Rubbing his hands up and down my arms to warm me, he whispers, “Good girl.” The words do things to my insides and even though I’ve just had an orgasm, I’m ready for more.
I don’t tell him Gary’s as harmless as a gnat because he surprises me, scooping up the thermos he dropped earlier and putting it in my hands.
“It’s tea. For you. I’ll walk you back to the cottage. You can have it there.”
I look down at it, swallowing again. “Tea? You made me tea?”
“I saw you heading out here, and wouldn’t you know it, I noticed it was teatime.” He winks and shoots me another of his crooked smiles. His flirty charm is meant to lull me, and I know it. He’s still concerned, but I don’t call him out. Instead, I look at my watch and return his smirk.
“So, it is.”
“Didn’t want you to miss it.” He takes my hand, folding our fingers loosely together in a way that makes my stomach flutter. It’s a weird reaction to something so innocent since those very fingers just brought me to orgasm. But it’s an intimacy I’ve yet to experience. Not in high school, not with Gary. Believe it or not, I’ve never held hands with a boy or man. Odd as it sounds. I was homeschooled for the first ten years and by the time Gran got me, I already had my walls up. The first boy that ever tried to kiss me on the playground got a black eye and no one tried after that.
“You know crime is really quite low here,” I say as we walk through the tall beachgrass back to the cottage.
“Third lowest in Canada, I know.”
“How do you know that?”
“It’s one of the reasons I chose to build here. That, and the bridge and ferry being the only ways on or off the island.”
We stop on my porch, and I turn to him. “You picked the right place. I’m glad you’re here.” It’s the most vulnerable I’ve allowed myself to be with him. In the porch light I see his eyes soften.
“Me too.” He hands me the thermos and I take it without breaking our gaze.
When he turns to go, and I reach for him before I know what I’m even going to say. He doesn’t release my palm, instead he folds it between his two and rubs. “You’re cold, sweetheart. Go warm up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, more vulnerability creeping the surface making me squirm. “And whatever you’re looking for out there, I hope it turns out to be nothing.”
His eyes shutter before he hides his look of surprise.
“Don’t leave the cottage alone after dark, Tessa,” he warns, his voice low and firm.
I roll my eyes, brushing off his worry, but stop mid eyeroll when he cups my chin.
“I mean it, Tessa. Don’t test me on this.”
I press my lips, assessing him with narrowed eyes a moment. Ignoring the newly revived throbbing between my legs, I decide his intentions are pure and he’s not just demanding and threatening me without reason.
“Fine,” I say haughtily.
With the smallest half smile, he releases my chin. Running the backs of his fingers along my cheek, he kisses my head. “Thank you.”
I shrug, still pretending to be a little put out. But the reality is, I find his bossiness very attractive. “I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anyway. I’ve got work to do.” I watch him and the way his half-smile turns full and cocky.
“Of course you do, Sunshine. Don’t stay up too late though. You’ll need your energy for all the trouble you’re likely going to cause tomorrow.”
I lick my lips and bite away my grin.
“Unless… truce?” There’s something in his eyes, a spark of challenge or something, and it makes me feel electric … no,alive.
“Not a chance, Mr. Biker.”
He shoots me another quick grin, this one boyish. “It’s your ass, Sunshine. But I do love the challenge.” And with that, he once again yanks me forward and up onto my toes against him. There on my Gran’s porch, the only place that’s ever really been home, the man I can’t get enough of presses his hot mouth against mine again.
Releasing my mouth, he sets me slowly back down onto my feet. Gazing warmly down at me, he says, “You’re something, Tessa Harlow.”
And then, as I stand there still reeling from the intimacy, vulnerability, the orgasm he drew from me less than ten minutes ago, and our game, he turns and walks away.
