Page 13 of Hot Stuff

The town was quie,t but there were a couple of people coming and going. Just from the couple of blocks we walked, I could tell just how popular my girl was in town with how many waved and smiled at her. She was a part of Poppy Beach’s community, that much was clear.

Wherever life took me, wherever I went after this, there was no way I could ask her to come with me. She loved her little beach town, and they loved her. There was no way I could ask her to leave it. By the time I dropped her off at her door, I was torn.

I should have been a better man.

One who would have clearly called off any plans and avoided her like hell for the rest of his trip because a fling, as crappy as the word was, was all he could offer her.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I kissed her until we were both panting and aching for more. She’s once in a lifetime. I shook away the thought and caressed her face. Fuck, she was beautiful. Her light brown, dirty-blonde hair was still up in a ponytail. Wisps of it framed her face, and I leaned in closer.

“How are you so damn soft?” I asked, mostly to myself. Her pretty, dark eyes warmed, and she leaned in closer, her hand pressed against my chest. “Give me your phone, baby.” Without hesitating, not only did she hand it to me but gave me her password to unlock it. I added my number and called my cell so I would have hers, too. When I handed it back, she smiled.

“Thanks for walking me home.”

“Thanks for having dinner with me.”

“Hmm, it was fun.” She chewed on her bottom lip, and the pad of my thumb pulled it away.

“You’re going to hurt this pretty lip.” Karol blushed, and I sighed. I wanted to kiss her again so badly I could taste it.

“Thank you for finding my pen.” Jesus, she was sweet.

“You’re very welcome. Thank you for letting me walk you tonight.” She opened her lips but giggled instead.

“I have to tell you, I’m having a hard time saying good night. I don’t want you to go,” she confessed, and I groaned. My forehead rested against hers.

“I don’t want to go either.”

“Would you like to?—"

“Please, for all that’s good and mighty, don’t finish that offer,” I groaned. If she did, there was no way I could force myself to walk away. To try and get to know her and spend time with her without making her think it was a one-night stand.

“Why? Afraid to meet my sister?” she teased, but I shook my head.

“If you say what I think you will, I won’t walk away, kitten. I like you. I want to get to know you a whole lot better, and I don’t want you to regret getting to know me.”

“Regret?” Her eyes shut for a moment. When they opened, there was so much reflected back at me. “I don’t think that would be possible.”

“You’re too sweet, baby.”

“Hmm.” Her eyes dropped to my mouth, and I couldn’t help myself. I kissed her for a good long moment.

We were breathless when I pulled away. My body was overheated, and my dick throbbed against my cargo shorts. “Good night,” I whispered against her lips. “Text me in the morning?”

“Okay,” she agreed softly. She rose on the tips of her toes and kissed me again. Light with a barely-there touch that made me ache for more of her sweetness. “Will you text me you got home okay?”

“I will,” I promised before I did one of the hardest things I’d done since leaving the Navy, maybe harder than that.

I forced myself to turn and keep walking, but not without glancing over my shoulder. Sure enough, she was still standing there, watching me with the sweetest, most adorable smile on her lips and heat in her eyes that held promise.

And I couldn’t wait for the sun to rise to see her again.

Dan

The sound of her laughter not only held my heart in her hands but captured me completely.

After getting home and texting her I made it home okay, she called me. Called. I didn’t know anyone who actually talked on the phone anymore, yet we had. We’d stayed up whispering into the night until she fell asleep. And if I was honest, I’d stayed on the line another thirty minutes listening to her breathe while I yanked my chain to take the edge off.

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