Page 86 of Tiny Fractures

“Sorry, little brother, but could you give us some privacy?” Steve asks.

I shake my head, annoyed. “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” I say, rolling out of my sleeping bag. I fully anticipated this, but haven’t really thought about what I would do next. I get out of the tent, zipping it shut behind me, then go to sit on one of the logs by the now-extinguished fire pit. My feet are bare, and although it was nice and toasty throughout the day, it’s cooled down. My white shirt and black sweatpants don’t keep me nearly as warm as I had hoped.

“Ran?” I hear Cat’s voice from behind me, and I turn my head to see her emerge from her small tent. She crosses her arms over her chest as she stands, dressed in only a pair of light-blue drawstring shorts and a tank top, which would provide even less warmth than my clothes.

“Hey,” I say, watching as she approaches me.

She sits on the log next to me, and the light ocean breeze causes her intoxicating scent to drift into my nostrils. God, she smells so good. “Did Vada invade your tent?” Cat giggles when I drape my arm around her, then pull her against me to share what body heat I have left.

I chuckle, nodding my head. “She sure did. It’s stupid because I knew this would happen, but then it did and now I’m not really sure what to do with myself.”

“Well, I mean… my tent is small, but… if you want…”

I turn my head to look at her, to analyze her, study her. Is she inviting me into her tent? To sleep with her?

“It’s a lot cozier in there than it is out here,” she adds sweetly, motioning around our dark surroundings.

“I bet it is,” I agree with another chuckle. “But are you sure you’d be okay with me… with me sleeping with you?” I don’t want to push her into anything she isn’t ready for.

“It wouldn’t be the first time we shared a small space and slept next to each other, right?” She shrugs with the cutest fucking smile I’ve ever seen.

“True,” I admit, remembering the night we spent sleeping on Shane’s couch just a few weeks ago after some fucking asshole decided to slip Cat some roofies in an effort to… I can’t even think about it without getting absolutely pissed off.

“Okay, then,” she says, getting to her bare feet, silently beckoning me to follow her into her tent.

I stand, wiping the sand off my pants, valiantly attempting to stop my eyes from rolling up her long, sexy legs to her tight ass. But I fail. Of course I do. She’s so damn hot. I can’t even count the number of times my thoughts of Cat have resulted in me needing to… release some tension—under the shower or first thing in the morning after waking up from a vivid dream of her…. Ugh, I’m so fucking drawn to her and have been from the moment I met her. Though I remind myself not to overstep any fucking boundaries. I don’t want to hurt her. Ever.

It’s quiet as we move to the tent. The only sound disrupting the night is the waves gently rolling in and crashing against the shore. I duck to enter Cat’s tent behind her, noting that she apparently wasn’t sleeping in a sleeping bag like I was, but instead has a thick blanket cushioning the tent floor, some pillows, and another thick blanket to cover her. I have to get on all fours to move around in her small tent and wait for Cat to take her spot. Once she does, she pats the spot next to her, smiling sweetly, a quiet ask for me to lie down with her.

I won’t make her ask twice. I scoot in next to her, still trying to maintain a little distance between our bodies, to give her space while I pull her blanket over the both of us, though my senses are in overdrive, heightened and very aware of her nearness, the heat radiating off her barely dressed body. Her scent in the air gives me a head-high.

Then Cat closes what little distance remains between us and conforms her body to mine. Man, how many times I’ve already wished to be alone with her like this. Cat is smart. Let her decide, I remind myself, then reach for her hips and pull her closely toward me, paying attention to her body language, feeling the tension build between us.

Holy shit, don’t lose your head, Ran.

Cat

I face Ronan as he pulls me closely toward him, his arms reaching around me. I can smell his scent—a mixture of sun, and ocean air, fresh linens, and something that’s just him. It’s delicious. I nuzzle my face against the crook of his neck, and Ronan releases a deep breath, his hands sliding to my hips. I can feel the tension between us rising, and I’m craving his touch.

