Page 28 of Ten Hammers

“Five minutes each…?” The idea was enough to make me faint. That’s almost an hour of kissing. I’d need a whole pot of lip balm to recover. “There’s no way that–”

“One minute,” Cruz rushes in. “I won’t need more than that to convince you.” He shoots Jack a smirk. “Unlike Jack, apparently.”

Everyone laughs, even Jack.

Everyone except for Max, who stands apart from the rest of us. He watches his brothers solemnly, and when our eyes connect, hurt quickly flashes across his face and I want to run to him, comfort him.

But then Jack walks toward me, wrapping his large, callused hands over mine and squeezing reassuringly. His eyes alight on mine playfully. I wonder how his beard will feel against my skin…

Uh oh, I’m a goner already.

He tugs me gently toward him, unintentionally blocking Max from my view, but before I can do anything about that, my senses are flooded with Jack’s zesty, woodsy scent. Something with ginger in it, and so delicious I want to lick him.

With a soft sigh, I melt against him, and that’s when I feel how hard he is for me through his jeans. Shyness overtakes me even as I want to rub myself against him.

My cheeks burn and I’m aware of everyone else in the room. Some are watching, some trying excruciatingly hard not to.

“Win, relax,” Jack whispers. He bends his head down toward me and my heartbeat ratchets up ten notches.

He’s going to kiss me. Oh my God, Jack Hammer is going to kiss me!

I’ve wanted this my entire life, so why am I suddenly terrified?

“Relax, Winifred,” he whispers again. “I don’t bite. Not unless you want me to.” He says it with a joking wink, and when he bends toward me, the tip of his nose touches mine and he rubs our noses together like we’re bunnies.

I’m so startled I smile, and that’s when he brings his lips to mine.

Jack’s hand skims my side with a touch that is gentle for only a moment, just long enough for me to brush the silk of his beard with my fingertips and return his kiss with soft kisses of my own. The next thing I know, his mouth is ravenous, our kiss is devouring, and he’s lifting me up as if I weigh nothing. He settles me against his solid abs, so I can wrap my legs around his waist. His hands slide under me, squeezing as he pushes me closer to him. The world around us is long gone as his mouth possesses mine, and then–

Jack pulls away so abruptly I lean forward and try to claim him again, but he shakes his head. “Times up,” he says.

My gaze flies to Leo, who’d been beside Jack, but there are hands circling my waist from behind me, and in one swift movement, I’m shifted around in Diesel’s arms.

“My turn, now,” he says, settling my legs around his waist. “I’ve been the next-to-last choice in just about everything for twenty-eight years.” He touches my lips, tracing them gently with his thumb. “I’m not waiting around to be the penultimate kiss.”

I don’t want him to wait even a second. I lean forward to close the space between us and Diesel makes the sexiest growl of approval as he grips the underside of my thighs. My hands go to his shirt, bunching the soft cotton fabric in my fists.

Pleasure sweeps through me when his lips close over mine. His kisses are long and lingering, and the pulse between my legs begins to ache.

Diesel presses into me. Oh my. Our bodies rock together, like we’re dancing to our own secret music, and–

I need more of him but he’s sliding me to the ground, suddenly. I can barely stand, because my legs have softened to jelly, and I want to protest.

Until Gavin pulls me back against his chest and drops a gentle peck on my cheek.

“You’re my girl, now,” he says.

His sensual amber and musk scent is so familiar, I can’t help my automatic response to breathe him in long and slow. But I want to look at him, not waste our precious minute with my back to him.

I spin around, taking him off guard for a second as I link my arms around his neck. He smiles warmly as his hands rove along my back.

“Hey, Pooh Bear.”

I smile as he tucks my boingy curl behind my ear. My eyes move to his mouth. I get to kiss his lips.

With his lip ring–!

“Hey, Gav,” I whisper back. My voice is thick with desire. I lick my lips. He grins.

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