Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 94630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“I don’t mean to.” The urge to hold her, to touch her, scalded his hands until his fingers twitched. He dropped his eyes to the gazebo floor. “I don’t want that.”
“I’m not doing this anymore.” Tears wet her words and broke his heart. “Just go. I finally got the message. You don’t want me.”
Her last words fell apart as the tears took over. Cam glanced up, and what he saw ripped his heart right down the blackened middle. Jo stood, shoulders shaking, lips clamped together imprisoning a sob, a hand covering her eyes like she couldn’t stand to watch him walk away. His heart and his will had been circling one another for so long over this girl, now a woman. His will had ruled, barely, pulling his heart into line. Cam felt the shift in power, and there was nothing he could do to stop this act of sedition. The weariness that sets in when you forget what you’re fighting for, or when surrender looks too sweet, was his undoing.
His heart rebelled and he turned and walked over to Jo. He stopped just inches from her, both hands taking hold of her face, hot with her tears. He dipped his head until his lips rested right next to her ear. He pushed one hand into her hair and slid the other down her arm, lacing their fingers.
“Not want you?” He inhaled the scent buried beneath her hair. “I fight myself not to take you.”
Jo stiffened, uncovering her eyes and blinking up at him, uncertain surprise flitting across her face. She pulled her lips into her mouth. She reached up, pushing a chunk of hair behind his ear, tracing a finger over his eyebrows before touching his mouth.
She rose on her toes, straining up until her breath, her words misted his lips:
“Stop fighting and kiss me.”
“I can’t.” Even as he said it, his hands, vagabonds wandering from her arms to her waist and her hips, cupped her butt, drawing her so close she wouldn’t be able to escape how hard he was. “I’m not good, Jo. There are things you need to know that I’m not ready to tell you.” Cam dropped his head to the velvety skin between her neck and shoulder. He feathered kisses up to her ear and whispered, “Be sure.”
Jo pulled back, gripping his face between her hands, resting her elbows against his chest, and holding his eyes captive with hers.
“I am.”
He ignored his conscience, that voice that had told him from day one he could never be good enough for someone like Jo, and he did it.
He kissed her.
Chapter Eleven
At thirteen years old, Jo had fantasized about her first kiss. In her mind, it would be with Cam. She had practiced on her pillow and French-kissed her hand. She had positioned herself just so during Spin the Bottle, but Cam’s bottle had never landed on her. He’d never even hinted that he’d wanted to kiss her, that he fantasized about her, too. So all she’d had were daydreams. And in those daydreams, Cam nibbled at her lips. Slipped his tongue into her mouth, shy as she was. He was gentle and careful.
This was not that kiss.
This kiss was made of sweet smoke and embers. It sizzled on her lips and seared her senses until she could only feel and taste and touch and see him. The whole universe whittled down to this man completely possessing her with a kiss. Sucking her tongue into his mouth. Pulling her lips between his teeth for tantalizing bites.
Cam walked them backward with slow, measured steps until he eased onto the bench, never leaving space between their mouths. He pulled her bare legs to either side of his hips, pressing against her back until her breasts were crushed against his chest. He lowered his head, nudging the straps of her camisole aside with his lips and sucking on her naked shoulder. Jo moaned, tipping her head back until her hair rained between her shoulder blades. Cam pushed the camisole down around her waist and pulled her breast into his greedy mouth. With every pull of his lips and tongue, she rolled her hips against him, a steady, sensual syncopation that shoved Jo over the edge. She took shelter against his chest, gripping his neck, huffing hot air into the collar of his shirt. Her thighs tightened around his hips, and her body released in shivers and whimpers and shudders.
She stilled little by little, falling against him, limp and pliant. Cam pushed her hair behind her shoulders, raining kisses over her collarbones and nipples until they peaked and begged for his mouth again. He suckled at her, sliding his hands inside her shorts, squeezing her butt and urging her against him.
“Cam, I just—”
“I know.” He looked up, anointing her nipples with his words. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I want it again and again and again.”