Page 91 of Heartsmashed
“What can I say? We take care of our own.”
The second I said it, Beckett’s eyes met mine again, but before I could read too much into what they were telling me, Mama called for everyone to gather by the arch for photos.
“I don’t think so,” Rome said, moving in front of Hudson. “This is my good side.”
Hudson rolled his eyes. “Funny, considering you don’t have one.” But he moved anyway, clearly not caring which angle of his face the camera caught.
With my moms in the center between us three, the photographer spent a few minutes getting photos, though I had no doubt there would be hundreds more tomorrow.
“Okay, now let’s get some with you two,” Mama said, waving Drew and Beckett over. “Come on, don’t be shy.”
Drew didn’t hesitate, heading to stand by Hudson, but Beckett glanced at me, uncertain for the first time all day.
I shot him a wink and held out my hand, and when he started toward me, Rome called out, “Tall ones in the back, Tracksuit.”
“Ignore him,” I said as Beckett’s fingers curled around mine, sending warmth through my entire body.
The photographer started arranging us then, moving Beckett to stand angled toward me, his hand on my lower back, my shoulder pressed to his chest.
I couldn’t remember my Ex Who Would No Longer Be Named ever being asked to join in a family photo. But it felt so right with Beckett by my side, like he was mine and I was his.
We posed for a few, including a final “silly” one for Mama, and when the photographer finally let us go, I took advantage of everyone’s being too busy wanting couples photos and grabbed Beckett’s hand again, held my finger over my mouth to keep him quiet, and led him to the back path toward the boathouse.
When we were out of earshot, he whispered, “What are you up to?”
“Cobalt.”
He moved faster at the mention of my safe word, eyes roving over me. “What’s wrong?”
I didn’t answer, not until the path narrowed and wound around the boathouse. The trees blocked most of the pavilion from view, and the second we were out of sight, I turned and pushed him back against the siding. It’d been hours since we’d been interrupted, and it was past time I got my hands on him.
My lips were on his in a hot second, and I pressed my body up against him to steal what I could before the search party inevitably came.
Beckett got the picture immediately, his hands tightening on my hips, and then he flipped positions, pushing me up againstthe boathouse and devouring my mouth, his urgency matching my own.
I smiled against his lips because this wasexactlywhat I wanted. Not soft or careful, but desperate. I liked that the cool, calm Beckett lost his mind because of me.
His hands slid under the hem of my shirt, warm palms flattening against my skin, and I sucked in a breath as he pressed in closer, dragging his mouth from mine to my jaw, and then to the side of my neck.
“Emergency under control,” I murmured, tipping my head back as he made his way to the sensitive spot beneath my ear, and I shivered.
“This what you wanted?” Beckett’s voice rumbled in my ear.
“Oh yeah,” I said before capturing his mouth again, sweeping my tongue inside. I wrapped my arms tight around him, holding him to me, wanting even more, though it probably wasn’t the best place formore.
“God you’re hot,” I said between kisses as his hands traveled over my ass. “And distracting. The boxes and the lights. The family photos. All of it.” I nipped at his lips. “You walk into my day and make yourself fit there, and it’s?—”
Too much. Not enough. Too dangerous for me to actually say out loud.
Beckett leaned back, brows pulled together. “It’s what?”
I swallowed, suddenly way too aware of how he held me and the sound of my family’s laughing in the distance.
“It’s a problem,” I said, then bit back a grin as I reached between us to cup his hard-on. “Ahugeproblem.”
“Ah, I see. Do you want this problem to stop?”
“No.” That came out almost embarrassingly fast. “Terrible idea. Please do not stop fitting into my day. That would be tragic.”
