Piper sat down and gratefully took a long cool drink of water. Kenzie came and sat down beside her.

“How are you doing?” she asked.

“Wonderfully, thanks.”

The wedding reception was in full swing, and it was fun to watch everyone out on the dance floor.

Kenzie grinned. “I think I’d be doing wonderfully too if I were you.”

“Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

Kenzie laughed. “You know damned well why. For all your bleating about not knowing if Cameron’s interested, I think you have your answer now.”

Piper smiled. She did. She looked over to where he was standing talking to Jack and Pete. He turned as if he felt her gaze on him, and smiled. She sucked in a deep breath. He sure was sexy, and throughout the afternoon and evening, he’d taken every little opportunity to let her know that he’d meant what he’d said earlier. There was no flip switch to turn him off anymore. It seemed he was very much turned on to her.

The wedding had been beautiful. Piper was so happy for Laura and Smoke, and Cameron obviously was, too. He’d taken his duties as best man very seriously, and especially the part about being paired with the maid of honor. He’d stayed by her side whenever he could, and when she’d gone to dance with the girls, or he was chatting with people like he was now, he kept seeking her out with his gaze, and when he found her letting her know that he was still looking forward to later.

“Oh my God!” said Kenzie. “You totally just zoned me out while you two were staring into each other’s eyes!”

Piper laughed. She couldn’t deny it. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. What I want to know is why you’re still here? I’d have dragged him back to my room by now if I were you, made him make good on all those promises.”

“What promises?”

Kenzie laughed. “Every time he looks at you, he’s making a promise that he’s going to screw your brains out just as soon as he can get you out of here.”

Piper laughed. “You think?”

“I know—and so do you!” Kenzie pushed at her arm. “Why don’t you go and grab him and get on with it?”

“I couldn’t. He couldn’t. We can’t just sneak out on the wedding reception.”

Kenzie shook her head. “You can bet your ass Smoke and Laura would.”

“No.” Piper would love to do as Kenzie said—go grab Cameron and drag him off to her room, but she knew the time would come. She didn’t want to miss this. She wanted to be here for Laura. “I can’t just duck out on my bridesmaid’s duties.” She winked at Kenzie. “And besides, we’ve got all night.”

Kenzie laughed. “That’s the spirit.”

They both looked up as Cameron approached the table. Piper couldn’t drag her eyes away from him. His jacket was gone, and she’d never seen a guy look so damned sexy in a dress shirt. It stretched over his muscular torso, and he’d rolled up the sleeves a little way. His forearms did funny things to her insides. His hands looked so big. A shiver of anticipation ran through her at the thought that those hands had been on her breasts earlier today—and they would be again later. This time with no clothes to hinder them.

“Do you want to dance with me?” he asked when he reached them.

She nodded and took the hand he offered to pull her to her feet. She looked back and chuckled at Kenzie who muttered “Horizontally.” As they walked away.

Once they were out on the dance floor, Piper was glad that the music had slowed. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She was relieved. A part of her had been curious whether he’d want to hide what was going on between them. After all, so many people—including his parents—were here. She placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled up at him.

He raised an eyebrow and looked sad.

“What’s the matter?”

“Aren’t you going to come any closer?” He tightened his arms around her waist and pressed his hips against her. She drew in a sharp breath at the feel of his arousal.

She looked up into his eyes, and his smile left no doubt about what he wanted. She stepped closer, sliding her arms up around his neck and pressing the full length of her body against him.

He lowered his eyelids for a moment and let out a sigh. “Damn, you feel good.”

She ran her tongue over her bottom lip. “You have no idea how good I feel.”

He grinned and slid a hand down over her ass, pressing himself against her so she could feel the effect her words had on him. “I’m looking forward to finding out.”

She hadn’t meant it like that. She’d meant he didn’t know how good he made her feel—but he thought she was bragging about how good she would feel to him when he … when they … later! She tightened her arms around his neck, mostly for support, since she felt like she might melt into a puddle at his feet if he kept swaying his hips against hers like that.

His eyes twinkled as he looked down at her. He thought she was encouraging him. Hell, she was.

She was sad when the song came to an end. Dancing with him like that was the most intimate she’d been with a man in over a year—and she was the most turned on she’d been in many years. Maybe ever.

She loosened her arms, expecting him to step away from her, but her held her closer and shook his head.

“No?” she asked.

“No.” He smiled down at her. “I can’t believe what an idiot I’ve been, letting you get away from me the last couple of weekends. This time, there’s no way I’m letting go of you until I get you back to your room.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Or my room. Wherever. I wish we could leave now, but we should stay until Cole and Laura call it a night. So, until they do, I’m going to do anything I can to keep you in my arms.”

