Page 90 of Gone With the Wine

“Why?”

“I have no idea. Because of the sky? It’s big and silent.”

“That’s good. I’d say green.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s green here. But…it’s notcompletelysilent. The wind rustles the leaves. There are birds. So maybe your answer is right.”

“I don’t think there’s actually a right or wrong answer to that.”

I smile. “Fair point.”

He takes my hand and curls his fingers around mine. His hand is strength and warmth and assurance. He’s been there every step of the way, doing whatever I ask of him and more, taking it all in, reassuring me that we can do this. And by we, I mean all of us—my sister, Jake, him, me. His belief in me is unhesitating. His trust in my winemaker skills means so much to me. He’s honest and hard-working and he does what he says he’ll do. I admire that so much and it makes me want to hold onto him. My fingers tighten involuntarily on his.

I’ve also seen a different side of him. He’s not such a grumpy bear. He has a sense of humor, and he’s showing it more and more. I feel like he’s happier than he was when I first met him, despite working his ass off. For some reason that creates a happy bubble in my chest, too. I like it when he’s happy. I like it when he’s laughing. I also like it when he’s kissing me, and touching me…

Because not only do I admire him and like him, I’m hot for him.

Dammit, we’re lying here in the woods having a picnic and I’ve talked myself into a buzz of arousal.

I roll toward him and he shifts too, so we’re lying on our sides facing each other.

He brushes his fingertips over my face, studying me with soft, warm eyes. “You’re so beautiful.”

My lips lift. “Thank you,” I whisper. “I think you are, too.”

“Beautiful?” One corner of his mouth quirks.

“Yes. I love your throat.”

He chokes out a chuckle. “Mythroat?”

“Yes.” I trail a finger over it. “It’s perfect. Your whole neck is. Strong. I like to imagine kissing you there. Sucking on your skin.”

His eyes darken. “Ah.”

“I also like your forearms. Also strong. The way the veins stand out.” I lift his arm away from me to study it. “So hot. Well, you’re hot everywhere.”

His smile is a full-on smile and as always, it does things to my girl parts.

“I think you’re hot, too.”

We’re staring into each other’s eyes, smiling goofily, and the breeze shifts the leaves into a moving pattern of sunlight and shadow on us. His eyelids drift lower and he leans over to kiss me.

His mouth on mine is…everything. I want him so much. The softness of his lips, the slide of his tongue, the low growl he makes in his throat…God. I kiss him back, trying to devour his kisses like I’m starving.

“I want to kiss you forever,” I mumble. “I love kissing you.”

“Christ.” He rolls over me, pinning me to the blanket, gazing down at me with lust-blown eyes. His body is solid and strong on mine, and I’m soft and yielding, thrilling in the hardness of his erection against me. “More.”

He kisses me again, and again, and then kissing’s not enough. I’m aching deep in my core and my hips lift against his. I want everything from him. His hand molds my breast through my T-shirt, grips my waist, slides over my hip. He nips at my bottom lip then sucks it and a moan leaks from my lips.

His hands move slowly on me, our mouths cling and lift, and I hold onto his big shoulders and cradle him between my thighs. The breeze sweeps away the sounds we make, the soft gurgle of the creek a gentle soundtrack to our making out.

He slips a hand under the hem of my shorts, finding the tender skin of my hip and groin. He pushes his thick cock into my softness. He’s wearing similar shorts and I’m not sure he has underwear on. I glide my hands down his back and under the elastic waistband and find his bare ass. “Commando,” I whisper.

His lips curve against mine. “Is that a problem?”

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