“Have any of your previous shooting-star wishes come true?” I ask.
“This is the first one I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
I turn to her. “So what did you wish for?”
“I can’t tell you. It won’t come true if I do.”
“Fair enough.”
“But I can give you a hint.”
I laugh. “Okay. Give me a hint, and I’ll see if I can guess. My guessing won’t disrupt the magic will it?”
“Not at all. All right, here goes. I would love to do what I was doing in the field fifteen minutes ago.”
I was expecting a complicated riddle I had no hopes of solving—riddles aren’t my thing. I’d be a real idiot not to figure out this one.
I lower my head to hers. The first contact is the brushing of lips. She releases a stuttering sigh.
“Is that what you were wishing for?” I ask.
“Definitely something in that category.”
The next contact is far from teasing. It’s deep, exploring.
And her stuttering sigh is upgraded to a soft, needy moan. Her arms find their way around my neck.
I place one hand on her lower back, pulling her to me. The other hand has a will of its own and slides up her rib cage. My fingers trace across one of her tits. This is met by another soft moan. I gently cup my hand against her breast, sweeping my thumb across the nipple hidden beneath her dress and bra.
Kate arches, pressing her breast farther into my palm.
Oh, Christ, I want her so badly. But not out here. Not like this.
Her hand drifts to my chest and remains there as we kiss, her thumb brushing against my T-shirt. My skin hums beneath it, hums and craves something more.
We continue kissing, sweet and exploring, deep and demanding.
Eventually—and reluctantly—I pull away. My body is so turned-on, I’m afraid of what I’ll do if we don’t stop kissing soon. “We should head back before my brothers send a search party for us.”
Kate places her hand against my cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything. For that kiss. It was exactly what I needed.”
That gets a dopey smile from me, even though she can’t see it. “Anytime. All you have to do is ask.”
Deacon is already tucked into bed by the time we return to the house. No one says anything about us being gone for so long, but from my brothers’ amused looks and the questioning ones from Violet and Sophie, it doesn’t take much to guess what they’re thinking.
Except, they’re wrong.
Unfortunately, the evidence is kind of damning. Kate’s usually smooth hair, with the hint of a wave, has taken on an I’ve-just-been-freshly-fucked style.
She and I spend the next two hours talking and laughing with my brothers and our friends. And for the first time since meeting Kate, I’m seeing a different side of her. She’s more relaxed—like she’s actually having fun.
