Page 35 of Catch and Release Groom

As they continued along, Easton caught flashes of bright color through the thinning trees, followed by a loud, hissing sound.

Then, all at once, they arrived at the edge of a small valley where three hot-air balloons were being inflated. A pair with giant red hearts and a rainbow-striped number with the vineyard’s name emblazoned across it.

Wonder spread across Imogen’s features like the sun lit the horizon, and an excited squeak came out as she squeezed his biceps.

“Look how pretty they are! Whenever they’d go on hot-air balloon dates onTheBachelor, I’d be green with envy. I dropped hints right and left, until I just flat-out told Brett it was one of my dream dates. But every time I brought it up, he’d—” She stopped short and shook her head. “What I’m trying to say is it’d suck to finally get to ride in one, only to experience it alone. It’d just seem sad, no matter how amazing the view. So, thank you. For coming with me.”

Easton nodded, his jaw clenching as her ex’s name echoed through his head. The fact that she’d recently been in a relationship wasn’t a news flash, but it was the first time everything within him reacted with a growledMine.

Chapter Fourteen

As soon as their group reached the glade with the wicker baskets and colorful balloons, Imogen’s heart skipped a beat. For months she’d dreamed of this moment, and while it was nothing like she’d pictured—hell, even the groom had been recast—she could scarcely contain her excitement.

Finally, she’d get to soar in the air, a breeze in her hair, the ground and everything below getting smaller and smaller. There’d been a whole lot of canoodling in her original fantasy, and given the flirtatious, wine-fueled vibe between her and Easton, it was something she’d have no problem fulfilling.

A woman wearing a gold nameplate greeted them and gave instructions to separate into three groups with three couples each.

“Don’t worry,” Imogen whispered to Easton. “I won’t make you ride in one of the heart-shaped ones.”Even if they’re really freaking cute.

“No way, it’s a red heart or nothing.” He snaked his arm around her waist, inciting an internal riot that turned rowdier as his long fingers curled possessively around her hip. Then he inclined his head, creating an intimate space for just the two of them, and tapped a finger to her mouth. “Reminds me of your sexy lips.”

Awareness shivered through her and left her hardened nipples straining against the cups of her fancy bra—she’d packed the pretty and frilly underwear for this trip, determined to use everything she’d bought for her honeymoon, even if she no longer had a honey to moon.

“The better to kiss you with,” she said, emboldened and slightly horrified it’d popped out of her mouth. Rather than withdraw or stew in self-consciousness while hoping he’d make the move, she took matters into her own hands.

Filling both fists with his shirtfront, she yanked him closer and planted one on him.

That was the thing about lavish underwear—it was about her and howshefelt while wearing it. Currently speaking, that was highly appreciative of the man plundering her mouth with his tongue and creating enough friction for her to notice every rasp of silk and lace.

Stubble tickling her sensitive skin and the automatic tightening of his embrace.

Fireworks.

Imogen expected to get heckled again—or scolded for not listening—but a quick peek revealed she and Easton weren’t the only couple partaking in PDA.

When it came time to split off, Easton propelled her toward the hot-air balloon they’d been assigned to, along with two other couples they’d briefly met before the tasting.

She placed the toe of her shoe in the foothold, but her knee and thigh didn’t quite clear the top of the basket. “Hold up,” she said, steeling herself to try again, with an extra-high kick this time. Once she mounted the damn thing, she could slide inside.

“Or we could learn from the past,” Easton said, “and you could accept my help.”

She barely spared Easton a glance, her anxiety spiking at the couples lining up behind them. “I already know about the foothold,” she pointed out, bouncing on the ball of her foot still on the ground a few more times before realizing her short legs wouldn’t allow her the leverage.

“May I?” Easton asked, hovering his hands at her waist.

As soon as she nodded, she was propelled from behind. Without the chance to recalibrate her center of gravity, her torso swung forward like a pendulum. She whipped out her arms, faster than her reflexes usually allowed, and her nose screeched to a stop a mere inch from the vinyl padding atop the basket.

Thank God, because she’d be so pissed if she missed herBachelorettemoment, complete with its romantic panoramic view and ridiculously hot dude. To the extent she would’ve hopped in and demanded to go anyway, gushing blood and all.

As big as the basket was, it’d been partitioned off in six sections, assumedly to prevent people and items like the tall, silver cylinders in the center from shifting during flight.

“What about you?” Imogen turned a tight circle and found herself nose-to-nose with Easton. “You need a boost?”

One corner of his mouth kicked up in a smug slant as he basically strolled on in.

Paul and Bethany, the newlyweds from Tennessee, were already climbing in from the other side, so she hadn’t needed to stress about them having to wait for her.

But Judith and Bill, the couple that’d met and fallen in love decades after they’d both been widowed, were still making the stroll across the meadow. While Bill wasn’t exactly speedy, Judith’s hobble grew more pronounced with each step, no matter how much she leaned on her patient, adoring spouse.

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