Will arrived on his bike, sporting his usual swagger and grin. He raked his gaze once over my body, and I suddenly felt aware of every inch of my body.

“You have two jackets,” I remarked.

“Borrowed it,” he explained as he held them for me. A female friend, I thought as I shrugged into the jacket. It was a little too large for me, and I wrinkled my nose at the smell of begonia. I’d much rather have worn Will’s. It was on the tip of my tongue to ask more about the friend, but I couldn’t think of a way to pass it off as sass and not as me poking my nose where it didn’t belong.

Was she an ex? A friend with benefits? Someone who looked like Will probably had a lot of both. I imagined that all that kissing ability came from a lot of experience. As we climbed on the bike, I was feeling oddly deflated, which was ridiculous.

Being so close to Will after last night’s kiss was going to be torture. I was thankful that he was wearing a jacket, because I couldn’t feel him up again. That didn’t keep me from trying, though. I drummed my fingers over his abs, thinking I could pass it off as simply searching for the best place to rest my hands... for support, of course. When Will cleared his throat, I froze, then wrapped my arms around his waist. I kept my crotch and thighs a few inches from him, trying to minimize the body contact, but I slid forward in my seat when he used the brakes, or at a turn, and every time my groin collided with his ass, I... simmered, for a lack of a better word.

We took the freeway to Pasadena, exiting at Lake Avenue. By the time we reached the mountains, I was all hot and bothered, and kind of wished we’d gone to the ocean. I needed to jump in the water and cool off.

“There are some lockers here. We can leave the helmets, but let’s take the jackets with us. Might get chilly.”

“Good thinking.”

I took in my surroundings, breathing in the cool mountain air. I’d often wondered why everyone associated LA with beaches when the mountains were equally impressive. Today, the area was full. Clearly Will hadn’t been the only one who wanted to escape the heat. After placing the helmets in a locker, Will pulled up a map of trails on his phone.

“How far are you comfortable hiking ?” he asked.

“I can’t do more than four or five miles.”

He pointed to a track. “This one’s got great views.”

“Then we’ve got our trail.”

Before starting our hike, Will bought two bottles of water, which fit into the pockets of the jackets. He surveyed the various groups as we walked the trail, and the hair at my nape stood on end. He was doing that silent vigilante thing again, and I really didn’t like it. It made me want to look over my shoulder at every turn. I didn’t say anything at first, but after about twenty minutes, I brought it up.

“Will, I have one rule for today,” I announced in a cheerful tone, hoping to ease him into it.

He tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips. “And I strike you as a man who plays by rules?”

I had no idea why that sounded hot, but there I was, searching for my wits again.

“You’re the police. Rules are your job.”

“Exactly. I enforce them. But I, myself, like to color outside the lines.”

He’d moved closer, and it wasn’t helping me keep my wits.

“Well, well, what do your superiors say about that?”

“I break the rules in my free time. So what rule did you have in mind?”

I took a deep breath. “I don’t like it when you do that thing where you look around for danger.”

Will’s smile faded. “Right. I forgot about that. Sorry, it’s force of habit.”

I nodded, regretting that I’d brought this up because the playfulness between us was gone.

“Dad does the same thing. It always puts me on edge.”

Will rubbed his jaw, then threw the jacket over one shoulder. “I promise I’ll try.” 

As we climbed further up the trail, Will asked, “How was brunch with your family?”

I clapped my hands. “Fun, as usual. I tried my best to be a brat.”

Will laughed. “Why?”

“Well, I was a brat as a kid, which my brother reminds me of at every turn. He insists on calling me that even now, so... if I can’t shed that image, I’ll embrace it.”

Will laughed even harder. “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you were a brat?”

I feigned offense. “Meaning?”

He came closer, until he was right in my face. “You drive me a little crazy, Paige, you know that?”

“I do?”

He nodded, tracing my jaw with his thumb. I wished he was touching my lip. Stepping back, he motioned for me to keep walking. As we went up, I began to question him.

“So, I take it you weren’t the brat?”

“No. I’d say Jace and Hailey can safely claim that title.”

“And you were...?”

