Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 382(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
I pulled into the lot, finding it a lot less packed than the last time I’d been there. Which, I guess, was a good thing. It meant things had calmed down from a security perspective.
I’d barely been able to climb out of the car before the front door opened.
Then there he was.
Looking even more handsome than I remembered.
Desire, just barely simmering there under the surface, boiled over, chasing away the chill, almost making me a little overheated in my layers.
“You look fucking great,” he said, making my belly wobble. “But… bare legs?” he asked as he came closer.
“They’re not bare,” I said as I reached down to pull the legging away from my skin. “They’re lined so I’m warm. But still look like, you know, I’m trying to look pretty,” I admitted, feeling the blood rush to my cheeks at that admission.
“Mission accomplished,” he said as he got in front of me. Then, without hesitation, he reached for my hips, pulling me against his firm body, and sealing his lips over mine.
It was probably just supposed to be a greeting kiss. Short and sweet.
But the second our lips met, all ideas of self-control just fled both of our minds.
My hands slid up his strong arms to wrap around the back of his neck as one of his teased up my spine to grab the back of my neck. Bending me backward, he deepened the kiss, flooding my senses with his spicy scent, with the heat of him, with the minty taste of his toothpaste as his tongue slipped in to claim mine.
Callow’s other hand slipped down, grazing over my ass, then sinking in, using it to drag me against him.
But just as I was melting into him, the rumble of a motorcycle drew near enough to have us both breaking apart.
“Whoops,” a voice said after the engine cut. “Bad timing, huh?” he asked.
“Could say that,” Callow said, arm slung lazily around my hips, keeping me facing him instead of our interrupter.
“Sorry,” the man muttered before walking off into the clubhouse.
“But we should probably get going anyway,” Callow admitted, letting go of me reluctantly. “Do you have everything you need?” he asked.
“Oh, my jacket,” I said, rushing back to the SUV to grab it off of the passenger seat, and slipping it on.
“Probably a good idea,” Callow agreed as he led me over to a black SUV with windows so tinted that he had to get pulled over constantly about them.
He opened the door, waited for me to try to get in at least somewhat daintily, then slammed the door before making his way around the hood.
“So, do I get to know where we’re going yet?” I asked as we both clicked our seatbelts.
“I think it’ll be more fun if I don’t tell you until we’re there,” he said as he reversed out of his spot. “It’s only a ten-minute drive.”
We drove it in silence. But the music on the radio kept things from feeling awkward as we made our way up the highway toward the shore.
“Are we allowed on the beach at night?” I asked, then cringed at how goody-goody that sounded. What happened to the girl I used to be? Who once went skinny dipping in the ocean at night with a bunch of friends? Boys and girls?
“Nope,” Callow said, shooting me a mischievous grin as he pulled the SUV into a spot and parked.
“But… crap. Isn’t that a cop?” I asked, looking over as someone pulled into the lot behind us.
“Yep,” he agreed, but was still smirking as he climbed out of the car, then walked directly over toward the police cruiser.
Leaning down, he talked to the cop like he was an old friend. Before reaching into his pocket and producing something from his pocket, then handing it to the cop.
With that, the conversation seemed to be over, and I climbed out of the SUV as Callow made his way back.
“Did you just pay off that cop?” I asked, lips curving up.
“Sure did,” he agreed, reaching into the backseat to pull out a, of all things, picnic basket. “How about you carry this?” he said, passing it to me. “Let me do the heavy lifting,” he added.
Then he was reaching toward the roof of the car. And I remembered the kayak strapped there.
“Are we going kayaking?” I asked, mouth falling open.
“We are. In the bay,” he clarified. “Figure we can head out to the little island for a picnic,” he added as he hauled down the kayak.
“That is…” I started, pausing, trying to think of the right thing to say. In the end, I went with the first thing that popped into my mind. “That’s the coolest date idea ever,” I said, beaming at him.
“Thought you might get a kick out of it,” he said, giving me a nod as he started to walk out of the lot.