Page 47 of Possession

I jammed my cold fingers into my ski jacket. “Just had to go there.”

“Yes,” he growled. His hazel eyes were a little wild. “I’m fucking cold and I’m back at this godforsaken cave where I almost?—”

Where he’d almost lost me.

I reached for him. “It wasn’t that close.”

“You didn’t see it from my point of view.” He moved until we were toe-to-toe, him looming over me. “You were blue. Your skin was colder than marble—as cold as death. Don’t tell me how close it was, Grace.”

“I’m sorry.” I levered myself up, then I pushed him back a step so I could put my hands on his chest. “I was stupid.”

“Yes, you were.”

“Sugarcoat it, why don’t you?”

“Iamsugarcoating it.”

I slid my hands up until my fingers curled over his shoulders under his jacket. He was deliciously warm, and his shoulders were my second favorite thing about him.

“Good thing your blunt honesty makes my girl parts tingle.”

“Jesus.” He tried to pull away, but I held him still.

“We both can go in there.”

“And how am I supposed to climb the wet rocks with you in my arms?”

“Piggyback?”

“This is not a summer picnic,” he roared.

“We can try that kind this summer too.”

His nostrils flared before he closed his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Counting to ten.”

“Probably going to need twenty.”

His eyebrows shot up as he looked down at me.

“Is it the idea that we’ll be together this summer, or that I want to ride your back instead of your front?”

His chin dropped to his chest, but I saw his lips bending up into a smile. “Fuck.” He turned around. “Get on.”

“Yes.” I held his arm as I maneuvered myself up on a rock, then hauled him over to where I wanted him.

“Why do I put up with this?”

I slid my arms around his shoulders and hopped on. “Because we have fantastic sex.”

“Not a good enough reason.” He hiked me up until my cheek brushed his.

I was tempted to say because he loved me, but I didn’t want to press my luck. “Onward, great steed.”

“That’s it. I’m dumping you into the ocean.”

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