Page 38 of Captivating Magic

He gave in to his urge to grab a beer, but not to the one to shove it down his pants and cool off his randy dick. Granted, it had been a while since his last sexual encounter, but growing hard from a direct look was downright humiliating.

Taking a few minutes to himself, he popped the lid off and guzzled a third of his drink. Lo blew out a breath and shook his head. What the hell was happening to him? How long had he lusted after Ebba without realizing it? It made him ill to entertain the notion he’d driven Charlotte to her jealousy. Had she seen something in the way he responded to Ebba’s adoration?

When he was in control, he circled the counter, placed his bottle next to Ebba’s hip, and scooped her into his arms.

“‘Nobody puts Baby in a corner,’” he said. “Not on my watch.”

Her effervescent giggles triggered his grin.

“I’m thrilled you got the reference,” he admitted. “I’d have been embarrassed if you didn’t know what the fuck I was referring to.”

“Who doesn’t know Dirty Dancing?” Her pretend horror tickled him.

“You get me.”

“I always did,” she assured him, love shining from those devastating eyes.

“I’m sorry if it feels like I overlooked you when we were young, Ebba.”

With a shrug, she ducked her head.

Jostling her to get her attention, he said, “I didn’t.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t overlook you. Remember the day we snuck down and borrowed my uncle Hoyt’s boat?”

Frowning, she nodded.

Lo fought the uncomfortable heat traveling up his neck. “Liz and my brothers saw I was lusting over you in your baby-bluebikini. They pulled me aside and threatened to tear off both my arms and legs if I broke your heart.”

“What?”

“Yep. Ask Liz.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “They were right to interfere. I was a horndog in those days. It’s why Charlotte and I… She…”

His skin felt tight and unbearable under her incredulous stare.

“She put out,” Ebba concluded with a scowl. “I’d have put out. Foryou.”

“I think we all knew that.” Lo winced when she pinched his nipple. “Ouch! I wasn’t being mean, Ebba. I’m saying your crush was evident, and the reality was you were too young for sex.”

“I was sixteen, and who were you to make that call?” she asked fiercely.

“The nineteen-year-old boy who wasn’t mature enough to keep your heart intact.”

Her expression softened. “But you did, didn’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“By maintaining your distance and keeping up the pretense of disinterest, you didn’t take advantage of the situation. Therefore, you were mature enough to keep my heart intact.”

He laughed at the dumb kid he’d been. “I never considered I was doing the right thing. Mainly I didn’t want my brothers to kick my ass.”

With an exasperated shake of her head, she peered over his shoulder, then leaned in to kiss him.

“The past can’t be erased, Lo. But I’m glad I didn’t make you so uncomfortable you couldn’t be my friend.”

“Never that, Sweet Ebba. Our friendship was the highlight of my life. Nothing could’ve kept me away from you for long.”

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