Page 4 of A Taste of Whiskey
She willed herself not to act any different despite his close proximity turning her skin to fire. “Yup. Lots of them.”
“Prove it.”
“What?” Was he serious? Could he hear her heart thundering like a herd of horses in her chest?
“I dare you to kiss me.”
A nervous laugh bubbled out, but his expression didn’t change. “You want me to kiss you? Like, right now?” Shitshitshit. She’d never kissed a boy before. But she’d never wanted to kiss anyone the way she wanted to kiss him, either, and that made no sense. He was the type of pushy guy her brothers warned her away from.
He grinned arrogantly. “Unless you really are a goody-goody, in which case—”
“I’m not.”
“Prove it.”
She froze. She didn’t think he’d call her on it! But she couldn’t back down now. She looked around to see if anyone was watching and was relieved that nobody seemed to be. Gathering all her courage, she went up on her toes, put her hand on his chest, and pressed her lips to his. His chest was hard and warm, but his lips were soft and oh so kissable.
“Just as I thought,” he said as she sank down to her heels. “You’ve never kissed a guy before.”
“What? Why do you say that?”
“Because you don’t know how to kiss.”
Mortified, she tried to save face. “Maybe I just don’t want to kiss you with everything I have.”
He leaned closer. “It’s a damn shame that a cute girl like you doesn’t know how to kiss, Bo Peep.”
“I know how to kiss. But if you think you’re so good at it, I dare you to kiss m—”
He grabbed her face with both hands, crushing his lips to hers before she even finished the sentence. He angled her mouth beneath his, and her lips parted with the movement. His tongue plunged and swept over hers, rough and insistent, sending thrills darting through her. He tasted like liquor and lust, and she couldn’t get enough. She clung to him, pushing up on her toes, desperate for more. A moan escaped, and he must have liked it, because he made a deep, guttural sound that lit flames beneath her skin. One of his arms circled her, holding her tight against him. His other hand fisted in her hair, sending more electrifying sensations skittering through her as his tongue delved deeper, like he couldn’t get enough of her, either. She felt him get hard, and he ground against her, bringing a whole new type of thrill. Heat seared through her, pooling low in her belly, and she felt her panties dampen. He palmed her ass, slowing their kisses, making hungry sounds that stole her ability to think.
As their lips parted, he kept her close. “What’s your name, Bo Peep?”
Breathless and foggy brained, she managed, “Sasha.”
“Sweet, sexy Sasha,” he whispered huskily, sending her heart into another flurry.
Nobody had ever called her sexy before. She was known as her brothers’ little sister, the studious one, the good girl who everyone thought was more interested in horses and school than boys. But this hot boy, with his ripped shirt and liquor breath, saw her as something more.
“How about we take this party to my car?”
Her high deflated like a popped balloon, her mind reeling. She was so turned on, part of her wanted to let go of the reins and let him lead her into that car and teach her all the dirty things she wondered about. But the scared-shitless part of her overrode that curiosity. “Actually…um.” She stepped out of his arms, pointing over her shoulder. “I have to go…find my friend. Um, yeah. So. Thanks for…” Ohgod. Stop rambling!
Amusement rose in his eyes. “The kiss?”
“Uh-huh. Yeah. That. Ohmygod. I’m leaving. I have to go. Nice meeting you.” Holy crap. Leave already! With a shaky wave, she said, “See ya,” and hurried away, lips still tingling, body vibrating like a bundle of live wires, and her overwhelmed heart scooped up every detail of the kiss—the way he tasted, the sounds he’d made, the feel of his body against hers—and tucked that treasure trove away with the rest of her secrets.
Sasha sat at the crossroad, breathless from the memory, as Birdie’s voice traipsed through her mind.Kiss the hell out of him. Then you’ll see his kisses aren’t what you’ve built them up to be, and you’ll stop using him as your gauge for other men.
It would surely take an act of God for that to happen, but Birdie did have a point. She’d dated plenty of guys since that kiss, and she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t admit to comparing every single one of them to Ezra.
“Okay, Birdie. Here goes nothing.” She turned left, heading for Ezra’s cabin.
Chapter Two
EZRA TOSSED ANOTHER log on the fire and looked up at the starry summer sky, thinking about how lucky he was to live and work at a place he loved, surrounded by so many wonderful people who had become family to him and Gus. He’d come a long way from the delinquent kid who’d spent years resenting his mother for abandoning him when he was fourteen and his father for being emotionally closed off and putting so much energy into the motorcycle club when Ezra had desperately needed him. He’d resented the club, too.
All these years later, he was still trying to understand his father, which wasn’t easy when his old man wouldn’t talk about the past, but as a member of the club, Ezra had nothing but respect for it.