Piper closed her eyes and shook her head.

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

“No. You said everything right. I think your assistant might be right.”

“About what?”

“That you’re a womanizer. You know the exact right thing to say to get a girl dropping her panties for you.” She was trying to make light of the effect his words had on her. The thought of him wanting to keep her in his arms made her heart melt—and her panties wet. She couldn’t fall for it, though. If he was that kind of guy, he’d always know the right thing to say to get into her panties, and she’d do well to remember that. She looked up into his eyes, expecting to see him laughing or maybe looking guilty that she saw through him. Instead, he looked hurt.

“I didn’t … it wasn’t.” He shook his head looking frustrated, then he smiled and nodded and blew out a sigh. “I guess you’re going to think what you think about me, no matter what I say.”

She laughed. “And we both know I’m right. It’s okay, you don’t need to pretend to be something you’re not. You told me you’re a womanizer, I appreciate you being up front about it. This way we both know what we’re doing. No strings, no complications, right?”

She thought he’d be pleased to have it all out in the open, but he didn’t look very happy. Maybe she should stop being so forthright about it. She was grateful that he’d warned her what he was like; she probably didn’t need to keep bringing it up.

The next song had started while they were talking, and he was moving her body with his again. She needed to get out of her head and enjoy this. Take her own advice that she’d been dishing out last weekend and enjoy every moment. She probably wouldn’t see him again after tomorrow, so maybe she should just make the most of it. Take all his lines as if he meant them, let the compliments wash over her—and maybe into her. It had been a long time since a guy had built up her ego. She should enjoy this, even if she did know that Cameron was just working his lines in order to get her into bed.

~ ~ ~

Cameron smiled to himself as he watched Cole and Laura make their exit. He was happy to see them go. He hadn’t thought they’d leave for hours yet, but it seemed that Cole was eager to get his bride back to their suite. Laura had looked a little uncertain, but Cole had said something that convinced her, and now they were slipping quietly away. If he knew his brother, they might come back later, for appearance’s sake, but for now, at least, they were gone. Which meant he was relieved of his duties, and so was Piper.

He led her off the dance floor and out onto the terrace. If anyone was watching, they’d think they were out here for some fresh air—not that he’d dragged her off to his room.

“Hey, Cam.”

He stopped and smiled at his little sister, feeling a little guilty. Not about being with Piper. Chelsea had only been telling him last night how much she liked Piper and how Piper was the kind of girl he should find for himself. No, he felt guilty because he knew Chelsea had a lot going on in her life at the moment, and he’d planned to catch up with her and see how she was doing. “Hey, Chelsea. What are you doing out here?”

She shrugged. “I needed a breather.” She smiled at Piper. “Sorry, I won’t hold you up.”

Piper shook her head. “You’re not. Not at all.”

Chelsea gave her a knowing smile. “You’re too sweet.” She nodded at them and went back inside before either of them could say anything more.

“Do you think she’s okay?” asked Piper.

“I’m sure she’s fine.” Cameron wanted to sound more convinced than he did. Poor old Chelsea didn’t really know anyone here—other than their parents—and he doubted she’d want to hang out with them. She got along with them well enough, but things had been strained lately.

“Do you want to go after her?”

“No!” Cameron had to laugh at just how forcefully that came out. “Sorry. Part of me thinks I should go after her. But she’s a big girl. I can catch up with her any time. You, on the other hand, have managed to stay out of my reach for the last few weeks and …” His voice trailed off at the realization. He didn’t want to say it out loud.

But Piper finished the thought for him. “And you don’t know if you’ll ever catch up with me again.” He made a face, and she laughed. “It’s true, admit it.”

He frowned. He didn’t want it to be true, and he didn’t want to admit it. “No.”

She raised an eyebrow. “No?”

“No. I’m coming back up here next weekend, and I’d like to think that I’ll be able to catch up with you then.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. Why had he said that? He hadn’t planned to come back next weekend. Cole, no doubt wouldn’t even be here—he’d be away on his honeymoon. “I see,” was all she said.

He took her hand and led her across the terrace and down the steps which led away from the lodge.

“Where are we going?”

“To the beach,” he told her with a grin.

“Oh.”

“Don’t you want to?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I do, I just thought …”

He chuckled. “You thought I was going to take you straight back to your room, didn’t you?”

She nodded, looking a little shamefaced.

He smiled and slid his arm around her shoulders as they walked. “Honestly, so did I.”

“But now you’re not?”

He had to smile at the look of disappointment on her face. “Not straight there, no. That just feels a little premeditated.”

