Carolyn pushed on his shoulders and he rolled back down without breaking their lip lock. The intensity of the kiss robbed him of air and he forced himself to ease off. Gliding his lips over hers, gifting her with soft smooches, nibbles and teasing licks.
“Carson,” she said softly against his mouth.
“Mmm?”
“I want to touch you.”
“You are touchin’ me.”
“Not your bare skin.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes—her eyes heated with desire. “Where do you want to touch me, sugar?”
“Your chest.”
His c**k twitched against his zipper in protest of not being her first choice.
Carson placed his hands behind his head and said, “Go ahead.”
She tipped her face down, letting her hair cover her face. Starting at the top, she gently pulled the pearl button until it unsnapped.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
Pop.
When her fingers connected with his skin, his ni**les hardened. She had to scoot back to reach the snap above his belt. Once she’d unsnapped it, she tugged the shirt from his jeans and pulled the edges apart, baring his upper body completely.
He didn’t have anything close to a Mr. Universe physique, and he felt oddly exposed.
Carolyn spread her hands open on his lower abdomen and followed his torso up the center, her thumbs passing over his belly button, and then smoothing over the section between his navel and his sternum. Her finger span didn’t come close to reaching the edge of his ribcage. She slowed her explorations when her palms reached his pectorals. Her thumbs traced the cut of muscle while her fingers sifted through the hair covering his upper chest.
Her thoroughness and fascination kept him from moving. The tips of her fingers traced his collarbones, then the hollow of his throat.
Finally she looked at him. No, the little innocent tease actually smirked at him. “I could get used to seeing your bare chest. It’s so…strong. And hard. You’ve got so many muscles. I just want to…”
He propped himself up on an elbow and curled his fingers around her jaw, lifting her face. “You just want to what?”
She shook her head.
He held firm. “If you can’t tell me, why don’t you show me.”
Immediately she lowered her face to the center of his chest, where his hair grew thickest, wrapping her hands around his shoulders for balance. She buried her mouth and nose in that spot, turning her head so his chest hair brushed her cheek. “You smell so good.” Her tongue darted out and she licked his pectoral. “You taste good too.”
Fuck. He’d never survive this. Never. Her soft hands. Her curious mouth. Her hot breath. The gentle swish of her hair across his skin.
When her wandering fingers started to track the thin line of dark hair that ended at his waistband, he snatched her hand. “Stop.”
Carolyn’s head snapped up. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No. But with the way you’re touchin’ me…I’ve only got so much willpower.”
She scrambled off of him. Her focus zoomed to his crotch, where it was pretty f**king obvious how she affected him. “Carson. I’m so sor—”
He had her flipped on her back and his body on top of hers before she finished. “Don’t ever apologize for makin’ my dick hard.”
She just blinked those baby blues at him.
“I wanna know what you’re thinkin’.”
“Next time I’m gonna ask to touch you there.”
He rested his forehead to hers and groaned.
She twined her arms around his neck. “I like how it feels when you’re on top of me.”
“Seriously killin’ me here, Caro.”
“But I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Carson had no response for that so he snared her mouth and kissed her.
Her body started to move beneath his. Her hips arching, her thighs squeezing around his. She had one hand in his hair and the other snaked down to clamp onto his butt cheek.
Don’t know what she’s doin’, my ass. The woman was turning him inside out.
Carolyn tore her mouth free and whispered, “Is this what it’s like?”
“No, sugar, it’s much better.”
The crunch of tires drifted to them from up the road. Seemed their alone time was over. He quickly pushed up and straightened his clothes. He glanced down at her. Her clothing was still in place, but her hair… Anyone who saw her hair would know exactly what they’d been up to.
“What’s that sneaky smile for, cowboy?”
“I realized I really liked havin’ a picnic with you.”
She attempted to straighten her hair. “This isn’t a picnic. There’s no food.”
Carson bent forward and stole a kiss. “Then I guess next time I’ll just have to make a feast of you.”
Her cheeks flushed.
They spent the next two hours tooling around the back roads. Listening to the radio. Laughing and talking. He kept the vehicle moving because he knew if they stopped, and she got close to him again, he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.
“Before we get back to your car, I want to know when I can see you again.”
“This date isn’t over and you already want another one?”
“Of course. What’re you doin’ tomorrow night?”
“I don’t have any plans. Why?”
“You do now. Can you meet me at the rest area outside of Moorcroft at seven?”
“Sure. What are we gonna do?”
Carson kissed her nose. “It’s a surprise.”
Chapter Five
Carolyn
The day had been a scorcher.
By the time she’d hung all the clothes on the line, the first ones were already dry.
Her father and Thomas came home together. They set their lunch pails on the counter and each grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. Even if her dad couldn’t give her more than a grunt of acknowledgment, he did spend time with his wife every night.
“So what’d you do all day?” Thomas asked. “Bake cookies?”
“When it’s nearly a hundred degrees? No. Which also means we’re having cold-cut sandwiches for supper.” She faced her brother. “I need to borrow your car tonight.”
“Where you going?”
“Over to Beverly’s.”
His eyes turned suspicious. “Why can’t she pick you up?”
“Because she always picks me up.”
“Why can’t you take Mom’s car?”