-5-
KAYLA
Holy mother of God, this guy knew how to kiss. Jay’s lips pressed to mine. Gentle, and slow, but it ignited a fire that burned all through my body, sizzling out to the ends of my fingertips and toes.
The way he moved his tongue in my mouth was something else. It was sexy. Maybe even a little dirty, and a whole lot of awesome. Beneath his kiss, I was going to melt. If he wasn’t careful, I’d turn molten and pour down the side of the stone wall he’d set me on.
The added height of the wall was great. All he had to do was tilt down to meet me. His face was in my hands, and I brushed my thumbs over his cheekbones, enjoying the sensation of the rough ends of the whiskers on his jaw.
He smelled freaking amazing. I didn’t just want to make out with this guy, I wanted to inhale him. It’d been some kind of torture slow dancing with him earlier. My body had been tight with anticipation, hoping he’d make a move later. Only, here we were, lips locked—and the anticipation didn’t go away. It graduated into need.
How long could we be out here before anyone noticed we were gone? I couldn’t think like that. We were secluded in the shadows, and as the sunlight continued to fade, it’d only feel more intimate here in the woods with him.
Jay left a trail of damp kisses across my jaw as he made his way to my ear. His hot breath rasped the moment before his lips landed on the sensitive skin on my neck, just below my earlobe. I was burning alive, yet I shivered. Goosebumps broke out on my legs. Oh my God, that felt good. Something as simple as his warm mouth against my skin made every inch of me weak with desire. I ached.
Holding back the questions I had about his football life was a restraint I could physically feel. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, either. During the walk down the asphalt path, I’d tasted the words in my mouth but choked them back. But then he’d claimed my mouth with his, making it so all I could taste was delicious him.
“I’m kind of pissed at Dave,” Jay mumbled into my skin, right at the spot where my neck met my body.
“Yeah?”
“Why the hell didn’t he introduce us?”
I wanted to laugh. Or tell him I’d had the same thought about Marcy. But Jay’s lips had rendered me unable to do anything. I couldn’t even breathe. Every inch of me was sensitized and hyperaware of him. I was turning to liquid in his hands, and he was barely touching me.
My eyes fluttered closed as his mouth crept along the length of my collarbone to the base of my throat and continued to the other side. His hands settled at my waist, but the longer we kept kissing, the bolder he seemed to grow. His palms inched upward.
It was like I’d drawn up a playbook and every route was executed flawlessly by Jay.
Breath caught in my lungs as his hands slid to a stop on my ribcage, pausing just below my breasts. The heat of his palms was a hot iron, seeping through my chiffon dress. I wanted him to keep going, but I also grew nervous. I wanted him too badly. Too much. I wasn’t the type to be reckless or have a random hookup.
Was I?
His mouth found mine, and his kiss was urgent. Needy. It was loaded with lust, and I was desperate to give in to it.
“You were right,” I said, trying not to pant it out. “Your kiss needs to come with a warning.”
A noise escaped the back of his throat. A deep, wicked chuckle.
It was too hot for Ohio in August. Even in the shade, it was a million degrees Fahrenheit. Sweat blossomed on my skin, beading into tiny drops as Jay shifted his stance between my parted legs and urged me closer. I dry swallowed when there was no space left between us, and his hips pressed against the insides of my thighs. My skirt rode up, and I could feel the firm bulge in his pants nudging me.
It was powerful knowing I’d turned him on, and it was just my kiss that seemed to be doing it. My blood had burst into steam in my veins the moment his lips locked onto mine. I’d never had a kiss like his. Didn’t even know I was capable of this kind of feeling.
I hadn’t intended to do more than kiss him, but now I craved more. “Oh, God, do it,” I whispered, arching my back and making it as clear as possible what I wanted. I stared into his intense blue eyes, watching his lust-filled expression as he followed my plea. I sighed in relief as he moved his hands one inch up, followed by another.
Until his hands covered my breasts, gripping me through my dress. I moaned, but it was swallowed up under his dominating kiss. Jay drew my bottom lip into his mouth and bit down. Just a hint of teeth. I inhaled sharply, but not in pain. His action had sent pleasure zinging between my legs.
“Kayla.” He broke the kiss only for a moment. “You are so fucking hot.”
The earth was spinning like I was drunk, only I wasn’t even buzzing from alcohol. This was entirely him. It became acute when one of his large hands abandoned my breasts and fell onto my knee. His palm was warm and damp as it skated up the length of my thigh, pushing my skirt out of his way.