She laughed. “Well, it kind of is, isn’t it?”

“I suppose.” Part of him was wishing he’d gone straight up to her room, but that had felt wrong. She’d taken it seriously when he told her that Mary Ellen said he was a womanizer. Now she seemed to think that he was just going through the motions to get her into bed. He didn’t like that. He didn’t want it to be that way. It didn’t feel that way to him. He liked her. He wanted to get to know her, and he didn’t just want to sweet talk her into bed then be on his way in the morning.

They crossed the road, and he held her hand as they took the stairs down to the beach.

“This place is so beautiful,” she said once they reached the sand.

The moonlight sparkled on the water and reflected off her face.

“You’re beautiful, Piper.” The words came out of him before he knew he was saying them. She was gorgeous—not in the overly made-up and perfectly groomed way that Larissa and the women at home were beautiful. No, she was a natural beauty. It wasn’t just skin-deep either. The beauty shone out of her; it was who she was, not just the way she looked.

She laughed. “Thank you, and you are a very handsome guy. Now have we done the requisite number of compliments and the romantic walk in the moonlight? Can we go back now?”

Cameron’s heart sank. She really thought this was just a ploy? He’d wanted to come down here with her and enjoy some time with her. He wasn’t just going through the motions. He shook his head.

“We can’t go back?”

He sighed. “We can if you want.”

“You don’t want to?”

He shrugged. Maybe they should. It seemed the whole point of being out here on the beach in the moonlight was lost on her. It seemed that anything he did would only be interpreted as another move to seduce her.

“Oh!” She looked both shocked and excited at the same time. “I get it.”

“Get what?” asked Cameron. He didn’t. He didn’t get it at all—whatever it was.

Her smile looked a little guilty, but she looked thrilled too. “You don’t want to go back to the lodge because you’d rather … down here?”

He frowned. Of course, he’d rather be down here. He’d thought a romantic walk in the moonlight would be something they could both enjoy. He hadn’t realized she’d dismiss it as him making a move. And what was she smiling about?

She looked around. “Where though?”

He stared at her, wondering what she meant. Then it dawned on him. She thought he brought her down here because he wanted to screw her down here? She didn’t think much of him then, did she?

She came to him with a very naughty smile on her face and slid her arms up around his neck. “You’ll have to help me out of the dress first.”

He looked down at her. How could he tell her that this wasn’t what he meant without offending her?

She pressed herself against him, and the feel of her full soft breasts against his chest made him wonder what he should tell her. It might not have been his intention, but if it was what she wanted … who was he to deny her? He reached around her back and pulled the zipper down. She cupped his face between her hands and kissed him deeply. Wow. All of a sudden, he had no idea why this was a bad idea. It was a great idea, and it was getting better by the second as her hands found his zipper and pushed down his pants. He pushed her dress off her shoulders, and it landed at her feet. She was unfastening his shirt, much too slowly for his liking. He helped her out, and soon it lay beside her dress.

He put his hands on her waist and stepped back. Damn! She was amazing. Her full breasts were spilling out of a silky bra, and her panties hugged her rounded hips, a little triangle of silk covering the place he wanted to be. He ran his hands over her ass, pulling her against him. She gasped as his hard-on pushed into her belly, and he slipped his fingers inside her panties. Her ass was amazing. He filled his hands with her round cheeks and ground his hips into her. She clung to his shoulders and let out a little gasp as he brought his mouth down on her neck. She was so warm and soft and rounded. He needed to taste her.

He growled as she ran her hands down his back then grasped his ass. This was no good. Right now, he wished they were in her room, and there was a bed he could throw her down on. He wanted to take his time and explore her body, but out here on the beach, that wasn’t going to be possible. He looked around. He’d take her here in the sand, or over against one of the trees if he had to, but he was hoping for something else. He couldn’t believe his luck when he spotted a double sun lounger under the trees. He took her hand and led her to it.

Her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him. “Did you leave this here ready?”

He bit the inside of his cheek. At some point, he’d have to set her straight about who he was, and what he was really like. As much as it irked him that she thought he was that much of a player, it wasn’t the important detail to deal with right now. Right now, the most important thing was to wrap an arm around her waist. Then to unclasp her bra. Then what he had to do was enjoy the surge that rushed through him when her plump breasts sprang free.

She moaned when he dropped his head and took her nipple in his mouth. Her fingers tangled in his hair and he sucked hard. Then she was gone. Her breast left his mouth with a little popping sound. He looked up. Where was she going? He smiled when he saw. It seemed she didn’t want to wait. She was getting on the sun lounger and lying down, holding her arms up to him. Inviting him to join her—how could he say no?