Smug Bastard - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,19

started to slip below the horizon.

“Told you I’d get you here for sunset.” Smith’s deep voice tingled at my skin as he moved in next to me. Goat’s fur touched my calf, his body leaning into mine. “Unbelievable, huh?”

“Yeah,” I muttered. The Grand Canyon was everything I hoped for, the glamour shots I had seen totally doing it justice. Man-made things could be stunning and amazing, but when you stood before nature’s beauty, you realized the power of nature. Earthquakes, rain, rivers, and wind—all creating one of the most scenic views in the world.

“I figured you’d think this was too mainstream,” I teased, pulling out my camera to take a few shots.

“Some things deserve the fame. The Mona Lisa? Not one bit. The Leaning Tower of Pisa… I’ll pass. The Four Corners? Boring. But the Grand Canyon?” He motioned out. “This deserves the reputation.”

It really did.

“You had the Four Corners on your list, didn’t you?”

“No.” I stared straight out.

“You so did.” He chuckled, his smile tugging my attention to him. Once again the colors of the sunset glinted off his skin, lining his jaw.

Why did we keep finding ourselves in these romantic spots?

An older couple appearing to be in their sixties strolled near where we stood, enjoying the view. I offered to take a photo of them.

“Oh, thank you.” She smiled, still looking youthful and beautiful, her gray hair cut stylishly. “We never get a good photo of the two of us.” She handed me a real camera. She leaned into her husband, both looking so happy and relaxed.

“Thank you.” She took the camera back. “Need a few to remember, but it’s more about the moment. To not forget to live right now.”

I smiled, feeling Smith’s smugness crash into me.

“Shut up,” I muttered, moving back next to him.

He chuckled. “Didn’t say anything.” He nudged me.

“Didn’t have to.” I bumped him back. Goat moved in between us, thinking we were playing.

“Let me get a picture of you three.” The woman strolled over, reaching for my phone. “You two are so beautiful and so in love… what an adorable little family you make.” She nodded at us and Goat.

“Oh no—”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Both of us instantly reacted, but the woman didn’t seem to hear us as she walked back to get a shot of us with the canyon in background.

“Now come on… kiss. This is one of those picture-perfect moments you will be glad you captured.”

“But…”

“We’re not…”

She held up my cell, making sounds to get Goat’s attention. “One. Two. Three… Kiss!”

Her personality was like my sister’s, kicking in my trained response like Pavlov to just do what she said.

I wasn’t totally out of my mind, so instead of kissing him, I wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling us together, his heated skin and body ticking my heart like a time bomb.

“Smile!” She took a picture. “One more. Come on, let me see the love,” she practically ordered. “The sun is setting. You couldn’t get more romantic than this.”

“Fuck it,” I heard Smith mutter, his hands roughly grabbing my arms and twisting me to him. I didn’t even have a chance to react or think as his hands slid up my jaw, cupping my face, his mouth capturing mine.

My mind blanked.

I went stupid.

The only sensation I understood was Smith’s mouth on mine, his soft and strong lips seizing my bottom one in in his, slightly tugging it, lighting fire down my body.

“Perfect,” the woman exclaimed.

And he was gone. The kiss over before it even began. He moved away, his attention going to Goat. Hitting his leg, he called Goat to him, running with him down the path.

She smiled, bringing the phone back to me.

Because I couldn’t move.

Couldn’t breathe.

Couldn’t think.

“You guys are so cute together. Have a lovely rest of your vacation.” The woman placed my cell back in my palm before heading back to her husband.

What the fuck happened? How could a kiss be so chaste, so fast, and be so fucking sexual, turning every nerve in my body to sizzling? How did full sex with Ethan not leave me as breathless as this?

Seriously, girl, snap out of it.

My teeth drove into my bottom lip, still tasting him. I watched him play with Goat; he was not at all weirded out. It was just for show, to shut the woman up. He clearly wasn’t affected at all. The man was so sexual that the kiss was equivalent to a wholesome peck. Probably like kissing his sister… or at least a cousin.

Rolling