Page 33 of The Friend

She couldn’t remember the question as the green flecks in his hazel eyes glowed like sparkling emeralds in the dim light cast by the single lamp.

“What would you do if I had a first floor room rather than a ground floor bungalow?” She almost smacked herself for saying the first ridiculous thing that popped into her head.

He shrugged. “Simple. I’d climb the trellis like Romeo.”

“How very apt. Ill-fated lovers…” she trailed off as he leaned towards her, powerless to stop the incoming sensual onslaught, knowing she didn’t want to.

“We’re not ill-fated. As for the lovers part…” He brushed a kiss across her lips before she could move, a soft, sensual touch that left her desperate for more. “I aim to remedy that starting now.”

His lips slid across hers again, firmer this time, but she craved more. “This is our wedding night,” he said. “Considering we did the bride and groom thing today, pretend or otherwise.”

Wedding night…a reminder of all that had happened today. Sure, they’d play-acted a wedding for the camera but no matter how much she tried to ignore it, she couldn’t forget how good it had felt having Judd by her side, holding her close, staring at her like a beloved bride.

It had felt way too good; which is why she had to forget about the day completely and immerse herself in this moment, with this man, and focus on the night ahead no matter what the morning may bring.

“Wedding night, huh? Well, then, let’s make it memorable.” Her teasing smile made him groan as he covered her mouth with his and pulled her into his arms, effectively wiping all thought from her mind.

Perfect. Abby didn’t want to think anymore. She didn’t want to rationalise, contemplate, or wonder how right or wrong this was. For now, she wanted to feel, to explore, to create magic with the one guy who made her melt with a simple smile.

Threading her arms around his neck, she arched towards him, inviting closer contact. Judd moaned deep in his throat, accepting her invitation with the consummate skill she’d come to expect from their kisses and explosive passion on the beach.

His tongue eased into her mouth, slow and languorous, urging her to join him in exploration. She met him half way,eager to sample what he had to offer, playfully nipping at his bottom lip between her teeth and sucking lightly.

He tightened his grip in response and broke the kiss, his mouth roving over her face with precision, scattering light kisses over her skin, notching up her craving for him to unbearable.

“Judd?”

“Hmm?”

His mouth nibbled its way down her neck, leaving a scorching trail to her breasts which threatened to spill out of her bikini top the longer she pressed against him. Not that she cared. In fact, she wished he’d speed up the process by untying the strings around her neck and relieving the deep-seated ache he’d started the moment he first kissed her.

“This is the best,” she whispered, as his hands slid around her back, found the first string, and tugged on it hard, before untying the knot at the base of her neck in record time.

“And it’s about to get a whole lot better, sweetheart.”

She didn’t doubt it for a second, ripples of longing shooting through her as the bikini top slithered down her torso and plopped in a wet heap at her feet, bringing her breasts in exquisite contact with his bare chest.

“You feel incredible,” he murmured, his fingertips grazing the undersides of her breasts as he cupped them, weighed them, before skimming his palms across her erect nipples.

Her head fell back as an electrifying sensation shot from his hands to the deepest part of her, now throbbing with need. She burned, heat streaking through her veins, and as Judd’s mouth enclosed a nipple and he flicked with his tongue, she melted.

“Wobbly knees, huh?”

“Wobbly everything,” she said, as he kissed his way across to her other breast, repeating the delightful torture of licking and sucking her nipple as he eased her back onto the bed.

He propped on his side, his fingertips skimming her body, skirting around her breasts, teasing her, until she could’ve begged for more while his steamy gaze followed the slow, lazy movement of his hand.

“You’re so beautiful.”

She reached out to trail a finger down his cheek. “Guess you’ve never seen me like this, huh?”

Raw, powerful passion flickered in his eyes, turning them from familiar hazel to molten caramel in a heartbeat.

“You’ve always been beautiful to me, Abby,” he said, lowering his lips to hers, kissing her slower and deeper this time, a soul-drugging kiss that made her wish to prolong this perfect moment forever.

A stupendous kiss.

A kiss beyond her wildest dreams.

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