Page 12 of In the Arms of a Hero

“I could tell the two of you are close, much like Andy and me, so I swore her to secrecy.”

Belinda’s heart melted at the picnic he’d planned. She looked behind them, her brow lowering again. “Whose dock are we at?”

“This is behind my brother’s house. He and Ivy won’t be home today, so I asked if I could plan this. I’m afraid I’m just in an apartment now, hoping to buy a house in the next year or so.”

“Well, I’m so impressed,” she said, smiling. “And really touched. This is lovely.”

“Not as lovely as you.”

“Are you trying to sweet-talk me?” she asked, popping a cheese cube into her mouth.

“Is it working?”

Laughing, she nodded. “Oh, yeah. Huge bonus points for the boat ride, the picnic, and then finding out my favorite wine. And the extra credit goes to buying from my sister’s shop!”

“Hell, I’m racking up the points.” He grinned.

She looked at him as he sat with a casual air, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. His eyes were on her, and she was captivated. The wind had tossed the longer hair on top, giving him a devil-may-care appearance. It was only their second date, but she wanted more. More of his smoldering gazes and even hotter kisses.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

Her eyes widened. “Um… how good the food is.”

“Liar.”

Dropping her jaw, she affected an offended expression and huffed with exaggeration.

He leaned forward, set his almost empty plate on the top of the cooler, and leaned even deeper toward her. “From what I’ve seen, you’re as honest as they come, Belinda. So don’t start lying now.”

She drained the wine from her glass and swiped her tongue over her bottom lip to catch an errant drop. “Okay. I was thinking that this date has been so much fun. The picnic was such a surprise and a special touch to the already perfect date. And that I'd like it not to be our last date.”

“Good… ’cause I don’t want it to be our last date either.” His intense gaze never left her face. “What else?”

“I was thinking that you’re really good-looking.”

His smile gave him an almost predatory look, and he leaned closer. “And?”

“That I really want to kiss you again.”

Now, his smile widened. “Yeah… to all of that, Belinda. Now, come over here.”

He reached over and took her hand. She gently allowed him to pull her onto his lap and never considered not letting him take the lead. Right now, she didn’t care who initiated the kiss. She just wanted his mouth on hers.

If she thought the kiss Friday night was toe-curling, this kiss was mind-blowing. She shifted to straddle his thighs, their bodies pressed tightly together. Immediately opening her mouth, she welcomed his tongue when it slipped in. The glide of his tongue over hers felt like a velvet tickle, and she squirmed, desperate for more. More of everything Aaron had to offer. She had no set number of dates before moving to sex, but she was ready to combust now and wasn’t sure she was willing to wait.

This kiss held no finesse as she moved her head back and forth. She wasn’t searching for the perfect angle because, as she quickly discovered, every angle with him was perfect. One of his hands dropped to her ass, and his fingers squeezed. She shifted even closer, and the bulge in his pants pressed against her jean-clad sex. She was ready to ride him into the sunset.

“Jesus,” he mumbled against her lips.

“No,” she mumbled in return. “It’s just me.”

“Smart-ass.”

She wondered how they managed to have a conversation of muttered words that were instantly swallowed by each other. His fingers tugged her hair, and she became aware that her knit cap was no longer on her head. Instead, his hand dove through her thick tresses, gripping just enough to send a slight sting along her scalp.

He grunted, and she realized her hand had mirrored his actions, and her grip on his hair had tightened. “Sorry,” she murmured.

Time once again ceased to have any meaning. She had no idea how long they kissed, but other than his hand on her ass, he had refrained from groping her, much to her disappointment. “Oh God, I want more,” she groaned.

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