“Ask my siblings. I’m sure they’ll have no problem assigning me a tag. I went through a wild phase after our parents died though.”

“I’m sorry about your loss. How young were you?”

“Sixteen. I was a rebellious teenager, and after that I was a little out of control.”

“That’s understandable,” I said quietly. We were walking side by side, and I slipped my hand in his. It was pure instinct, as it had been at the wedding. And just like then, he squeezed my hand gently.

“Sometimes I think the only reasons I didn’t go off the deep end are my siblings. I had to be here for them. Landon and Val did the heavy lifting. They ran Dad’s pub, but didn’t have time for much else.”

“So you watched the little ones?” I guessed.

He nodded. “Supervised them, yeah. Helped with homework. Cooked. They were a few years younger than me. Hailey was crying in corners when she thought no one was watching. I used to make a fool of myself to make her laugh. It worked. But when Jace started copying the stupid shit I did, I realized I had to stop. If not for my own good, then at least for his.”

I moved closer to him until our arms were touching.

“You’re a great brother.”

“She turned into a pain in my butt when she was thirteen,” he said with a grin. “Sabotaged my dates.”

“I think Hailey might be my soul mate.”

“She’s a great person. All my siblings are great.” I loved the affection in his tone. I hadn’t met many families that were as tight-knit as mine.

“Tell me about your family,” he prompted.

“Well, when we were little, we moved a lot with Dad. But then Mom said it got to be too much, and we settled in LA, where my grandparents were. Mom started working too. She said she needed a career, and she became a real estate agent. So my siblings and I spent most afternoons at the inn. God, it was so much fun.”

We chitchatted about Jace and his soccer career for a good portion of the trail, but then it became steeper, and I started saving my breath.

Will laid a hand on my back, giving me a much-needed push. His hand moved lower as we continued, finally settling just above my ass. I swallowed as I felt one of his fingers on my tailbone. Our kiss from last night replayed in my mind. Each time I imagined it, I found it hotter... and felt hotter.

We reached a plateau before long, and I thanked heaven for that because the muscles in my legs were protesting.

“Want to rest for a bit?” Will asked.

“Oh, yeah.”

He led me to a small clearing, and holy smokes. The view was impossibly beautiful. A canyon and a waterfall stretched before us, and beyond, the city of angels.

“How far above the city are we?” I asked in wonder.

“No clue. But it’s a great view, isn’t it?”

“The best.”

We sat side by side, watching LA, and Will took a swig from a water bottle. Then he offered it to me, and despite having my own bottle, I drank from his. And there I was, remembering the kiss again.

As if sensing my turmoil, Will moved even closer. Our hips were touching. I looked up at him and found him looking at my lips. I licked them.

“I have another rule,” I declared. “You can’t kiss me out here like you did last night.”

Will chuckled. “Did you not hear my speech about rules before?”

“Oh, I did, all right. But it doesn’t mean I have to do what you say.”

“Woman, you can’t push my buttons like this in public.”

That glint in his eyes? Delicious.

“Why not?”

“It’s hot, and I don’t want to be cited for public indecency.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. I’m an officer of the law, after all. It would be embarrassing.”

Oh, but now I was getting all these ideas. How far could I take things before he forgot all about citations? Would it take one jab? Two? Three?

“Paige.” His tone held a note of warning. He looked at me like he knew exactly what I was thinking. “Don’t worry. I won’t kiss you.”

“Wait... at all?”

One corner of his mouth lifted. Then the other. I’d just given him ammunition, but I didn’t care. I wanted my kiss.

“You’re very greedy,” he murmured, bringing his hand to my chin again, caressing it with his thumb. Then he moved his thumb to my lips, from one corner of my mouth to the other. I held my breath as I waited for him to come closer... and then he finally did. The contact electrified me, even though this kiss was different. It was slow and sweet, a gentle exploration. He kissed the bow of my upper lip. Then my lower lip. I needed his tongue, right now. I fisted his shirt in a silent plea, and he gave me what I needed. He slipped his tongue inside my mouth, stroking mine in a lazy rhythm. It was delicious. God, the way this man kissed had to be outlawed. When we stopped to breathe, neither pulled back, so we were breathing the same air.

