“Oh, God,” I said, sitting back and giving Carter a thumbs-up. “I’m stuffed. That was so good.”

He nodded. “It usually is here. And that sunset is magnificent, although I haven’t been able to tear my eyes away from you often to look at it.”

His compliment made me bite my lip. As brash and direct as I was, my manner served as another form of armor. If I talked so openly about sex, most men didn’t feel a need to go deeper. It was strange to hear an honest, earnest compliment.

“Thank you. You are looking good, yourself. I’ve caught that girl from the rowboat giving you the eyes when you weren’t looking. If you wanted to, you probably could loot her booty.”

Carter looked over at their table. At that moment, the man slid out of his chair and knelt on the ground, holding up a small, square jewelry box.

“Looks like I’m too late,” Carter said.

“I mean, unless they’re into that.”

The woman said yes through tearful eyes, and we joined the rest of the diners in applauding the newly engaged couple.

“Good for them.”

“I guess,” I said. “Proposing over dinner seems a little tacky, though. Either goofy or informal, or grand and impressive. Don’t go halfway between those.”

Carter’s look made me blush. “I wouldn’t have thought you’d have any strong thoughts on engagements, considering your stance toward relationships.”

I coughed as I gathered myself. “I mean, I still grew up a girl, you know? Just because I don’t believe in love doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion on how it should be done.”

“Uh huh.”

Why was he looking at me like that?

“Is it hot in here?” I asked. “And where is the waitress? We should get out of here. I’ve got something I want to do with you. And before you say anything, we will split the bill like modern young professionals. None of this fighting over the check nonsense.”

Carter grinned. “It’s funny you say that. I already paid the bill when I went to the bathroom earlier.”

I glared at him. What a thoughtful, considerate asshole. Of course he would do something like that.

After the turn of conversation and his aggressively manly stunt with the bill, my convictions were on shaky ground. I needed to change that, retake the initiative.

As we walked out of the restaurant, Carter asked what I wanted to do next.

“You know, I’d love to see your place. Specifically, your bed. I’m curious how it feels to get bent over it.” Carter began to speak, but I cut him off with a finger to his lips. “It’s a shame I never go home with a guy until the third date. It’s part of the rules. Sleeping with someone more than once is a dangerous risk.”

I’d led him on perfectly. As I spoke, I pressed myself tight against his side and ran my hands across his chest.

His brow furrowed as his hands came around me. “I’m getting some seriously mixed signals here.”

The pressure against my hip showed me how my tactics were working. Carter’s eyes grew darker in the fading twilight.

“Just because I’m not going home with you doesn’t mean we can’t have any fun,” I said.

Our lips met in a flash of fire. After an entire dinner spent across from and unable to touch each other while flirting outrageously, the pent-up desire sent a flood of hot blood rushing through my body.

Carter took my shoulders and separated us. “I don’t know if I can handle being teased this hard again. I can barely think straight.”

“Perfect,” I said. “Follow me.”

I took his hand and led the way along the paths. It wasn’t quite late enough to be dangerous, but we couldn’t take too long.

As soon as there was no one else in sight, I tugged Carter off the path and toward a stand of dense underbrush around a few trees. They were far enough over the lawn that the dusk was inky black and sounds were muffled. We edged into the bushes, finding a small space hidden from the rest of the park.

“This is—” I cut Carter off as he spoke, kissing him hard.

This time, Carter didn’t hold back the way he had in front of the Boathouse. His hands fell to my ass, pulling me hard against him, his stiff shaft pressing through our layers of clothing. I gasped at his firmness and strength, opening myself up to his touch and his mouth while I held onto his shoulders.

It had been a long time since I’d been this turned on. Every squeeze of Carter’s hands, every stroke of his fingertips, fed into a heady frenzy that built within my body. When he slipped his hands under the waistband of my stretchy yoga pants, I moaned into his mouth. He palmed my ass for another minute, grasping and spreading the cheeks gently, playing with them in a way that just made me even more desperate for his touch.

Then he shifted a hand around to my front and pushed into my panties.

After so much teasing and making out over the course of the date, my body was a land mine. All it took was a single touch, and I exploded.

“Oh, fuck.” If it weren’t for my hold on his shoulders and his hand on my ass, I would have lost my footing at the rush that buzzed through my body. My legs went weak as sparks raced along my nerves at his touch.

Carter’s voice in my ear was low and rough. “You are so fucking wet for me, aren’t you?”

His words made me moan again. “Fuck, yes. It’s all for you, baby. You turn me on so much.”

The sweet friction of his fingertips rubbing against my clit made the world fade away as my eyes lost focus. I had to use touch to run my hand down his body and grasp his manhood through his jeans.

