Page 78 of Falling Overboard

“The ... everything. The massage.”Me rubbing my hands all over your back, touching you in the way I’ve wanted to since the first time I saw you without a shirt.

“It’s really, really good,” he rumbled in a sexy tone that made my pulse thump and my bones melt.

It also made me want to find out what else I could do that would make him say that again.

I realized then that I was gripping the sides of his torso with my thighs. I tried to slacken my hold, all too aware of the masculine strength that lay beneath them.

What if he rolled over? Ran his strong hands up my thighs and then up my torso until he reached my neck and then he would pull me down to him, crashing his lips against mine and then ...

My stomach throbbed with want. I had to shake my head hard to get those images to stop. My imagination was always getting me in trouble one way or another.

A few months ago I had given meditation a go in order to help with my anxiety. But I’d spent all my time feeling anxious that I was doing it wrong and would somehow mess it up, so it did not help. It had taught me about developing a mantra, or a word or phrase to repeat to help distract my overactive mind.

Nothing can happenwas the phrase I decided to use.Nothing can happen, nothing can happen, nothing can happen.Over and over until it was the only thing in my mind. So I would stop thinking all the things I shouldn’t be thinking.

The next sound he made caused my mantra to falter.

He was snoring.

I had put the man to sleep. Well, I guessed I knew exactly how much appeal I had. So sexy and desirable that he could drift off in the middle of me touching him. If I hadn’t been so bummed about it, I might have laughed.

Would he wake up if I moved? I had to. I couldn’t just drape myself across him like a blanket and fall asleep that way.

Even though I very much wanted to.

Get up,I told myself.

But instead of lifting my leg to move away, I found myself studying his face. It was one of my favorite things to look at. The next thing I knew, I was leaning down and kissing his cheek.

Horrified, I immediately pulled my head away and hit his bunk. I rubbed the top of my skull and finally rolled away from him.

Not okay. Not okay.I couldn’t do anything like that again.

My lips were scalded. I lifted my fingers up to make sure they weren’t actually on fire.

I had kissed him. Put my mouth on his skin. When he wasn’t even awake. That felt wrong. I regretted what I had done. I wished he were awake so that I could apologize.

Maybe that was a small blessing, though. He wouldn’t know. He wouldn’t have to give me the “you’re a really great girl” speech.

We could continue on with things as they were. Nothing needed to change.

Even though I hadn’t meant to do any of it, it was like I had crossed some bridge and the way back to the other side had completely washed away.

“Lucky.”

I gradually became aware of the fact that someone was pressing small, warm kisses along my throat.

“Hunter?” I asked groggily.

“You made me feel so good. Now let me make you feel good,” he murmured against my skin, and I was instantly awake.

“What?”

“I’m going to kiss you.”

It was both a warning and a promise. A still-functioning part of my brain registered that he was giving me the opportunity to stop him.

When I didn’t speak he turned my head toward him and crushed his lips to mine. I was so shocked that for a moment I couldn’t react. He moved his mouth against mine in a rhythm that had my body pulsing in time to the motion and my nether regions tingling.

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