Page 46 of It's Holy Matrimony, Baby

“Of course I do.”

“I like the sound of that, Mrs. Casey.” I squeeze her shoulder, though I wanna pick her up and spin her around. Kiss her in front of all these people. First the oranges and then her admission. Makes my chest warm.

“Oh. I didn’t mean...” She swats my shoulder, and I capture her other hand while she blushes the prettiest shade of pink. “I was saying of course I want to help.”

“But you said you cared.”

“Like a friend. In a friendly way. In the way I might care about anyone I meet.” Her eyes are huge, doe-eyed. Her gaze flicks about, not quite landing any place.

“Come here.” I wind my fingers around her wrist and pull her away from the group. We cross the aisles of trees, heading to the furthest part of the grove. Away from the people and the noise and the oranges still hanging like fat little baubles.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

Stopping at the last tree, I pull her between it and me. Her back up against the bark, I grip the trunk on one side of her, rest my other arm above her head. Voices waft toward us from the group, but they’re faint. Far away enough that no one can see us or hear us if we’re quiet. “It’s okay to admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“That you want something you like to believe you don’t need.”

“But I don’t want anything,” she says, even as her body arches closer to mine and her tongue glistens her lips. “Except for your signature.”

“On those damn papers,” I agree, running a hand up the outside of her leg from her knee to her hip. The papers that have been sitting on my bench since they arrived. The ones I refuse to open or read. Especially after she told me why it’s so important to her. Because what she really wants is for me to prove her wrong.

“Exactly.” She winds her leg around me, her heel pushing into my calf. Small hands spread across my chest.

I bow my head to hers. “Our lives are entwined for better or worse and I happen to like it like that. I like the way you want me even though you can’t admit it. Headstrong or shy. Either way works for me.”

“I can admit it, but it’s still completely irrational.” She twists her head to the side, giving me access to her neck. “Human nature. That’s all.”

“It’s a fucking turn on is what it is.” I nip her skin at the juncture of her shoulder, breathe in her sweet and yet slightly tart scent. “If we were alone...” I grasp her ass and pull her tight against me “...I’d have these cute little shorts you’re wearing down around your ankles. Your panties too. And I’d show you how much I like the fact that you care about me and you wanted to help.”

She gasps, and her breasts push against my chest. Tight diamond points form under the thin cotton of her top. “But we’re not alone, so you won’t, will you?”

Can’t help teasing her a little. Let my fingers graze up and down her side. “You don’t want me to make you come with my fingers? Don’t want my rough hands on your skin, making you hot, making you see stars?”

“Oh God.” She whimpers in my ear as her hands grip my hair and hold me close.

“I know how much my fingers turn you on. Rough calluses.”

She breathes in sharply, her leg tightening at my hip. “Skilled, agile digits.”

“Flexible. Able to touch you exactly how you like.”

A low moan breaks from her lips. “You know how to play me.”

It’s so tempting to ignore everything but the desire to touch her the way she wants me to. I love that I have this effect on her. My chest puffs up and my cock stiffens. I skim the bare flesh between her shorts and top and she starts to pant. The warm sliver of flesh quakes with my touch as I slip the tips of my fingers beneath the waistband of her shorts. “All I would have to do is slide this hand into your panties.”

“Nox.” She says my name like a plea.

Makes me feel like a god. I wriggle my fingers lower. Slide a digit through her wetness and around her clit. “Going to want to hear you say my name again, Angel.”

“Nox, stop.” Beck shoves both hands into my shoulders, pushing hard. It leaves me reeling for a moment. I want to tell her that when I told her to say my name I didn’t mean like that. Then the voices break in.

“Have you seen Beck? Wanted to tell her we were done with that side of the orchard.”

“Yeah, we’re done with our side too.” That’s West’s voice. “She’s not with the others? Maybe she went back to the cabin.”

“I saw Nox a little while ago. Maybe she’s with him.” Another voice chimes in. “He’s your guitar teacher, right?”

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