Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) - Tina Wainscott Page 0,52

statement.

“I don’t.” She made tiny circles in the wet hair at the base of his neck. “Forgive me?”

“Entirely.” He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, a seal of forgiveness.

“Is this what we would have done if we’d skinny-dipped all those years ago? Found ourselves in this, uh, interesting position?”

“Undoubtedly.”

“What would we have done about it?”

“I would have done this.” He stroked her upper back all the way down to her bare ass.

“And I would have done this.” She kissed him, parting her lips and inviting him in. She loved the soft groan he made when their tongues touched, flirted, then danced.

He kept stroking, his pressure increasing, as though he thought she might float away. Or because he couldn’t get enough of her.

That was how she felt. She drove her fingers through his hair now, her breasts flattened against his chest, nipples scraping against his. The tip of him pressed hard against her, and the memory of how he felt inside her shot lava-hot heat straight through her.

He gathered a fistful of her hair in his hands and murmured, “God, Mia, I’ve dreamed of this. Of you. Then I’d wake up and reality would hit. You know how you feel when you’re beyond hungry? When it feels like your stomach is caving in on itself? That’s how I felt.” He kissed along her jawline. “I keep thinking this is a dream, too, you being in town. Here.” He nibbled her earlobe, then down her neck beneath it, making her shiver.

“I’m real, Raleigh. This is real.”

He captured her mouth again, hungrily, completely. They swayed amid the movement of the waves, and he repositioned his legs to stabilize them. Her heels, crossed at his lower back, brushed the top of his firm ass. His body had been such a wonder to her. His ease in his nakedness during their stolen moments at his trailer. When they’d made love under the stars beside it. He’d been male perfection, and totally amazing to a girl who’d never seen a naked male in person.

But she’d come to realize that her amazement had little to do with the novelty and everything to do with her feelings for Raleigh.

Nothing had changed there. His combination of gentleness and ardor, the way he kissed her senseless—all heavenly. And it was so very tempting to go further.

Safe. Good. Right. Safe. Good. Right.

She broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his collarbone. “Have to…catch my breath.”

He chuckled, running his hands down her back. “I hear you.”

Being here with Raleigh was like driving on the track. Exciting. Thrilling. And slightly dangerous.

“You all right?” he asked.

“You promised you’d keep me from spinning out of control.”

He leaned back and ran his fingers down her face. “Hard to be responsible when you’re out of control yourself.”

“Why is it like this with us, Raleigh? Everything moves so fast, and when I’m flying I don’t even care. Or is it just me? Maybe because of my inexperience.”

He rubbed his thumb over her lower lip. “It’s not just you. No one I’ve ever been with made me feel like I did with you. That first time I saw you in the garage when you came to pick up your mother’s car, there was an amazing attraction—and the warning lights flashing. Buzzers. Stop signs. I knew you didn’t belong with someone like me. And I could tell you were innocent. But I invited you to watch the races anyway. When you said you wanted to come, my heart didn’t care at all that the lights and sirens were going off again. Or that I was corrupting you. Whatever it is, it’s still strong. And the sirens are, too.”

She let out a sigh, knowing he was right. They were racing on that road, heading toward a different kind of destruction. Heartache. More internal scars. “Thank you for letting me feel this again.”

“I would do anything for you, Mia. Whatever the price.”

Even though she couldn’t read his expression, she knew he meant those words. They settled soft and warm in her heart until her mind got in the way. “Because you feel guilty over what happened? Because you think you owe me something?” She waited breathlessly for his answer, his thumb slowly caressing her lower lip as he considered.

“Because I love you.”

She inhaled the depth of his statement. “Raleigh, I—”

He pressed his fingers over her mouth. “Don’t say anything. I shouldn’t have said that, but it’s the only answer I have. Whether you