Page 48 of So Close

He had to know the answer. He’d taken her there himself.

“I—can’t—”

“Let it come, Auburn. Come, baby.”

The tension drew one impossible notch more taut—nipple, belly, clit, core—and he leaned in close and kissed her again, his body blocking her from the view of the passing beach walkers, shielding his hand between her thighs and his hand under her shirt, over lace, teasing, teasing. She tipped over the edge behind the screen of his body, a scream held tight in her throat, the roar of the ocean drowning all the lesser sounds—the harsh pants of his breath in her ear, the squeak she couldn’t contain. The orgasm rolled through her like thunder, wave after wave of pleasure. His hand dropped away from her nipple just as it got too sensitive to bear, but the other one stayed snug against her sex, coaxing the last squeeze out of her inner muscles.

She held her breath while the people passed on, their voices fading.

“God, Trey,God.”

“Beach magic,” he murmured into her hair.

24

Holy shit.

He’d suspected it would be good between them. He’d known that the chemistry would be explosive. But he hadn’t been prepared for how good it would feel to make Auburn fall apart.

His dick was so hard behind the zipper of his jeans that it was taking all the self-control he had not to rock the palm of his hand against it.

Beach magic indeed.

She still had her face buried against his shirt, her body limp and relaxed in his arms. He was waiting for her to lift her face and show him the aftermath. He wanted to see her cheeks flushed with what he’d done to her. Her eyes bright and sparkling.

Instead, she pulled back from him and turned away.

Shit.

He knew that posture. Everyone knew it.

Regret.

And why was he fucking surprised? Heknewthis was crazy.

“Auburn.”

“Thank you. That was amazing.” Her tone was formal.

“Look at me, sweetheart. I can tell you’re freaking out.”

“I’m not freaking out. I’m … confused.”

He reached for her hand, and she let him take it. It was reassuring in his. Like she hadn’t retreated fully, not yet.

“You want to talk about it?”

“It can’t help but change things. Like it’ll influence your decision about Beachcrest in some way. In some way that’s bad for me,” she clarified.

“Give me some credit,” he said sternly. “I can separate business and sex.”

She looked away from him, out at the darkness lowering over the ocean. “Of course you can. I forgot for a second who I was dealing with.” Her voice was strained.

Damn it, he hadn’t meant—

But if he hadn’t meant that—that this wasjustsex—what didthatmean?

“Auburn.”

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