Page 14 of Hound Dog
“I don’t want to stop,” I admitted. “I want to complete her bucket list for her.”
He squeezed my hand in a sweet, gentle encouragement. “I think that’s a great idea. What’s up next?”
I scanned the long list, my eyes falling to one item in particular.Make love beneath the stars.
I gulped, gathering every ounce of courage I had in me… which, admittedly, wasn't much.
Pointing at it, I held the list out to Finn to read as well. “This,” I said, impressed with myself that I managed to keep the shake I felt in my belly out of my voice.
His eyes jolted from the list back to my face, and he seemed to be trying to read me carefully. His pupils dilated, widening like two onyx orbs.
Starting with my eyes, his gaze swept down my face, languidly over my cheekbones and my soft, dark curls that I’d pulled all over to one shoulder, before landing for a long moment on my mouth. “Haylee, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” His voice was raspier than it’d been all night, like he’d swallowed a fistful of gravel.
Like me, was he thinking about how hot our make out session on the roof was? Was he picturing me nude? Imagining what our bodies would feel like, sweaty and naked, pressed against each other?
A tremble quaked at my knees and my heart raced at the X-rated thoughts.
He ran a hand through his hair, his palm landing at the back of his neck, kneading the muscles there.
“Unless you don’t want to,” I whispered. As the realization hit me, heat rushed up my chest and neck, landing at my cheeks.
“No,” he said quickly. With a tug on my hand, he pulled my body flush to his. “It’s not that. I want to. Believe me, I fucking want to. It’s just a really big step for you, and I want to… I don’t know, I want you to be sure. Likereallysure.”
“I’m sure,” I said, quickly.
He rolled his eyes, grinning softly. “I know you think that now. I just mean, I don’t want you waking up with any regrets.” With a few quick glances over his shoulder, he took my hand, pulling me toward the door. “I have an idea. Come on.”
He guided us outside to the parking lot where his car was parked and opened the door for me.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Home. I’m taking you home.”
I crossed my arms, opening my mouth, ready to object, but he cut me off before I could.
“If on Sunday, your last night here, you’re still sure you’re ready for… forthat, then meet me on the roof of the old mill at nine p.m. And we’ll make love under the stars.”
I swallowed. My throat was dry, and my skin was hot and buzzing at the point where his touch lingered on me. “Under the meteor shower,” I whispered.
With a nod, he added, “But if, in the next few days, you change your mind and don’t want to go through with it, no big deal. Okay? You can show up Sunday, and we can just watch the shooting stars and make a million wishes.”
I didn’t even need to think on it. I didn’t need a few days to decide, but the fact that he was being so cautious made me like him even more. “Deal,” I said, holding my hand out for him to shake.
He laughed, eyeing my outstretched hand. “You want toshakeon sex?”
Crap.I wassolame.
Before I could retract my hand, he took my handshake in his firm grip, then tugged me forward to give me a dizzying kiss.
Sunday,8:42 p.m.
“You really don’t mind letting me borrow your Cabriolet?”
Aunt Meryl tossed me the keys, her kimono billowing beneath her arms with the movement. “Of course not. Just be careful with Ruby. Like me, she’s an aging lady.”
I hesitated briefly before rushing to Aunt Meryl to give her a tight hug. Her arms encased me, squeezing. “Thank you,” I said. And I didn’t just mean for the car.
“You’re welcome Haylee Bear,” she whispered her nickname for me ever since I was a baby.
