“I heard you and your dad talking. Isn’t it time you dropped the ‘my dad hates me’ act?”
His head whipped toward her. “You eavesdropped?”
“Not on purpose. It was more that I overheard. Your dad said some very nice things.”
He returned his gaze to the road with a snort. “Ready for the next episode ofPirates?”
“I’m on to you, barkeep. You’re deflecting.”
“How about if you’reonme?” He gave her a devilish grin. “You in that sundress has been driving me nuts all day. All I can think about is undoing those little bows on your shoulders to see what you’re wearing under there.”
A girlish giggle escaped her. “You do have a one-track mind, and it’s all naughty.”
“And you love it. Besides, you’re the one who keeps me on that track by planting those dirtythoughts there.”
His eyebrows waggled as his finger hovered in front of the play arrow on the truck’s screen. “Pirates?”
“You’re a pirate. And a rogue.”
“Watch the language,” he chuckled. Instead of cuing up the podcast, he dropped his big hand on her knee and slid it up her thigh, under her skirt. His fingers wiggled as they worked their way up. Tingles transformed her skin into a landscape of goose bumps. As she imagined what else he might do with those talented hands, her entire body hummed with anticipation.
One hand on the wheel, he slowed the truck as he approached the tavern.
Hailey pursed her lips. “I thought Dixie had tonight covered. Are you checking on her?”
“Nope.” He cranked the wheel and rolled onto a deserted dirt street beside the tavern’s parking lot.
“Why are we stopping here? Aren’t we watching the fireworks?”
He unfastened his seat belt, then hers, and slid across the seat until his big body pinned her against the door. “You are full of questions.” While his fingers toyed with the strings on one of her bows, he dipped his head and began a slow, tortuous assault on her neck that turned her breathing ragged.
“Thought we could make our own fireworks, surfer girl.” He tugged, and the bow gave.
She flailed at the ties, capturing them before she had a major wardrobe malfunction. “The cameras,” she gasped. “Don’t they sweep this far back?”
He pulled back. “Shit. I forgot.” His eyes blazed green as he ran a discreet thumb over the cotton fabric of her dress. Her nipple immediately tightened to his touch. “Let’s get you upstairs and get you naked. We’ll leave the truck here so the staff won’t know we’re back and come pounding on the door.”
Laughing, they crept across the parking lot, slipped through the back door, and dashed up the stairs to the loft.
Noah rolled off Haileywith a grunt, panting, “Fuck, tonight’s fireworks ain’t got nothin’ on the fireworks in this bed! You are one hot hoochie mama!”
She was spent, used up in the best kind of way, and she flopped a hand in his general direction. “You say the sweetest things.”
He snatched up her hand and kissed every finger before hauling her flush to him. “C’mere so I can nibble your nose.”
“Mmm, nibble away.” She glided her hand across his smooth skin, relishing the angles and planes of his back. “Aren’t you tired? It’s almost midnight.”
“Nope. You’ve got me fired up. But ifyouneed a rest, better get some sleep ’cause I’m waking you up in an hour to see what you got.”
She giggled. “I just showed you what I got.”
“Yeah, but I want more of what you got.”
She gave him a little shove. “You’re incorrigible.Andinsatiable.”
“But you love me. Besides, you’re the one who makes me insatiable, remember? If you could just stop being so damnhot.”
“I’ll get right on that.” She propped herself up on an elbow and drew circles on his slick skin. “You’re happy tonight.”
