Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
He walks over to me, his closeness making my stomach flutter with awareness. He wasn’t supposed to do this, either. I’d resolved to be uncharmable. No man would make me weak in the knees ever again. But my knees aren’t exactly steady right now.
“Okay, this is the move,” he says softly. “When I do this, I’m about to kiss you.”
He curls his index finger, using his knuckle to tilt my chin up. He looks into my eyes, leaning closer.
“No!” I step back. “Not yet, I haven’t brushed my teeth.”
He rolls his eyes and grins. “Go do it then, so we can practice.”
“You think I need to practice kissing?”
His playful grin makes me forget I don’t want to let myself fall for him. “Definitely. We both do.”
I go into the still-steamy bathroom and wipe my palm over the mirror so I can see myself. My hair is everywhere. I look like hell, and Lucien still wants to kiss me.
I’m thorough with the teeth brushing, and I pull my hair up into a messy bun and wash my face, too. The steam fog is clearing from the bathroom mirror, and I smile at my reflection.
This trip wasn’t supposed to be fun. It was supposed to be horrible. Once again, Lucien is turning my expectations upside down.
I take a deep breath and open the bathroom door. He’s right there, and he cups my cheek with his hand and puts the other hand on the small of my back, pulling us together.
A squeak of surprise comes out of me as his mouth covers mine. I melt into him then, putting my arms around his neck. His warm, sensual kiss awakens not just my mouth, but my entire body. I feel it all the way down to the tips of my toes.
I’ve never been kissed like this. I slide a hand up into his hair, plowing my fingers over his scalp. He groans in response and pulls me tighter against him, his tongue brushing over mine.
I don’t want to pull away from him. Not ever. But my body makes me—so I can breathe in air. He doesn’t release his hold on me. Both his arms are around my waist now, and he’s bending down, his forehead resting lightly against mine.
“That’s my other move,” he says against my lips.
“It’s good.” I’m still breathless. “I can see how that one works well for you.”
“No squealing like you’re not used to it. Just kiss me back like I’m your man and you don’t care who knows it. Like I kiss you this way eighteen times a day.”
I don’t put the back of my palm over my forehead like I’m about to pass out, but inside I. Am. Swooning. I’m swooning hard.
All I can do is nod. “Eighteen times a day. Got it.”
He steps back and I immediately miss his heat and closeness. “Have you ever paddleboarded?”
“What?”
Paddleboarding. Our activities today are learning paddleboarding and hiking a volcano with the bridal party and the rest of the family members.
“Oh. Uh ... I did it once. I’m not good at it.”
“I’m decent.”
Of course he is. How can he be thinking about paddleboarding when I’m still reeling from that kiss? It was like that scene in The Wizard of Oz where everything switches from black and white to color.
That’s how amazing a kiss can be. I can’t unknow that now.
“You okay with me smacking your ass or not?”
I furrow my brow. “Right now?”
He quirks a brow, amused. “No, in general. Some guys smack their woman’s ass.”
“Not in public, no. I’ll probably punch you if you smack my ass in public.”
“Got it, only in private.” He winks.
Today is either going to be amazing or a catastrophe. I honestly don’t know which it’ll be. But it definitely won’t be boring with Lucien around.
“No lessons.” The guy who was supposed to teach our group paddleboarding lessons points at the sign stuck in the sand. “Like I said, there’s a box jellyfish advisory. All our lessons are canceled today.”
“No!” Audra pouts. “I have the photographer coming and everything.” She looks at Kyle, like he can do anything about it.
He’s glaring at Lucien, who has his arm around me. I’m wearing a two-piece swimsuit, but it has a high waist and a long top, so only about an inch of my midriff shows. It’s cut to maximize my breasts, though, which I think look spectacular. I have a wrap around my waist and a straw hat on my head.
“We’ll find something else to do,” one of the bridesmaids, Kayla, says. “Maybe kayaking?”
“We’re not renting kayaks today, either,” the guide says. He looks at Kyle and Audra. “We’ll issue a full refund for today. Enjoy the rest of your trip.”
“Well, this sucks,” Audra says glumly as the guide walks away. “I really wanted to paddleboard on this trip.”
“Maybe we can do it the day after the wedding,” Kayla says.