Page 42 of What I Should Have Known

“Yeah, again. My mom mentioned something about it, and Emma talked to me about it as well after inviting me up here and also while I wassetting up the tents. How does he not already know, though? I was wearing my dog tags while chopping the poor calves’ nuts off.”

“One, he’s got rather poor eyesight, which is why none of us let him drive anymore, but two, he doesn’t really pay attention to little details when we’ve got big days like that, so you got off lucky.”

“Okay, then again, what’s his deal with the military?” I asked, desperately wanting to touch her but restraining out of respect for boundaries that were very unclear to me.

She sighed, her shoulders sagging. “My mom’s first husband was in the Air Force and he up and cheated on her. My oldest brother’s bio dad actually. Anyway, my dad—”

“Okay, I get it,” I interjected and looked above her head.

“Don’t interrupt me, Bottle Cap. That was rude,” she hissed. “So, yeah. You have to leave.”

I glanced back down at her. “Is that what you want?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Why not? I didn’t come here for your dad, Kit Kat.”

“And youhaveto stop calling me that!” Her eyes widened as her cheeks flamed bright red.

“Why?” I tipped my head, watching as her pupils dilated, the blue of her eyes thinning.

“Because Emma explained what you meant by it,” she whispered.

A smirk lit upon my face. “Ah…”

“No…No this!” She waved a hand in front of my chest. “None of whatever you’re doing that’s making me—” She stopped talking, her chest expanding in sporadic bursts. “I just need you to stop!” She slapped herpalm against her chest as the tips of her ears turned pink and her gaze met mine.

“I’m not doing anything…” I said.

And she rocked onto her toes, crashing her lips against mine.

My eyes widened.

Her mouth was smooshed on mine.

Her lips against my lips.

Salt from her long ride coated a kiss that held me shocked.

Disbelief coursed hot through me.

And then she snapped away, bumping the back of her head against the tree.

“I…I…That was…” she stammered, cocooning herself within one arm as she rubbed the back of her skull.

“That was not fucking long enough,” I said, then grabbed her cheeks, and slammed my mouth back against hers.

She squeaked as my body crashed into hers. Warmth enveloped every inch of my skin, goosebumps prickling as she caved into me. Every curve, every absolutely delectable morsel of her bled into me. Her lips moved against mine, the sweetness of something like chocolate and mint coated my mouth. Delicate fingers trembled as she finally grabbed the sides of my shirt, twisting the fabric within her hands.

There it was, the static rushing through my body as intensely as a bomb exploding a mere few feet away. Every sound that once had met my ears was drowned out by the whimper of her kiss. The most erotic sound I’d heard in my life, and everything roared to life between my legs. Herchest expanded, rising with a sudden gasp as she broke the kiss by a mere centimeter, but I wasn’t going to let her go. I wasn’t about to let it stop.

Dropping my hands from her cheeks, I tucked them beneath her thighs, digging them into her skin, and raised her effortlessly from the ground.

“Bernie!” she gasped again. I cracked my eyes open, to meet her widened gaze as she pulled away from me even further, squirming in my hold. “Put me… Put me down, I don’t want you to drop me.”

Tightening my hold on her, I stepped into her body, pinning her against the tree as tightly as I could with my hips. “Why would I drop you?” I whispered against her mouth.

Her hot breath washed onto my lips, the velvet of her kiss brushing over my own as she spoke. “I’m aware I’m not exactly…small.”

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