Page 34 of On the Slopes of Tahoe
This night has veered off in a completely different direction than I anticipated. Breck reaches for the other shot while my mind whirs out of control. His tongue darts out to wet his hand before he salts it, and I nearly expire on the spot. Damn, that was hot.
Am I doing this?
I’msodoing this.
I set my shoulders, smirk at his handsome face, and opt for reckless bravery. Sliding my hand up his wrist, I feel every inch of the sinewy muscle of his forearm where his shirtsleeve is pushed up to his elbow. When I lower my head, I don’t just lick the salt. I suck at his skin, eliciting a groan from deep in his throat. I smile and release him, having gotten exactly the reaction I was hoping for, and lift the shot to my lips.
I don’t even taste it, too focused on his eyes, which are like molten lava. I bite down on the lime he holds up between us, the tartness dancing across my tongue. A drop of the juice slips from between my lips and Breck catches it with the knuckle of his forefinger. The touch makes me lose my mind entirely as I close my lips over it, sucking the last of the juice off.
“Bloody hell.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Breck
The tug of Rory’s lips on my knuckle sends a shock wave through my entire body. She looks up, dark lashes fluttering, soft strawberry-blonde hair framing her face and floating around her shoulders. The coy smile that lifts her brightly painted lips says she knows exactly what she just did to me.
I hold her eye contact and watch the color rise in her cheeks, the red there is a near match for the lipstick she’s wearing. Lipstick that stains my hand where she sucked off both the saltand juice, and I swear I can still feel the gentle pull. She bites her bottom lip and my jeans feel uncomfortably tight all of a sudden.
For fuck’s sake, Breck, I chastise myself, but it doesn’t do anything to change the rising desire in my body. Something I haven’t felt in a while.
The noise level in the bar increases around us, but I only see her.Rory. I wish it was only us, but the bar is exploding with people counting down the seconds to the new year.
45… 44… 43… 42…
I act on impulse, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the back of the bar where I see an emergency exit. She squeals a little in surprise, and I have to tamp down the feeling of pride.
30… 29… 28… 27…
I’ve taken a complete leave of my senses, pulling her out the exit. The door spits us out just inside an alley off the main drag through South Lake Tahoe. The alley is empty, though there are people scattered around the street, shouting the countdown.
8… 7… 6… 5…
I look into Rory’s too-bright eyes, a question in my own, and she reaches up to grab the front of my button-down. Taking that as my answer, I press her up against the brick wall of the building.
The first firework explodes above us, and I claim her mouth with mine.
The taste of her lips is euphoric. Her fingers find the nape of my neck, tangling in my hair. I grip her hip with one hand and twine the fingers of my other into her waves, tugging. Her mouth pops open in a gasp and I take advantage, allowing my tongue to slide against the seam of her lips. She tastes like tequila and lime, and the reminder of that moment makes me more insatiable.
The intensity of her answering kiss nearly knocks me backward. I graze my teeth along her bottom lip before suckingit into my mouth, wanting to leave it a little bit swollen, marked by me. A reminder for tomorrow. She moans and pulls me closer. I pin her more fully into the brick wall, and I can’t find it in myself to be embarrassed by how obviously turned on I am. If she notices, she doesn’t appear to care. If anything, she pulls me closer.
I grab her hand that’s tangled in my hair, pressing it above her head, and kiss my way down her neck. When I nuzzle over her collarbone, she moans again, her head falling to the side, giving me more space to work and permission to keep going. I feel the heat radiating off her body, and I want to be closer. I want more. I shift, pulling back from her neck, and press a knee between her thighs. Her half-lidded eyes snap to mine, illuminated by the fireworks popping off above us.
I hardly hear them, their loud cracks and booms. I can’t focus on anything but Rory. The gasping breaths, her heady moans. She shudders when I adjust my leg, and her eyes catch fire. I hold her gaze, fingers sliding down her side, skimming her ribcage. I stop to grip her hip, letting my thumb graze underneath the fabric of her sweater just like I did when we were dancing. When I thought this was only a bit of harmless flirtation.
We’re beyond that now, and I’m fucked. Because this isRory. Only… I can’t bring myself to care. My mouth moves back to claim hers and my hand wanders lower, sliding along the edge of the little skirt she’s wearing. I slip my fingers just under the hem, along her thigh, and she whimpers against my lips. I can only imagine how soft her skin is underneath these tights. I need to find out.
Another firework explodes overhead, lighting up our secret space, and someone from the street yells, “Get a room!”
The moment breaks and I pull back suddenly, releasing Rory’s hand from over her head. My breathing is ragged and myheart beats a frantic rhythm in my chest. Rory looks wrecked too, her chest heaving where she leans against the wall. The finale of the fireworks show is a cacophony of noise and light that feels like too much right now.
My brain can’t settle on anything with the chaos ensuing around us. The only thing coming through in perfect clarity is that I just made out with my best friend’s sister. His only sister. His little sister. Dammit, what was I thinking? I run a hand through my hair and look at the ground.
Fuck. Wes is going to flip his shit when he finds out. Or… maybe we can keep this between us. Maybe there’ll never be a reason for Wes to know. This wasn’t supposed to happen—not just with Rory, but with anyone. Not now at least, and not in Tahoe.
My hand slides to the back of my neck and it awakens the memory of Rory’s hand there, tugging at the too-long strands. I lift my head to find Rory’s eyes are downcast. Is she wondering how in the hell we got here, pressed together in a dirty alleyway?
How the helldidwe get here? This afternoon she was pissed at me and I wasn’t sure I’d ever get her forgiveness. Now I’m at a complete loss for how we move forward. We have to see Wes and Joss in the morning for brunch before they leave for their honeymoon. Can I even attempt to hide this from him? Will Rory want to, or will she tell him and let him eviscerate me?
