“Peaches.” His gaze wandered around her face. “I didn’t say it to— I meant it. I think you’re …”
Kat’s heart thumped wildly. His touch on her arm was so comforting she daren’t ask him to remove it, and when his eyes stayed on her mouth, she felt it between her legs. She instinctively wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. No man had ever looked at Kat the way that Carter did.
“Carter,” she said again, placing her hand on top of his. “Are you okay?”
He was still staring at her in a way that made her back arch and her nipples tighten. His mouth continuously opened and closed as though he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Eventually he dropped his head with a muttered curse and looked out toward the path.
His back snapped straight. “Shit,” he hissed. He grabbed her forearm and pulled her back in the direction they’d come.
“Carter!” Kat protested as he dragged her around a corner and pushed her backward against a tree, dropping his helmet and jacket at her feet.
He leaned over her, his arms above her head, gripping the bark with his fingers, while the apples of his cheeks turned a ferocious red. Kat’s anger turned quickly to concern when she watched him peering cautiously around the tree, mumbling and cursing.
“Carter, what’s wrong?” His eyes darted from left to right while he tried to hide her with his body. He shook his head. “Carter, talk to me,” she urged, placing a palm on his shoulder. “Who is it?”
“My cousin,” Carter answered in a quiet voice that belied his huge frame.
Kat jumped when his palms slammed against the bark above her head. “Goddammit.” He blew out his cheeks and leaned harder against the tree, trapping Kat with his arms.
“Calm down.” She rubbed her palm a little from side to side before moving it down until she could feel the hard edge of his left pectoral against the side of her thumb. He was so strong.
“I wanna see him on my time, ya know? On my terms.” Carter’s eyes pleaded with her to understand.
“It’s all right,” Kat soothed with a soft voice, keeping the motion of her hand. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
Gradually, his body started to relax under her stroking palm. He continued to look at her in a way that made her skin prickle. As yearning washed over her, Kat was suddenly aware of how close they were standing. Their chests touched when each of them breathed, and his nose hovered by her hairline.
“You smell good,” he whispered. “Do you know that?”
Kat swallowed. Her hand stilled on his chest.
“You do,” he said, dropping his shoulders farther, bringing his face closer to hers. “You smell really fucking good.”
“Thank you,” she replied, shifting her back against the bark of the tree.
Her body was burning up, even with the breeze around them. He was so close. She knew she should push him away, but every time the thought entered her mind, she wanted to do the complete opposite. She wanted him closer.
“What are you thinking?” Carter’s hands slid down the tree until they were resting above her shoulders.
The blue of his irises reminded Kat of the Caribbean Sea, and the pucker of his top lip ached to be licked. She noticed a small scar on his chin, and her fingertips itched to touch it.
“I’m— I’m thinking that we need to, we need to get— I need to go home,” she stuttered and his nose grazed her left temple.
“Do you want to go home, Peaches?”
“I should,” she replied. “I need to.”
Carter moved his head back, his eyes hooded and sexy. “Can I tell you something?”
Kat could do nothing but nod. Carter’s stare prowled down her face, coming to a dead stop at her mouth.
“I really, really, really want to kiss you right now.”
“Cart—”
“I know I shouldn’t, and I don’t usually kiss, but, fuck, I want to.” He trailed his thumb across her mouth. “I want to find out what your top lip tastes like.” He licked his own. “And then compare it to the bottom.” He exhaled. “I’m desperate to know if your tongue tastes of peaches.”
Kat’s eyes fluttered closed at his words. “We— I … please,” she murmured. “Don’t.” The word fell from her but it made her stomach clench all the same. She was amazed she had the energy to utter the one syllable at all.
“Would it be so bad?” He moved, his breath washing over Kat’s face like a lusty fog. “God, you’re so pretty.”
Everything in Kat’s body was surging toward the man in front of her. Her core purred, her pupils dilated, and her heart beat wildly. She knew they were about to cross a line—a huge dangerous line that had her career written all over it.
“Carter,” she whispered again, in one final attempt to stop what she knew in her heart was inevitable. “We can’t do this.”
“I know,” he answered, cupping the side of her face. He tilted his head, his mouth a luscious whisper across the edge of hers. “Just one taste. Just one. That’s all I want.”
And then his lips pressed against hers.
Oh God.