It appears Ronan is thinking the same thing. “I’m going to kiss you, baby,” he says, and in one swift motion he rolls over and onto me, holding up his weight with his elbows, one leg between both of mine. My stupid heart beats ridiculously against my ribs and my chest heaves in anticipation of his kiss. And he doesn’t disappoint. So unlike the soft kisses from earlier today, Ronan’s kiss is strong and passionate, his lips scorching hot against mine. He parts my lips with his tongue before slipping it into my mouth, exploring it, tasting my lips. I may not have much experience, but I do consider myself a pretty good kisser. Soon, our tongues engage in a sexy back-and-forth and it makes my body yearn for more.

My arms make their way around Ronan. I bury one hand in his hair while the other runs down the side of his ribs, then finally finds its way under his shirt. His skin is soft, and his muscles tense under my touch. A moan escapes my mouth as Ronan’s lips leave mine, but only to trace kisses down my jawline to my neck and collarbone. I want his shirt off right now. I tug and pull until Ronan sits up on his knees and takes his shirt off. I take in his lean muscles, his firm abs and sculpted chest. Ronan leans toward me again, kissing my collarbone.

I run my hands across his naked back, needing something to hold on to, and I dig my hands into his sides. Ronan’s breath hitches for a second as though I hurt him, and I pull back. But he only looks at me, his eyes glossy, breathing rapid, before he crashes his lips against mine again.

Ronan

Cat’s hands on my bare back are addictive. She leaves a heated path wherever her fingers make contact with my skin. She glides her hands down and digs them into my sides, finding my bruises when I kiss her collarbone. It reminds me momentarily of the constant hell at home, but none of it matters right now. I’m too lost in her, too turned on to care. Her hands roam across my hot skin, and I can’t get enough.

I kiss her collarbone, glide my tongue back up to her neck, then trail kisses back to her lips. I slip my tongue into her mouth and savor her long enough to make her breathless before I leave her lips again to kiss her delicate neck, then her earlobe, sucking it into my mouth. Cat’s breathing is rapid and, God, I’m harder than I’ve ever been. My rational brain works overtime to keep me in line, knowing I can’t push too hard, but also wanting to push the boundary just a little. The little tidbit about her never having had an orgasm has me determined.

I find the bottom of her thin tank top and slowly move my left hand underneath it, gliding gently across her tight stomach, causing her breathing to pick up, until I reach the bottom of her breast. I let my fingers trace it, her soft curves, outlining each breast, gently grazing my fingers around her nipples without touching them, and I can tell it’s turning her on. God, I’ve been wanting to touch her like this for weeks, feel her soft body, taste her. I cup her breast. It fits perfectly in my hand. Cat’s legs snake around my waist, pulling me closer toward her, pressing me against her. She must feel how my body responds to her, how worked up I am, but rather than pull away, Cat begins moving her hips, pushing herself even closer to me. Fuck. I don’t know where to draw the line. Cat’s breathing is erratic as my hand lingers on her breast and my mouth finds hers once again. She continues to grind her hips against me, her heat penetrating the thin cotton of her shorts and my sweats, and, shit, it’s getting me harder than rock. I keep teasing her, then carefully glide my thumb over Cat’s hard nipple. She moans loudly and it almost causes me to become unglued. I want her so badly.

“Shh,” I moan into her ear as she continues to thrust her hips against me. Still bracing myself with one hand so as not to crush her under my weight, my other hand moves from her breast down her side, over her hips. I feel the hot skin of her leg and glide my hand to her inner thigh, pushing her shorts up an inch. My fingertips linger on her inner thigh, wanting to feel the warm, sweet spot between her legs to fucking badly, wanting to give her that first orgasm.

“Ran, I…” Cat’s voice seeps through the fog of sex that clouds my mind.

“Yeah, baby?” I whisper softly against her neck.

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