Page 56 of Love By a Landslide

For the first time in probably fifteen years, he intentionally focused on un-sexy thoughts.

Baseball.

Orthodontia.

Sauerkraut.

Sweaty armpits.

Sweat, in general.

Sweaty Lucy.

A drop of sweat sliding down between Lucy’s full breasts and over her belly as she sits astride my . . .

This isn’t working!

Before Jonathan could hatch another plan of defense, Lucy chirped a cheerful, “All done.”

Thank god.

She handed him the pink tank top and turned toward his bag. “I’m going to grab a clean shirt. Well, the cleanest one you have. You handle your legs and feet.”

Opting not to remove his pants and reveal the semi he was sporting, Jonathan rolled up each pant leg and washed away the coating of sweat and grime. Dropping the cloth back into the now lukewarm pot, he was amazed at how refreshed he already felt.

“Jackpot!” Lucy whooped with glee after digging through his backpack.

“What is it?” Jonathan asked as she reappeared behind him. Reaching over his shoulder, she wiggled a tiny jar in front of his face. The familiar scent of lavender, eucalyptus, and coconut oilseeped through the sealed container, and he sighed in relief. “I forgot all about the back salve.”

The tinny sound of a metal lid being twisted off a glass jar had a Pavlovian effect. He could already feel the soothing effects, and the salve wasn’t even on him yet. He reached out to take the jar, and Lucy slapped his hand away.

Before he could protest, she began rubbing his lower back in strong, massaging circles. Jonathan slumped forward with an absurdly loud groan, elbows resting on his knees. Defenseless against her ministrations, he relaxed into them instead.

“How does that feel?” she asked with a giggle.

“Like heaven.”

“I’m glad.”

Jonathan had no idea how long Lucy worked on his lower back. He was caught squarely between relaxed oblivion and sexual tension and had lost all capacity for rational thought. All he could manage to register was her hands sliding over his skin, working to dispel the pain that had been nagging him all day. The contact of her fingertips left trails of heat that pulsated throughout his body. His willpower, steadily disintegrating under her touch, barely hung on by a thread.

Until he couldn’t anymore.

As Lucy finished and stepped over the log, she rested a hand on his shoulder to keep her balance. Jonathan reached out on impulse. He slid a hand to her hip and looked up into her glittering green eyes. A little gasp gave away her desire almost as effectively as her flushed cheeks and blown pupils. He hauled her side saddle onto his lap, her startled throaty sigh inciting his own passionate groan. She fit perfectly on his lap. Small, by comparison, she had to look up to meet his hungry gaze. He combed a hand through her hair, marveling at the softness playing through his fingers.

“Such perfection. It’s been agony keeping my hands off you.” Her eyes widened with surprise. How could she not know? His lust for her had been emanating from him since before they’d even met. He spent half of their trip convincing his dick to calm the hell down. “Tell me to stop. Tell me you don’t feel the same.”

They sat there, staring at each other, breath rushing in and out of their lungs in a hasty, disjointed rhythm. He slowly guided her hand to where he pressed against the confines of his pants. His breath hitched as her fingers gently grazed his reaction to her.

“See what you do to me—what you’vebeendoing to me since I first saw you at The Rooftop. Do you want me just as badly, sunshine?” His voice emerged jaggedly, and he was convinced that if she denied him, he would shatter. But he waited patiently because the only way he wanted her was if she felt the same.

Her tiny nod was nearly imperceptible, and he wouldn’t have caught it had he not been so utterly enthralled by each of her infinitesimal movements. But he hadn’t missed it, the affirmative dip of her chin, and a shock wave of desire radiated outward from his core. He gently pulled her closer, tipping her face to meet his. He lightly grazed his lips back and forth across hers. They were so full and soft, and he cursed himself for not remembering how perfectly they had fit against his the first time they’d kissed.

Lucy fidgeted on his thighs, shifting around as though she were searching for friction. Featherlight, she trailed her fingers upward, taking a quick detour to explore the dusting of hair on his chest. Her palms skimmed his nipples, eliciting a throaty rumble from Jonathan, then continued up to his shoulders. Searing heat lingered on his skin everywhere she touched then morphed into cooling tingles from the residual balm on her soft, exploratory fingers.

He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue, teasing them until they parted. He responded to the submission by delving inand tasting her sweetness, a mimicking prelude to the pleasure he’d devote to the rest of her curvy little body should he be given the chance. The need to devour her was borderline unbearable, and he grappled with restraint, waiting for her to guide him through the sinfully decadent terrain.

He wanted this, but he wanted to be sure she did too.

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