Inch by painstakingly slow inch, his fingers trailed up my thigh. I shook with anticipation and gripped fistfuls of his dress shirt. Couldn’t he move faster? His touch was searing and left quivers in its wake. I slid my knees further open as I scooted on his jacket, trying to get closer to him. My heart raced along, pounding in my ears, growing louder with every inch of ground his fingers gained.
Something rattled against my thigh and vibrated. I yelped, and we both froze, clinging to each other. His expression read WTF? I was sure mine was the same, but the second buzzing clued us in.
His phone was in the pocket of his suit jacket, which I was sitting on.
Jay’s annoyed sigh was so quiet I barely caught it over the hum of the cicadas in the trees. He dug his phone out and peered at the screen, which cast soft blue light on his face. It made him look older and serious, but no less attractive.
“Dave,” he explained. “He said Marcy’s been texting you. He asked if I know where you are.”
“I left my purse at the table.” Crap. That wasn’t very smart on my part, but I blamed my distraction on the tall, handsome guy who’d been kissing me fifteen seconds ago.
The phone vibrated again in his hand, and as he read the new message, a confused, playful look lit his eyes. “Now he’s asking me if I’m okay.” An incredulous smile broke on his face. “Holy shit, you make guys cry?”
“Come on, man.” I groaned. Dammit. “Only the one time. He said running spread offense was—” I slammed my mouth shut with an audible snap. “No. No sports. You men are delicate little creatures.”
Jay blinked, as if unsure my statement was hilarious or offensive. “Say that again?”
“It’s Marcy’s mantra. I guess I need to get back to her.”
His gaze scanned down as if evaluating me, and then his thumbs moved, tapping out a response. “I’m telling him we’ll be back in five.”
He slipped the phone back into his pocket, and the cool wind rushed all around us, fluttering my skirt and rustling noisily in the trees. Thank God for the interruption. Part of me wanted to stay here on the wall and let Jay’s hands explore further up my skirt, but the fresh burst of air had my head back on straight. My friend was looking for me.
Not just my friend, but the bride, and this was her day. I needed to set my hormones to the side.
Jay leaned in, and I turned my head at the last moment, so his kiss landed on the corner of my mouth. A direct hit would be like a blitz. When I denied him the full contact, his mouth sought other areas, zeroing in on my neck.
“You make it hard to want to get off this wall,” I said.
“I’m not sorry about that.”
I shuddered with pleasure but put my hands on his broad shoulders, easing him back. Reluctance played over his face and vanished into a soft smile. He helped me down onto my feet, brushed the dirt off his tux jacket, and folded it over his arm. I looked up at him when I realized he was concealing his hard-on, but he ignored my grin and handed me my shoes.
“Consider this halftime,” he said. His low voice was seductive and promising.
“Watch it,” I teased. “That’s a sports reference.”
We made our way slowly back to the clubhouse, which was probably for the best. The sunlight was fading fast now and the mosquitos had discovered I was delicious. Marcy was on the stone patio, encircled by her guests and talking animatedly until her gaze locked on to me. Or perhaps the guy I was walking beside.
She looked uneasy.
When I reached the top of the steps, Marcy stepped away from her guests, grabbed my arm, and stared up at Jay. “Can I borrow Kayla for a second?”
“You want another drink?” he asked me, gesturing to the bar inside.
“No, thanks. I’ll see you inside.”
His large form disappeared through the doorway, and the grip on my arm suddenly went ferocious. I stared down at Marcy’s hand squeezing my bicep. “Um, ow?”
My statement didn’t even register. Her face was ultra-serious. “Where did you two run off to?”
I shrugged off her hold. “We went for a walk.”
Skepticism streamed across her expression. “Were you scoping out places to hide the body?”
“What? Whose body?”
“Jay’s.” Her tone suggested I was being an idiot, and apparently, I was. Because I didn’t get it.
“Do your eyes not work? Why would I want to hide his banging body?” I made a face. “I apologize for my use of the word ‘banging’ just now. But seriously. You thought I was going to murder him?”
She pressed her lips together. “I didn’t think you guys would get along.” Her posture straightened abruptly. “You went for a walk with him?”
She was just picking up on that comment now? “Yeah.”
“What exactly did you do on this walk?”
I tried not to let the heat of the memory get to me. “We talked.”
She didn’t buy it for a second. “Oh, yeah? About what?”
“Stuff.” I was so convincing. “Non-sports related . . . stuff.”
“Hussy!” She whispered it like it was a great victory. “Oh my God, tell me everything.”