Page 18 of Kiss and Tell

“Oh! Hi.” She turns in the small space I give her between my arms.

“Hi. I think since I won you should give me a prize.”

“Prize?” Her brows furrow together as she tries to figure out what I am talking about.

“Yeah, I think since I won I should get a prize and since you are the second person here, it should be you who gives it to me.”

“Yeah, Wisteria. Give him a prize.” I look over to find Rachel being pulled from the water by Aaron. The two of them made it to the dock at the same time, although I can’t help but wonder if Aaron did that on purpose. You would have to be fucking blind to not realize how he feels about Rachel.

Cord gets on board, “Yeah, the first person here should be given something.”

“Well, um… what do you want?”

“Nothing big. Just a kiss.”

She slides her eyes over to where the others wait and watch. “Why do I have to give it to you?”

“Because as much as I like Cord, I don’t want a kiss from him.”

The others laugh and turn back to Wisteria.

“Okay. I guess it’s alright. I mean it’s just a kiss. Right?”

“Uh huh, just one little kiss.”

She licks her lips and I feel my groan tighten in anticipation of having her sweet mouth under mine again. She leans forward but has to eventually use her hands to help her keep herself up out of the water and still come close enough to me. She lays her palms on my shoulders and pulls herself out of the water using me to steady herself.

When she comes close enough, pressing her lips to mine, my arm comes up around her and I turn us in one swift move. I cup the back of her head in the palm of my hand so I can turn her head and take control. She gasps just enough to give me an in. I push my tongue against her slightly opened mouth and see her eyes pop open wide in surprise. I keep us afloat at the same time I sink deeper into her honeyed cavern.

She tastes like peaches and cream with a tinge of something much, much sweeter. I flick my tongue over hers before I pull back just slightly. “Open that sweet mouth for me, Winnie, and give me my prize.”

I let my fingers sink into her wet braid and use the hold I have on her to tilt her head back. This time when I come back to her mouth and slide my tongue over hers, she shyly comes up to touch mine. It’s hesitant at first, but I wait patiently for her to pick up the rhythm I am showing her.

And find out that Winnie is a fast learner.

Chapter Seventeen

Wisteria

I sigh and sink into the kiss before I can tell myself this is a bad damned idea. I dart my tongue against his and tell myself just to enjoy this. Enjoy every second of this moment. The taste of him, the feel of him up against me, the rough tug of his fingers in my hair moving me where he wants me.

By the time he pulls away from me, I have shamefully pulled my legs up around his waist and wrapped my arms around his neck. My legs spring apart, and I make myself loosen my hold on him. My lips curl around my teeth taking in the last taste of him that still lingers on my lips and slide my gaze over to the others. All of them are turned towards us, watching with rapt interest.

Rachel is the first to speak, “Wow, that was some prize, girl.”

Heat hits my cheeks and I put even more space between us. He takes me by the hand and tugs me back to him before I can get too far away. Seriously blue eyes look down at me.

“Thank you for my prize, Winnie.”

He’s lifting me out of the water by the time I get my head together to say anything to him. We spend another thirty minutes lying on the wood staring up at the sky and clouds, talking about everything and nothing at all. By the time we make it back to the house all of us are starving and very ready for dinner together.

I try not to think about that kiss or the way I reacted to it or how good Banner looked in his trunks. I just focus on getting through dinner. By the time I make it to my room, I don’t care that it is a new bed in a new place. I don’t care that our rooms share a bathroom and a balcony. I don’t even mind that I am in a house full of strangers trying to pretend I know more than I do. I just collapse on the bed and burrow under the sheets, completely ready to hide in the sweet oblivion of slumber.

The next morning it appears as if I am the first one up since I don’t spot another person on my way downstairs. I look through the many open rooms until I come upon a room that must be the library. A smile tilts across my lips at the room and all thought of going for breakfast evaporates. Sun is coming through the wall of French doors and the other side of the room is full of books of all sizes and shapes. In the middle of the room is one big stone fireplace that I can tell I would fall in love with on cold, winter days. Or during the summer, I could open the doors up and let in the soft scent of all the beautiful things growing right outside. I run my fingers over the many books, searching the titles with no real aim when Aaron steps through the door.

“Oh hi. I didn’t realize anyone but me was awake.”

I give him a smile before answering, “Me either. I saw this place on my way to the kitchen and got a little sidetracked.”