The Ahern Brothers Collection - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,53
a long time ago,” I say opening the door of the Jeep. I lower my head and take her mouth with mine, kissing her deeply.
She tastes like strawberries, and I want to lick the rest of her—feast on her. I stop myself before I lose control of my body and do something stupid. Like take her right here, on top of the car.
“You know those times I’ve baked, and you try to control yourself, but instead you eat almost the entire cake in one sitting?” she asks as she climbs in the car.
“Uh-huh,” I say, staring at her.
“Afterwards your face turns red with embarrassment, yet your eyes are satiated, like you just ate a piece of heaven.”
“Your baking is like a piece of heaven,” I reiterate and close her door.
When I get in the car and turn on the engine she says, “Well, that’s the same face you make after you kiss me.”
I laugh, pretending that her analogy makes no sense. But deep down, I know what she’s talking about. That’s precisely what happens to me when I kiss her.
“Well, I promise not to eat you in one sitting.” I stop at the sign and glance at her. “Just yet.”
She stretches her neck and kisses my jaw. “We’ll see.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Abby
Edgewood is one of my favorite restaurants. Wes and I come every time we visit Tahoe. The food is incredible, but what I love the most is the fire pit outside on the terrace and the view of the lake. Dinner isn’t any different from before. We usually have artichoke hearts as an appetizer. Wes orders the French onion soup—his favorite. I eat the bacon spinach salad. It’s not that I’m a salad girl, I’m actually a bacon girl. And the bacon they use is crispy and flavorful. Bacon is one of my weaknesses; my favorite food. Every dish in the world should include bacon. Life is better with a daily dose of bacon.
Over dinner, we talk about the weekend and how to include Sterling. Wes likes to pretend that Sterling annoys him, when in fact he enjoys having his brother close by. Since their father’s death, they’ve become closer. Last year, Sterling moved back to Colorado, and he’s trying to be a part of Wes’ life. Even when he seems like the selfish brat who doesn’t give a shit about life, he still adores and looks up to his older brother.
“Dessert?” Wes asks, pushing back a plate that contains nothing more than a lobster shell.
“Not for me,” I sigh looking at the delicious choices. “They need to add a gluten-free option. It’s not that hard.”
He reaches out his hand to me, entwining our fingers. “We could order ice cream if you want.” Wes kisses my knuckles. “There’re plenty of strawberries at home and chocolate. We could eat them on the terrace.”
“The terrace?” I stutter as my cheeks heat up.
My core tightens as I remember the kiss he gave me back there. Before today, his kisses had been gentle, soft, and patient.
Tonight though, after we watched the sunset, he took me into his arms and without a word, his lips were on me, his hands tangled in my hair, his tongue thrusting into my mouth. I sucked in a breath, and my body froze for a second because I was caught off guard by his roughness. But his scent and raspy moans reminded me that I was safe with him. The kiss was intense, desperate—even demanding and bossy.
I let him take me as he wanted. Actually, I matched his rhythm and greediness. It might have been the four daiquiris I drank, or the powerful kiss that made me feel bold, but either way, it quieted my mind to the point that I allowed myself to just enjoy it. An intense fire burned deep inside me. His hands went to my hips. He pressed my body against his. I felt weak; my legs nearly collapsed. Our mouths continued dancing with one another, the same way our bodies do when we’re at a party or a nightclub.
When he stopped, I whimpered at the loss, but I was thankful that he was able to stop. I’ve got no idea what would’ve happened had he continued.
He’s like eating a soft, warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven croissant. I want to spread butter and jelly on him and lick it. But I know that croissants contain gluten, and I’m allergic to them. Just like I know that my past experiences won’t allow me to be with him the way normal