Page 56 of Fast Kill

The sun was still high overhead when he turned them around and headed back to where he’d left the truck. “You’re gonna have to work a lot harder now, because we’re going against the current,” he told her, holding his paddle across his lap and watching her struggle to move them forward. “Come on, harder.”

She grunted in frustration and paddled faster. “I’m doing it as hard as I can. My arms are about to fall off.”

Smothering a chuckle, he finally dipped his paddle in the water and helped her. By the time they reached shore where the truck was parked she was breathing hard and a fine sheen of sweat covered her face. “Whew, made it!” she said triumphantly.

“Yeah, look at that.” He jumped out and dragged the kayak onto the shore, then gripped the side of it and leaned over her to take her sunglasses off.

She peered up at him with those big hazel eyes, and blinked. “You can’t seriously be thinking about kissing me right now. I’m all sweaty and gross.”

God, she was so adorable. And clueless about how guys thought. “Sweetheart, you’re the furthest thing from gross, trust me,” he murmured.

Her expression softened, and he couldn’t help but lean down to cover her lips with his. One of her hands crept up to wrap around the back of his neck and she opened for him.

No, she melted for him.

Let her body sink into his as their tongues danced, her muscles pliant and a hum of pleasure coming from her throat. Her hands slid over his shoulders and chest, and the way she explored him sent all the blood rushing to his groin.

He went hard as a rock in his shorts, every nerve ending pulsing with the need to take, to claim. The throaty moan she gave when he cupped her breast in his hand and rubbed his thumb across the hard point of her nipple pressing against her shirt damn near made him shudder. He was dying to peel those form-fitting clothes off her so he could touch and taste every inch of her. Make her his in the most elemental way possible.

But not out here in the open. When he finally got her naked, it would be somewhere private where she could relax, so he could take his time learning every part of her, what she enjoyed the most before he slid inside her and gave her all the pleasure he could. God, she tested his control so effortlessly.

With difficulty, he pulled away, still cradling her head in his hands. Her eyes were half-closed, her expression dreamy and hungry at the same time.

“Thank you for bringing me here,” she murmured, stroking her fingers over his nape in a way that made pleasurable shivers race across his skin. God, he wanted her.

“You’re welcome.” Planting one last lingering kiss on her soft lips because he couldn’t help himself, he pushed to his feet, wincing as his sore knee protested.

“Are we going back now?” she asked, holding his hand as she stepped out of the kayak. She didn’t sound excited about it, and he couldn’t blame her. But they still had time to keep reality at bay a little longer.

“Not yet.” After they dropped the kayak off, they had one more stop to make in town before heading back to the city.

Chapter Sixteen

“I would never have believed it considering everything that’s happened over the past few days, but this was the best day I’ve had in forever,” Taylor said as they neared the building she was staying at in D.C. She rubbed her thumb over his knuckles, their joined hands resting on the center console.

The closer they’d gotten to the city, the more the anxiety had begun to swirl in her stomach. She didn’t want to come back and face everything waiting for her here, but she had no choice and the reprieve Logan had organized today was more than she could have hoped for.

None of what was happening between them made sense to her. The man had worked a minor miracle by getting under her skin in a matter of days. How could she feel this relaxed and safe with him, yet so jittery and aroused at the same time? He continually threw her off-balance, and she found she kind of liked it.

He shot her a sexy grin that set off a burst of heat low in her abdomen. The man had to know how insanely hot he was, but he didn’t act like it. She liked that. “I’m glad. I had a lot of fun too.”

“I never thought I’d like kayaking.” She never thought she’d like someone like him, either, but she was already in deep and sinking fast.

“What was your favorite part?”

“Spending time with you.”

This time he looked over at her with a soft smile that made her heart flip-flop. “I’m glad.”

“I didn’t realize how much I needed to get away, even for a little while. Thank you for doing all this.”

“You’re welcome, but it was my pleasure.”

Taylor let her mind drift back to a few hours ago, tucking the memories away in her heart. After dropping the kayak off at the Colebrook’s, Logan had driven her into Sugar Hollow and stopped at an ice cream parlor Charlie had recommended.

That, more than anything else he’d planned today, had touched her the most. He’d insisted she order something extravagant, so she’d ordered a ridiculous sundae with four kinds of ice cream scooped over a homemade brownie, topped with three different sauces, all smothered in whipped cream and sprinkled with toasted almond slivers.

They’d sat in a corner booth and eaten it together, and even her self-consciousness at smelling sweaty and not looking her best couldn’t spoil the experience. He’d insisted on paying, no matter how much she argued, and she’d quickly given up. She couldn’t believe all the effort he’d put into planning the day for her and making all the arrangements. No one had ever done anything like that for her before.

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