Summer Love_ A Steamy Small Town Romance Anthology - Piper Rayne Page 0,200

well as a music festival later this summer—provided my bandmate gets released from rehab in time.”

“I saw something about that. Sorry.”

His tongue drew lazy circles on her palm. “Thought you weren’t a fan.”

“Idle curiosity.”

He laughed into her palm and her muscles clenched against his quads. “That’s ten questions now, Mai with an I.” He gave her palm one more kiss and pulled her down to him. He started the kiss slowly, a feathery nip at her lower lips, gauging her seriousness, giving her a chance to back out. When she began to kiss him back, however, all bets were off, and he pressed his lips firmly against hers. She tasted like coffee and cake, and he imagined that was the way she tasted all the time. A man could get used to that. Smoky and sweet. He was aroused before they began kissing—now the feeling was multiplied.

How many nights had he lain awake, remembering what it felt like to kiss her? Too many to count. On the one hand, yes, she had made him feel normal that evening in London. But on the other hand, kissing her didn’t feel normal at all.

It felt extraordinary.

He wasn’t one to believe in love at first sight. But a connection at first sight? Yup. He definitely had felt a connection to this woman the moment she opened her mouth and began to sing.

“Maybe we should skip the rest of the questions,” she whispered into his lips.

“I don’t think so,” he whispered back, breaking the kiss. “I’ve waited two years for this. I want you to have all the information necessary to make an informed decision.” He wanted to carry her upstairs to her bed and ravish her all night long. But he wanted her to be one hundred percent certain about it.

“What’s your favorite color?” she asked.

“Orange.”

“No one’s favorite color is orange.”

“You didn’t say I had to answer the questions truthfully.”

She bit back a snort-laugh and it was so effing adorable, he almost relented on the remainder of the questions. Almost. He wanted to tease her a while longer.

“Sun sign?”

“Leo.”

“Shoe size?”

“Ten and a half.”

“Coke or Pepsi?”

“Dr. Pepper.”

She was clearly rushing through questions. He took that as a good sign.

“Did you have the lead in any school musicals?”

“I had the lead in all of them.”

“Really?”

“You sound surprised. I was Tevye, Danny Zuko, and Finch. What about you?”

“I was Annie—and yes, I wore a red wig. And Anita and Cosette.”

“I’m impressed.”

“Spirit animal?”

“Owl.”

“Really?”

He shrugged. “First animal that came to mind. Chestnut tree.”

“I wasn’t going to ask that one.”

“Biggest regret?”

“Auditioning for a certain televised talent show.”

She studied his face for a long moment. Probably trying to decide whether or not to believe him.

“So what did you want to be when you grew up?”

“A fireman. Then an astronaut. Later, a rodeo rider.”

“What happened?”

“I’m terrified of heights, so that ruled out the first two. And I grew up in Pittsburgh, not a part of the world known for its rodeo circuit.” He ran his thumb over her lower lip. “That’s twenty, I believe.”

Chapter Five

“Wrap your legs around me.”

His hands cupped her bottom and pulled her into his hips. She hooked her ankles behind his waist, and he stood, lifting her up. The towel immediately dropped to the floor, leaving nothing between her bare thighs and his erection. Every step he took toward the back staircase pressed it harder against the aching spot between her legs.

Men-wise, her life had been pretty quiet in the past two years. The breakup with Kyle had left her so heartbroken and disappointed that she’d thrown herself into Two Beans. Her business was something she had control over. The more love she put into it, the more the town loved and supported it.

But it didn’t keep her warm at night. It didn’t fill that emptiness she woke to each morning, an empty bed, an empty kitchen table. No one to drink coffee with, just her and her alone.

Ian Youngblood wasn’t going to be that person, either. Obviously. But maybe he could help her get her mojo back. She’d had a few online dates here and there since Kyle, but nothing that had materialized into anything long term. She was ready for long term, for marriage and kids and a single family home and a white picket fence.

She just had to find someone who wanted all of that—in St. Caroline. Small town life wasn’t for everyone. It definitely wasn’t suitable for a big time rock star like the one carrying her up to bed. He could break