“Really?” she asks in astonishment, the hand poised on the door handle dropping to her side.
“Dead serious. Bow tie and ‘just married’ written at the bottom. I’ve been out of the game for a while, but tell me—is this modern-day dating?”
Then it happens, she giggles. An affectionate laugh rolls out of her and makes a direct hit to my dick.
“Maybe you should get someone to give you SnapChat lessons?” she says with a smile. She’s facing me now, the idea of taking off no longer at the forefront of her mind.
“Maybe I should. You know, so that I’m not suddenly married and Lily has fictional siblings.”
She laughs again and I swear it’s a sound I could become addicted to.
“I’m sorry, Caterina,” I say.
Her body freezes mid laugh and she holds my gaze, swallowing deeply.
“What I said, was wrong. Lily loves having you as a counselor, it’s just when the subject of her mom comes up, I tend to go on the defense.” I step forward and she doesn’t move. One hand presses on the roof of her car and my other reaches to grab the free hand hanging at her side. She doesn’t pull back when I entwine our fingers.
“I shouldn’t have overstepped,” she says softly.
True, but this is not the time to discuss that.
I shake my head. “You were trying to help and I appreciate it.”
I squeeze her hand. Is she uncomfortable or unsure what to do? She wanted me a long time ago, and from the way her eyes still burn with desire, she still does. The question remains, do I want her? She still has a lot of red flags, but when I’m in her presence, the reasons to stay away don’t seem so important.
“Cat,” I say, inching closer, wanting to feel her body pressed to mine, wanting to know how sweet she tastes.
“Marcus,” her voice is shallow and the fight that’s usually there is absent. “We—”
“What? We what? Tell me Cat, if I kissed you right now, what would you do?” I inhale her scent and one hand leaves the roof of the car, grazing down the side of her forehead.
“Marcus,” she gives a small shake of her head, but her eyes fall closed when I brush my fingers to her temple.
“Answer me.”
Our breathing is the only sound I hear, drowning out the rustling of the forest around us.
“I’d...kiss you back.”
Pushing my body against hers, a small growl escapes my throat at the way she fits perfectly against me. I let go of her hand and wrap my arm around her small waist.
Swallowing down all the confusion and hesitancy I’ve had toward her, I decide to show her exactly what I’ve been imagining doing to her since she showed up in Climax Cove.
I lean in, our lips only a few inches apart and I can practically taste the sweetness of her. Cat sucks in a shallow breath and I close my eyes, preparing for the moment I’m sure to beat off to later.
Squeal.
A car barrels into my driveway, screeching its brakes when it comes to an abrupt stop. I know who it is before he climbs out of his stupid ass car.
“What the—” Dane stops, taking in the scene in front of him.
Cat tries to squirm out of my hold, but my hand tightens along her side to keep her pressed against me.
Dane stares at us, confusion wrinkling his face. I’ve never seen him speechless, and I must admit, I’m enjoying it. Especially after the nightmare date he hooked me up with earlier tonight.
“Leave.”
Finding his voice, his annoying laugh echoes through the air. “Well, I think I should apologize.” He rounds the back of Cat’s car.
Her gaze darts between me and him. She wiggles her body and this time I let her go because Dane is about to make a jackass out of himself, but in the end, it’ll be me who cares, not him.
“Apologize?” I ask.
Dane winks at me and holds his hand out to Cat.
“I’m Dane Murray, this guy’s best friend.” He nods his head in my direction.
Her hand smoothly slides into his and he shakes it once. I’m happy to see that his eyes remain fixed on her face instead of dipping to those curves of hers that beg for attention.
“Caterina Santora,” she introduces herself.
“If I’d known that our Marcus was already taken, I wouldn’t have tried to hook him up tonight.”
He lets her hand go and she tucks both her hands behind her back, leaning back onto the car.
“He’s not, I mean, we’re not...” she stumbles over her words and I don’t bother trying to help her out for a minute.
“She’s Lily’s counselor,” I finally say and her head whips in my direction. I cock my eyebrow. Wasn’t she the one who was just insisting that nothing was going on between us?
He winks and Cat’s cheeks pink. “Counselor. Right. Got it.” He takes his fingers and runs them along his lips in a zipper motion. “My lips are sealed.”
“Now that you’ve met, you can leave.” I direct my words to Dane.
“Oh, no, I should get going.” Cat opens her car door and before either of us can argue, she’s in her seat with the door closed.
“I can skedaddle so you two can…you know…continue doing whatever it is single dads do with camp counselors.” Dane laughs and I control the urge to wipe that smirk off his face with my fist.
I shake my head at him and then peer into the car. Her hands are on the steering wheel and her eyes focused on the back of my truck in the garage.
“Thank you for the bracelet, you saved me from one hell of a night.”
She turns her head in my direction. Her eyes are so blue…I’d love to stare into them as I’m drilling in and out of her.
Fuck. Stop thinking, you asshole.
She must catch Dane still behind me because that lust filled look in her eyes moments before he barreled in has disappeared. Whatever moment we shared is now over.
“You’re welcome. See you tomorrow.”
She reverses the car and I barely have time to get out of the way so she doesn’t run over my feet.
I watch her car leave my driveway and I wish it were turning in. Six years ago, I may not have wanted anything to do with Caterina Santora, but she’s all grown up now and I want to feel my way around exactly how grown up she’s become.
“The camp counselor?” Dane’s hand plants on my shoulder.
“Leave it alone, Dane.”
“I didn’t think you had it in yah.”
I turn to go into my house, but he’s on my heels.
“I don’t remember inviting you in,” I say, never turning around.
“I’m practically family. I don’t need an invite. Plus, I want to hear all about how you started hittin’ it with the camp counselor. You bend her over a tree stump yet?”
I shake my head, walking into my house through the garage and making my way to the kitchen. “It’s none of your business.”
“Everything is my business.”
“Daddy!” Lily runs up to me in the princess nightgown Santa brought her last Christmas.
Ashley’s not far behind her and she glances at Dane, her gaze remaining fixed there.
“Why are you up?” I ask Lily, placing her on the counter.
“Lily, you’re a party girl.” Dane walks up to give her a high five.