“Getting hurt.”
Her vulnerability made him want to take her in his arms and protect her from the world. He took her hand in his. “I will never hurt you. Give us a try, and I’ll show you what type of man I am.”
She seemed to think about that for a moment. “Our lives are worlds apart, and you’re only here visiting.”
“Then give me a reason to come back.”
Seconds passed in slow motion as she went up on her toes, closing her eyes as her soft lips touched his, sweet and tender, like a whisper saying, Please come back. As their lips parted, her eyes fluttered open, the green light in them as clear as the heat thrumming between them. His arm circled her, drawing her closer as their mouths came together, slow at first, giving her time to pull away. But she grabbed hold of his sides, kissing him harder, and he was right there with her. Their kisses were urgent and lustful, like ravenous animals who had been starved for too long. Their tongues searched and delved, and she made noises similar to the sexy noises she’d made over dinner, but they were sinfully different, full of longing and pleasure. Her mouth was sweet and hot, and her kisses were so damn perfect, he wondered how he’d go a minute without one. She grabbed hold of his shirt with both hands, stretching higher on her toes, kissing him harder.
Oh yeah, baby. I knew we’d be perfect together.
He backed her up against the door, his hands moving down her hips, around to her ass. She arched into him, moaning, grabbing at his back and arms, kissing him feverishly. He devoured her, groping her ass, lost in the lusciousness that was Amber Montgomery. Their bodies took over, obliterating all sense of time and space as their bodies gyrated, mouths feasted. She fisted her hands in his hair, keeping him from pulling away. She needn’t have worried. He’d never experienced anything as exquisite as kissing her, and he never wanted to stop. He heard a sound in the distance, but she guided his mouth to her neck, and everything else failed to exist.
“Feels so good,” she panted out. “I need to kiss you more.”
She yanked his hair, reclaiming his mouth, and holy hell, he’d found his wild thing. He deepened the kiss, but slowed them down, wanting to savor the taste of her, the feel of her body vibrating with need. He framed her face with his hands, threading his fingers into her hair, and tilted her face up, kissing her softer, more sensually, earning more of the moans that made his cock ache to get into the game. The sounds of car doors closing rang out, and their eyes flew open as Reno barked. Red-and-white lights flashed against the house, and a look of horror rose on Amber’s face.
Dash spun around and found an ambulance and another car in front of the house, Amber’s parents rushing toward them with an EMT and a paramedic, and Reno barking up a storm. What the…?
“Honey, are you okay?” Marilynn asked. Then she put out her hand, focusing on Reno. “Reno, settle.” The dog plopped to his butt and stopped barking.
Cade stopped in the middle of the yard, a look of relief accompanying a “Thank God.”
“We got a distress call that Amber was having a seizure.” The burly paramedic peered around Dash. “You okay, Amber?”
Dash looked at Amber, trying to figure out what was going on, but she was nervously patting down her tousled hair with one hand and tugging the hem of her dress with the other. His eyes caught on her necklace, and he realized they must have accidentally pushed the button. Fuck.
“Yes. I’m fine. Sorry.” Amber’s voice was shaky, her cheeks beet red, and her lips swollen from the force of their kisses.
Aw shit. “Amber, I am so sorry.”
She gave him a troubled smile.
“Must have been a hell of a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation,” the paramedic said.
“Boyd!” Amber snapped, looking like she wanted to climb into a hole.
Dash put his arm around her, locking eyes with Boyd. “We must have pushed her alert button by accident. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Oh dear. A kissing emergency. I guess Pepper needs to get back to work on making that necklace Dash proof.” Marilynn covered her mouth as laughter bubbled out.
“Mom!” Amber glowered at her.
Dash tried his best to stifle his laughter.
“We’re just so relieved that it was a make-out emergency and not a seizure.” Cade barely got the words out before he started laughing.
“Dad!” Amber exclaimed, and an incredulous laugh tumbled out.
“I’m sorry, honey. You’re right. It’s not a laughing matter.” Her father tried to school his expression.
“It’s a kissing matter,” Boyd said jovially, and her parents burst into laughter again.
Amber glared at Boyd, but she was smiling. “Watch yourself, Boyd Hudson, or I’ll tell Janie you’re giving me a hard time.”
Boyd held up his hands in surrender. “You know I’m only teasing. No need to call my wife.”
Dash tightened his hold around Amber. “A’right, that’s enough,” he said firmly. “The show’s over.”
“Hey, Amber,” the EMT called out as they headed back to the ambulance. “The good news is that you’ll be the envy of every woman within a fifty-mile radius tomorrow.”
Dash gritted out a curse as Amber’s parents hurried toward them with Reno, and Dash and Amber stepped off the porch. Her parents embraced her, apologizing again and reassuring her that the laughter was just their relief coming out. Marilynn pulled Amber aside, talking in a hushed tone, and Cade gave Dash a serious papa-bear gaze. “I guess you won my princess over after all.”
“Yes, sir, and I’m sorry about this incident.”
He crossed his arms, nodding. “Tread lightly, son. You just opened up a whole can of worms that she’s spent a lifetime avoiding.”
“I know that, sir. I assure you it won’t happen again.”
“Good, because I’m getting a little old for doling out beatings.”
Dash chuckled, but Cade gave him another stern look, which wiped the smile right off his face. Marilynn said she’d see him in the morning at the park, and as her parents headed for their car, Dash turned his attention to Amber, who looked like she’d been put through the wringer.
He gazed into her eyes and went for humor, hoping he hadn’t just ruined his chances with her. “How’s that for an unforgettable first kiss?” Her half-hearted smile crushed him. “What can I do to make this go away?”
“Nothing. It’ll be fine. I’m going to take a hot bath and pretend that whole fiasco never happened.”
“How about you remember the good parts?”
“They’d be hard to forget.” Her eyes glittered again, but her underlying unease was unmistakable.
“Who knew you were such a little wild thing.” He gave her one last kiss and headed down the porch steps, taking a second to love up Reno. “I’d better figure out how to save my reputation before everyone in town thinks I’m easy. Before you know it, my name will be all over bathroom walls. For a good time call…”
She laughed as she unlocked the door, and Reno trotted up the steps to her.
“It’s all your fault, wild thing,” he called out from the driveway. “I don’t know how you’ll sleep with that on your shoulders.”