets it fall to my other side.

He slides his arms around me, pulling me closer. “I’ve missed you, Lou.”