“You won.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “The entire town has lost their minds.”
“You won me.” He inches closer so the toes of our shoes are touching.
Is everyone staring at us? Why is it suddenly so quiet in here?
“You own me now, sunshine. What will you do with me?”
Oh my God. Everyone is totally listening in. You could hear a pin drop in here. Or maybe it’s just that the blood rushing through my ears has drowned out all the other conversations that should be happening.
“Um…”
“Kiss him.”
I’m going to kill Savvy.
“Don’t touch her,” Harry slurs somewhere behind me.
Maybe it’s Savvy’s encouragement, Harry refusing to move on, or the way Braxton immediately tugs me into the protectionof his arms when he hears my ex, but whatever it is, I hope I don’t regret it.
Because the next thing I know, I’m clawing at his shirt, tugging him down, and kissing him. Again. For the second time in less than forty-eight hours, I’m kissing this man, and instantly my sex throbs as though it’s been deprived of attention its entire life.
But this time, he doesn’t hold back. The instant our lips make contact, he takes full control of my mouth.
If we weren’t in front of a crowd of hooting and hollering neighbors right now, I think I’d probably be rubbing myself all over him like a cat in heat. And when his tongue parts the seam of my lips and demands entry, I fall into him, head, lips, and heart.
This kiss is not PG. He does things in my mouth that I feel on every private nerve ending I possess until I’m lightheaded and gasping, yet he still doesn’t pull away.
His lips are firm and soft, with a hint of Cheerwine on his tongue, which makes my heart thunder. You don’t get more Southern than Cheerwine.
He parts our lips, just a millimeter separating us as he commands my body, and when I suck in air, he dives back in. I’m flying from this kiss, higher than any drug could take me. Is this what it means when they talk about lightning strikes and butterflies? If so, I’ve been struck down and came back to life as a whole kaleidoscope of monarchs.
The music finally brings the world into focus, and when I find shining eyes in varying shades of happy, my entire body goes up in flames, and I hide my face against him.
“I cannot believe I just made out with you in front of half the town.” I moan into his chest.
“Totally worth it.” He sounds distracted though, and when I peer up at him, I find his attention over my head.
That’s when I remember Harry.
“Let’s go get a drink.” Braxton tucks me protectively under his arm. I should tell him that Harry wouldn’t hurt me here with everyone we know in attendance. I don’t think it’s in him. His specialty is in the wounds no one can see, but I don’t get the chance because Braxton stops short right in front of Greyson and Savvy, who are nearly chest to chest and angry as hell.
I’ve never seen Savvy this worked up, not even when she was attempting to knee Harry in the balls—any of the times.
Clover stands off to the side with Elle, pulling her cardigan closer to her body. It’s what she does when she’s nervous.
“Greyson?” Brax says his name, but Greyson is in a verbal sparring match with Savvy.
“He’s the best man I’ve ever known. I would, and I did, give up everything for him. That’s what brothers do. That’s what I’ll always do. So don’t go throwing around accusations that have no basis in reality because you, you could never understand what it’s like to be me.”
“I…” Savvy’s mouth opens and closes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her flustered before either. Not even when she flat-out told her sexual health professor that he didn’t know a woman’s G-spot from her butthole.
“Grey?” Braxton repeats, this time stepping between our two friends.
Greyson blinks rapidly, as though Braxton is out of focus, and then he tips his glass back until he’s drained its contents.
“It’s been a shit day, Brax. I just came to let you know we arrived early, and I brought Mercutio with me because he said he missed his ride.”