My body was primed to blow, and at the sound of his groan and the feel of his thickness in my hand, I lost control. Keeping just enough presence of mind to bury my face into his chest to muffle my moans, my legs quaked as pleasure swamped my body. It was overwhelming, far more powerful than I expected.

The climax had come on quick and strong, but it lingered in my fingertips and shuddered through my legs. It left me feeling euphoric and energized and even more into the man with his hands in my panties.

“I can’t believe you made me come so fast,” I said. “That felt so good.”

It was too dark to see his smile, but I could hear it in his voice, alongside his aching need.

“Good. It was so hot to hear and feel you come like that.”

All I wanted was to return the favor. The date wouldn’t be complete until I heard Carter come as I tasted him.

With deft hands, I undid his belt and reached inside his underwear. His shaft was already as hard as stone, and my hand naturally wrapped around it as if they were made for each other. If possible, I got even wetter at the silky feeling of his skin.

I crouched in front of him. “Your cock is so nice and hard,” I said, running both hands over the shaft, hefting it and getting a feel for it in the dark.

“How could I not be ready for you?” Carter asked.

With an initial fumble because of the darkness, I gave him a broad stroke of my tongue, dragging it from the base all the way to the tip. His groan was every bit as hot as I thought it would be.

“Jesus, Madison. That feels incredible.”

You think that’s good? I thought. Wait until you see this.

As much as I would have enjoyed teasing him, taking him to the edge and back time and time again until he couldn’t take it and forced me to finish him off, the bushes of Central Park after dark were not the time or place. We had to get out of there as soon as possible.

With that in mind, I opened wide and engulfed him in my mouth, letting the saliva and wetness spread as I took him as deeply as I could on the first stroke.

“Oh, fuck,” Carter gasped, his voice even deeper and a little wobbly.

I didn’t give him time to get his bearings. With an enthusiasm directly related to how amazing he made me feel, I bobbed rapidly on his cock, taking him all the way to my throat time after time as quickly as I could move my head. The entire time, I sucked gently and swirled my tongue, cradling his balls with one hand as the other tugged on the base of his shaft. It was every trick I had for getting a guy to blow, all at once and with no warmup.

It had predictable results.

“Shit. Oh, my God. Fuck, Madison, you’re going to make me… I’m coming!”

His words and the hot, raspy way he said them were like adding jet fuel to my fire. I quickened my pace, ignoring his half-hearted attempts to pull me off his manhood.

Seconds later, he jerked and his come blasted into my mouth, but I barely slowed, making it as good for him as I could. His groans lengthened into one sustained note that didn’t end until his climax did.

I slowed gradually, finally stopping and sucking him as clean as I could manage without being able to see.

“Mmm, thank you,” I said, rising to my full height.

Carter gave a shaky chuckle. “I feel like I should be the one thanking you. I’m sorry I came so fast. That was incredible. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

A flush of pride swept through me. A guy complimenting my skills wasn’t new, but there was nothing sincerer than when a man’s body backed up his words.

“Don’t apologize,” I said. “That was exactly what I wanted. And it was so fucking hot. I’m even wetter now. My poor vibrator. I’m going home to abuse it for hours.”

Carter pulled me close and kissed me. It wasn’t as aggressive as he had been—although I was still revved up to extreme heights, he had gotten off, and most guys needed a break before dialing back up. That’s the only reason I could say goodbye and part ways before I broke my rules about going home with him.

“This was crazy and amazing,” Carter said as we made sure we were decent before fighting our way out of the bushes. “I can already tell you that I’ll never forget tonight for the rest of my life.”

His voice carried a hint of wistfulness. That made me wary, but I couldn’t begrudge him it. Carter would be harder to get over than most men.

And that’s why you can’t have more than three dates, I reminded myself. You already know you would fall for him.

We’d almost reached the path when Carter laughed.

“What’s up?” I asked him before I followed his gaze.

“No way.”

The couple we’d been running into all day walked up the path arm in arm. The woman glanced up as they approached, and she did a double-take.

“Oh, come on,” she said.

The man just sighed and hugged her closer, and they quickened their pace as they squeezed by us on the path.

“Congratulations,” Carter said as they passed. “Enjoy the post-engagement sex. It might be the best sex you have for the rest of your life. With each other, anyway.”

Neither of them acknowledged his comment.

We watched them go as I cuddled up against Carter’s arm.

“You know, I kinda liked them,” I said.

“Me too. I do hope things work out for them.”

It wasn’t far to the nearest gate, and we took our time as we strolled through the pools of light cast by the lamps.

“I had a great time today,” I said. “And I’m really looking forward to our next date.”

“Me too,” Carter said. “I have the feeling it will be even more special than this one.”

I both couldn’t wait for it and wanted it to never come.