Page 78 of Tempted Hearts
I stood, slipped an arm around her shoulders. “You order yet?”
She stared at me. “Yes?”
“I’ll grab them. Need to ask Marco something.”
She played along as I angled her away from the bar.
Back at the table, she crossed her arms. “That guy was staring at your ass.”
“And?” she said. “I happen to love my ass.”
“We have that in common.”
“What are your plans tonight?” she asked.
I glanced around. “You’re looking at them.”
She disappeared behind the bar to talk to Marco. When she returned and started talking immediately on another topic, it wasn’t until an hour later, as the brewery began to clear, I asked, “What was that about earlier? With Marco?”
“Well,” she said casually, “since neither of us had plans… I pulled some strings. There’s a cabin. Furthest one down on the left. Code’s already set.”
She wasn’t joking.
30
COLE
Stepping onto the path behind the cabins, grass and gravel crunching beneath our feet, Juliette and I didn’t speak. But it was an easy, comfortable silence.
A charged silence.
“I think it’s that one.” said Jules.
The cottages were all different sizes. Some of the siblings actually lived on the property. The one we headed toward was small but private, surrounded by trees and closer to the lake than most of the others. On a weekend, there would have been no chance it was available.
As we climbed the few steps to the front porch, I texted him back and told Parker his services wouldn’t be needed tonight, knowing I would have to give the devil his due tomorrow.
He wouldn’t be happy.
But I agreed with Juliette. We were adults and could make our own decisions. Tomorrow would be soon enough to sort things through.
“It worked,” Juliette said as she punched in the code. The cottage door opened.
We stepped into our lakeside oasis. Warm light filled the space, reflecting off pale wood and linen textures, the windows framing the dark water beyond as if the lake itself had been invited inside.
She closed the door and turned to me. I didn’t waste another second.
Grasping the back of her head, my fingers threading through her hair, I pulled her toward me. This time, when our lips came together, there was no hesitation. She opened for me, and I took.
I couldn’t get enough of her. Tongues clashing, her hands gripping my shoulders. Kissing Juliette was everything I thought it would be.
And more.
I let my hand dip down and grab her ass, squeezing firmly and pulling her hips into mine.
Instead of being startled, she ground herself against me. Every part of us was flush together. Mouths. Chests. Hips. Our bodies already knowing the dance we were about to begin.
I wanted to go slow.
