Dash pulled her closer and kissed her temple. “I’ll help you—don’t worry.”
She didn’t look convinced. “I’ve never done either, and we’re on opposite teams.”
“I’m always on your team, babe. I’ve got your back. Trust me.” He kissed her again, then clapped his hands. “Let’s go! Gramps, you want to get us started?”
“You’ve got it!” His grandfather stepped into the yard as they took their places at opposite ends of the obstacle course, hooting and hollering challenges back and forth.
“I’ve got to get this on video.” His mother pulled out her phone.
Dash watched Amber insisting she wanted to go last, moving behind his sisters. He moved between his brothers.
Damon sized him up. “How did it end up being boys against girls? I wanted to kick your ass.”
Dash clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’re going against Dawn. You have a better chance of winning.”
“I could totally take you,” Damon insisted.
Hawk leaned between them. “Can you girls stop bickering and get ready? You’re up, Damon.”
“Woo-hoo! Girl power!” Dawn yelled, and high-fived Amber and Andi.
Their grandfather held up a napkin like a flag. “On your marks. Get set. Go!”
Dawn and Damon exploded onto the course. Everyone cheered and clapped, screaming, “Go, go, go!” Damon went as fast as lightning through the tires, while Dawn gunned the balls into the buckets. Dash took off after Damon, and he heard Amber’s cheers above all the others as Andi came onto the course.
Dash finished in record time and cheered Amber on. “That’s it, baby! You’ve got this!” It took her about seven tries to get the balls in the bucket, but she cracked up, taking it in stride as she ran through the tires and weaved around the flags, squealing with excitement when she finished and grabbed the rope like a champ. He didn’t have the heart to tell her she was going in the wrong order, and nobody else seemed to notice. She jumped, trying to wrap her legs around the rope, and slid back down with a giggle. She grabbed it again, trying to wrap her legs around it as everyone shouted encouragement.
When she dropped again, Dash ran over and lifted her by the waist. “Grab the rope!” He put his hands on her butt, pushing her up as far as he could reach while Reno barked and everyone cheered her on.
“Now what?” Amber called out nervously from the top of the rope.
“Let go!” he shouted.
She closed her eyes and let go with a squeal. He caught her, stealing a quick kiss, and then they ran hand in hand to the rock wall, climbing it together. “You’ve got it! That’s my girl!”
She ran to the pole, and as she slid down, more cheers rang out. Dash hugged her and spun her around. The minute her feet hit the ground, Dawn and Andi crushed her in a group hug, jumping up and down, the three of them squealing and laughing. Hawk took pictures as Damon pushed his way in for a hug, and his grandparents, his mother, and Mitch got in on the fun. With everyone laughing and chatting, Amber looked over their heads, her eyes catching Dash’s, and his heart beat triple time.
His grandfather slung an arm over his shoulder. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy.”
He looked at the man who had taught him what being a man really meant and saw the man he wanted to be. “I want to light up the sky for her, Gramps.”
“Well, son, if anyone can do that, it’s you.”
DINNER WAS AS loud as ever as they tossed teasing barbs and playful banter. Dash had never heard Amber laugh so much. She and his family got along famously. He’d even caught her talking with his grandfather and Damon about business and to Hawk about the Dark Knights motorcycle club, of which he was a member. His mother must have told him she loved Amber at least a dozen times. He felt the same way about Mitch. It was wonderful to see his mother with a man who looked at her with loving eyes and appreciated the amazing woman she was. Amber had talked with them for a long time about her bookstore. His mother had even tried to convince her to move to Port Hudson and open another one. Dash had seen a glimmer of interest in Amber’s eyes, but he knew she’d never move away from Oak Falls, and after the way her family and the community had rallied around her after her seizure, he would never ask her to.
Amber raved about his family the whole way home, and as they rode the elevator up to his condo, she was still talking a mile a minute. “It was so nice of your mom to invite me for Thanksgiving. Are you sure you want to spend it with my family? You’ll be just coming off your tour. We can spend it here with your family and then see my family for Christmas. Graham’s brother Zev is getting married over the holidays in Maryland. We could spend Christmas with my family and then go to the wedding together. That is, if you want to. Oh gosh, were you just being nice? Do you want time alone with your family over the holidays?”
The emotions he’d kept in check all night clawed for release. “Do you have any idea how cute you are when you ramble?” He kissed her jaw, backing her up against the elevator wall, and her eyes darkened. “I want to be with you for the holidays, and I didn’t want you to feel pressure to spend it with mine.” He brushed his nose along her cheek, inhaling her intoxicating scent, unleashing twelve days of pent-up desire. He gripped her hips, kissing the corner of her mouth, earning a long, seductive sigh, her soft curves melting into him. He needed her naked in his arms, and trailed kisses up her neck to her ear, whispering, “I’m happy to do whatever you want.”
Her fingers dug into his sides, and she rubbed against him like a needy cat. “Kiss me.”
He crushed his mouth to hers, rougher and greedier than he’d meant to, but she was just as feverish, grabbing at his arms, his back, rocking against his hard length. There was no holding back the passion surging between them as they made out desperate and greedy. He pushed his hands beneath her sweater, branded by the heat of her skin, and sank his teeth into her neck.
“Yesyesyes.” She went up on her toes, holding his mouth there as the elevator stopped and they stumbled into his condo in a tangle of moans and kisses. She tore her mouth away, panting out, “My luggage.”
Fuck. His arm shot between the elevator doors, and he hauled her bags into the condo, barely registering Reno watching them.
“He’s fine.” She pulled his mouth back to hers.
Fire seared through his veins, desire pounding, swelling, taking over. He kissed her harder, deeper, and she stumbled back, hitting the door with a thud. He broke away, searching her face for pain. “You okay?”
Without a word, she yanked his mouth back to hers and sucked his tongue into her mouth. Holy fucking hell. His cock wept for her incredible mouth, but he was desperate to be buried deep inside her, to feel their bodies as one. He fumbled with the button on her jeans, and she did the same with his. Shoes and clothing flew, her seizure-alert necklace set aside between hungry kisses and wanton pleas. Finally naked, he lifted her into his arms, lowering her onto his cock. She was so tight, so hot and perfect, he could barely think, and she was moving, grinding, driving him out of his mind. He gripped her hips, matching her every move with one of his own. He captured her mouth, pounding into her. He was going to die right there, buried deep inside her, and he didn’t care, because nothing had ever felt so exquisite. Reality hit him like a sucker punch, and he stilled them both. “Fuuck. Condom. Sorry, baby. Sorry.”