Page 7 of Forbidden Flame

My cheeks heated. I suspected he was interested in me. Why else would he bid on me? But I couldn’t figure out why. “I’m a single mom with a pack of protective brothers.”

He chuckled as he moved his arms through the water. “Your brothers don’t bother me.”

“It’s just your cousins that give you a problem?” I asked, genuinely curious to hear more about him.

“I guess you could say that. I should tell you that I’m not scared of Teddy. He’s all bluster.”

I let out a laugh. “I’m not so sure about that. He’s successfully scared off more guys than I can count.”

Cole moved closer. “I felt a connection to you.”

“When we first met?” The cool air danced over my shoulders.

“Yeah, and I feel it now too.”

“You know we can’t work. There are my brothers. Your cousins. The farms.” The closer he moved, the more nerves fluttered in my stomach.

His gaze was predatory. “None of that matters.”

“Not tonight,” I agreed as his hands landed on my waist.

I gave into my desire to touch his chest, placing my palms on his pecs. “You’re hard everywhere.”

He raised a brow. “Am I?”

I arched a brow. “Is that an invitation to touch you?”

He grabbed my hand and pressed it against the front of his trucks where I could feel the ridge of his cock.

“Is this for me?” I asked.

His broad shoulders blocked out the twinkling lights, making me feel like there was nothing else. We were in our own world. Nothing could penetrate this bubble we’d created.

He reached behind me and grabbed a flute, handing it to me. Desperate to soothe my dry throat, I gulped down the bubbly liquid.

“Easy,” Cole said as he took the glass from me and drank the rest.

I watched his throat work as he swallowed, thinking it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. He set the glass behind me, bracing a hand on the deck next to me. “I want to taste you.”

“I want that too.”

Before I’d finished my sentence, he’d dipped his head, his breath teasing my lips before finally touching mine.

“You taste sweet, like champagne and something undeniably you.” His words ghosted over my lips before I chased his mouth, needing him.

I should have been wondering what I was thinking, but I just wanted to touch and feel. I curled a hand around his neck and pulled him closer.

My legs wrapped around his waist I ground my core against him.

I pulled back slightly, my breath ragged. “I don’t usually do anything like this.”

He gripped my legs. “What are we doing?”

“Getting to know each other.”

His lips tipped into a smile. “I’ll take care of you. You’re safe with me.”

“I know,” I said before pulling his lips back to mine.

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