Page 6 of My Forbidden Holidate

“Don’t worry about the cost,” I tell her, placing my hand on her hip to pull her closer as another couple sidles up to the case. “You’re worth every penny.”

“Okay. If we get a dozen, we can split it with Star and your mom.”

“That sounds great.” I can’t stop from kissing the top of her head. “Let’s get one of those chocolate-covered marshmallows, too. Star loves those.”

We leave the shop with our array of sweets and head back out into the cool night air. On our way toward the end of the street where the park begins, we pass by the mosaic fountain on the Main Street. Hayden tugs me toward it as though in a trance, and as the water shoots up into the sky and cascades down, her eyes light up. “It’s so pretty,” she murmurs, holding my hand tighter. “I haven’t been to this part of town before. Normally, I stay in my dorm room all night. I didn’t know this place existed.”

“You don’t go out with friends at all? No shopping or anything?”

She shakes her head. “No, I left my friends back in my hometown and I’m not really big on shopping. I’m a homebody, too, so I don’t really like to go out partying.” She glances at me over her shoulder. “I guess that makes me kind of boring, huh?”

Coming up behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her against my chest. “I think that makes you stable, actually. I was never much of a partier either.”

“I like to read books. I don’t know if you’ve noticed.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m trying to get Star into reading, actually. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. She should learn to appreciate a book for more than its pictures.”

“She could be an artist,” Hayden muses. “Her horses have gotten better. The necks aren’t as long.”

I snort at the memory of at least a half dozen horse drawings whose necks were longer than their bodies. “I keep putting spots on the ones with long necks. They make better giraffes than horses.”

“That was you?” She swats my arm. “Some of those were my horses! You couldn’t tell?” Her face morphs into one of horror and her laughter sounds like tinkling bells. “I thought I was getting pretty good at it.”

“Are you an art major?”

“What if I am?”

“I’d tell you to keep practicing,” I tease, leaning in to nestle my face in the curve of her neck. Inhaling deeply, I commit the scent to memory. It’s been lingering around my home for weeks now, and I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

“You smell like blueberries,” I murmur, brushing my lips against her ear. “It’s been driving me crazy. I kept thinking you two were making blueberry pancakes and not saving me any.”

“Oh crap,” she breathes, another giggle on her lips. “You weren’t supposed to find out!”

“Youtease.” I kiss the side of her neck and she melts into me, tilting her head to give me more access. A few more kisses and she moans, dissolving my resolve to take things slow tonight.

“Hayden,” I groan, sliding my hand up her curves until I can grip her neck. “I think we forgot something back at the shop.”

“What?” she asks breathlessly.

Carefully, I spin her in my arms and press her thighs against the fountain. “A kiss.”

She’s flushed again, and the twinkling lights all around us reflect in the water droplets coating her dark curls.

“Are you ready for your first kiss of the night, Hayden?”

“Yes,” she breathes, clutching my waist. “I’ve been ready for so long—” Her voice breaks off into a moan as I capture her lips and pull her bottom one into my mouth. It’s been years since I’ve kissed anyone, and waiting for Hayden was worth it. She tastes like sunshine and berries, and I eagerly pick her up and set her back down on the fountain ledge, ready to devour her.

“Dan—” Her breath hitches as I grip her hips and slide her to the edge of the fountain. “God, that feels good.” Her dress hikes up her thighs as I wedge myself between them.

We shouldn’t be doing this in public, but I’m starved for her.

“Having you in my house,” I rasp as I spread open-mouthed kisses down her throat, “and not being able to touch you has been driving me insane.”

She mumbles something that I don’t catch, so I pull back to catch her eyes.

“What was that?”

“N-nothing!”

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