The Wedding Pact Box Set - Denise Grover Swank Page 0,72

it pretty fast.

“Are you and Noah close?”

His gaze rose to her face, and he seemed to hesitate before saying, “Not particularly.”

“But he came out here to find you anyway.”

He seemed to think over his response. “He was worried.”

“About you or something else?”

He looked startled, and she laughed before taking another drink. She closed her eyes and let the cool liquid run down her throat. She hadn’t had a drink all evening, not wanting to lose more control over the situation than she already had. And with her stomach a ball of nerves, she’d hardly eaten either, so the beer was quickly going to her head. While part of her was screaming for her to remain on guard, the rest of her said screw it. She knew that Josh had some ulterior motive for helping her. But she knew he liked her, too, and in this moment, it was all that mattered.

“Relax,” she said, her eyes still closed. “I don’t care.”

“Why wouldn’t you care?”

She turned her face toward him, her eyes searching his. “Because I trust you . . . after a fashion.”

“How do you know I’m worthy of your trust?”

She sat up and set the bottle in the grass next to the sleeping bag. Then she leaned toward him, her face hovering inches from his. “Because I can see your heart, Josh McMillan. You wouldn’t intentionally hurt me.”

He shook his head, pain in his eyes, confirming her suspicions. “How can you be so sure?”

Her fingertips rested on his cheek as she searched his eyes. “Will you intentionally hurt me?”

“Not if I can help it,” he whispered. “That’s the last thing I want.”

“I know.” Her lips brushed his softly and he remained still, not even breathing.

“Megan,” he finally whispered, sounding like he was in discomfort.

She leaned back and stared into his eyes. “I’ve coasted through most of my life, Josh, letting other people direct my path, but I’m tired of coasting. I want to take charge. I want to do what makes me happy.” She smiled at him. “I want you.”

His eyes clouded.

“Do you want me, Josh?”

“It’s not that easy, Megan.”

She laughed softly. “It’s a simple yes or no question, no reasoning or rationale allowed, at least not tonight.” Her hand cupped his neck, and her thumb brushed his cheek. “Do you want me?”

His answer was to press his lips on hers and entwine one hand in her hair as he used the other to press her to his chest. They were a tangle of tongues and limbs as he pulled her onto his lap, her legs straddling his waist.

She clung to him as he took control, the hand around her back sliding down to cup her ass and press her against his erection. Heat engulfed her body, and she groaned and gyrated against him, her hands sliding under his shirt. Her fingertips skimmed up his hard chest muscles.

He leaned back and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it behind him. When he tried to kiss her again, she placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back. “I want to look at you.”

He was more perfect in the moonlight than she remembered him from the night before. She slid her hands down to his perfectly sculpted abdomen, dipping lower to the waistband of his jeans. Using the palm of her hand, she rubbed his bulge through his jeans, feeling empowered when he squirmed.

He groaned, searching her eyes. “I thought that was my line.”

Then she dropped her hands to her sides. “Go ahead.”

He sat up and reached behind her back, his lips brushing the nape of her neck, his tongue dancing in tantalizing circles along her sensitive skin, sending waves of pleasure through her body. He unzipped her dress, exposing her skin to the cooler night air. She shivered and he chuckled as his teeth lightly nipped along her collarbone. His face lifted and he searched her eyes as his hands slid slowly up her back, his thumbs hooking on the neckline of her dress, then sliding the fabric down her arms.

She sat still as he pulled her arms free, the cotton dress puddling at her waist. His gaze lowered to her pale blue lace bra, but his hands dropped to her sides instead of cupping her breasts like she wanted. She sucked in a breath. The old insecurities came rushing back. Had he changed his mind? Did he find her lacking?

But his gaze lifted to hers, and the lust she saw there displaced her concerns. He pulled off