Then Will pushed a hand through my hair, tilting my head up slightly, and kissed me again. It wasn’t as gentle this time, and I was starting to feel hot for him again. Could this man show me some mercy? I’d admonish him for blatantly disregarding my rule, but I was enjoying it too much to pull back.

“Told you that you drive me crazy,” he murmured when we resurfaced for air again. “I want to take it slow, then you’re in my arms and....” He didn’t need to finish the explanation, because I knew exactly what he meant. It was the same for me.

“Let’s enjoy the view, hmm?” he suggested. I envied his willpower because the only view I wanted to enjoy was of him. But I attempted to do the right thing and turned to watch the city. It was getting a bit chilly, so I put on the jacket and hugged my knees as close to my chest as possible. Will moved behind me, practically covering me with his body. His front was flattened against my back, and the insides of his thighs cradled my legs.

“Warmer? Or do you want us to go?”

“I don’t want us to go,” I said quickly. “We’re having too much fun.”

“I’ll keep you warm.”

And oh boy, did he ever. He rested his nose in the crook of my neck. The contact, along with his hot breath on my skin, would have been enough to light me up. But Will went one step further, placing open-mouthed kisses from time to time. Every time he did, I jolted straighter, feeling the contact between my legs. 

“How is the funding for your education project coming along?”

“It’s still early days, but once I have a few backers things will progress faster. My boss won’t be swayed easily, but I also don’t give up easily.” 

“I like that you’re so determined.”

I took pride in my projects, and for me, there was no greater compliment than when someone praised my work. 

Will wrapped his arms around my shoulders, kissing my temple. He chuckled, and I thought I could stay in his arms forever. I played with his right hand and felt the calluses on his fingers. I knew his work could get rough sometimes. I could ask, but I didn’t think he liked to talk about it, so I just followed my instinct and kissed each pad.

Will stilled. “What are you doing?”

“Kissing,” I explained, without stopping. I lavished each finger with attention, and when I reached his thumb, Will... growled. There was no other way to explain that sound.

“Woman, if you don’t stop, we’ll get that citation.”

Well, damn if that didn’t sound like a good idea. But I stopped and laughed when I felt Will’s breath of relief against my cheek. We stayed for another hour, chatting about everything and nothing, and then we made our way back down. The closer we got to the bottom, the more crowded it became. Because everyone seemed to come down after sunset, the group waiting in line to retrieve their possessions from the lockers was rather large. I glanced at Will from time to time, and I could tell that he was making a concerted effort not to switch on the vigilante mode. I felt bad for asking it of him, but it had made me uncomfortable.

The ride back to my apartment was pure adrenaline. I enjoyed it even more than the lunch ride because the sun wasn’t burning anymore. Will walked me to my front door again.

“I loved the trail,” I commented.

“Me too. I wasn’t expecting so many people. I like it more when it’s not crowded, but I’d choose it over the ocean any day.”

“Yep, can definitely confirm you’re a mountain man and all.”

“What exactly are you implying? That I have no manners?”

Hmmm... the man had asked me not to push his buttons in public, but could I really pass up this opportunity?

“You had your hand up my dress during the wedding. If that ain’t lack of manners, I don’t know what is.”

“It was required. And better me than anyone else.” Will smiled smugly, and before I knew it, his mouth came down on mine. Holy shit, the man was kissing me good. He went all in, tongue and all until I was breathy and turned on.

I was in a daze when he pulled away, resting his cheek against mine.

“I have to go. I have an early start tomorrow,” he said.

I nodded, still dazed from the kiss as he left. Then, as I turned to unlock my door, I remembered how Will had kissed me against it last night... and realized he hadn’t even hinted at coming inside, and it wasn’t that late. Was the fact that a man didn’t want to come inside still general code for him not being that into you? Had today been disappointing for him? Except for that weird moment when I’d laid out my first rule, we’d had fun. I’d thought so at least. But now pushy, cocky Will Connor hadn’t made any sort of move to convince me to invite him inside. Even though he had kissed me as if he’d wanted to make my clothes disappear into a puff of smoke.