She followed him along the mysterious, climbing single-filebarely-there path as it took a steep shift up a rise. At the top there was an outcrop of rocks, but they were actually easier to climb than the path to get there. Cut almost like stairs, the hard gray boulders welcomedthemto—
The top of theworld.
They were up above trees here, and Lake Waawaatesi glittered below. “Wow,” she said, breathing hard. “I didn’t realize we’d climbedthismuch.”
“It’s not actually that high,” Grady said, turning her around and pointing at the still significant rise of the mountain behind them. “But it feels like the top, doesn’t it? We used to come up here for overnight trips. I asked Michael if they’d reclaimed it, and he said they were focusing more on the north paths and the camping sites. So I figured we were good to have it allto ourselves.Comeon.”
Hand in hand, he showed her the meadow. Beyond the rock outcropping was a flat stretch of flowers and grass, and beyond that, the edge of the forest again as it followed themountain’srise.
“There are probably dozens of these spots in various points off the hiking trails. But this one is my favorite because…” He jumped over a fallen tree and pointed ahead.“It has a camping platform someonebuilt.”
The wood was faded now, silver in the sunlight, but it was sturdy enough that when Grady stretched out his sweatshirt, Priya happily stretched out beside him. They lay on their sides, facing each other, using the sweatshirt to prop their elbowsagainst.
“Brownie?” he asked, opening thelittlebag.
“Please.”
He split the firstone in half and gave her the bigger piece. She savored each bite, taking her time and not caring at all about the noises she made. Not better than sex with Grady, butclose.
Dark, rich chocolate and a sweet, dense texture that left only a few easily licked-up crumbs on herfingers.
“So good,” she whispered as she nibbled the lastmorsel.
Grady set the bag side. “And we’vegot another one forlater.”
Later? Right, she realized as he leaned in.Later.
His kiss was soft this time, coaxing and erotic. “You taste extra good right now,” he said, licking at the corner of her mouth. “Those brownies are sinful after all. They make me want to cover you in chocolate. Lick it up slowly and carefully.Allover…”
“Everywhere?” Her breath hitched as he rolledher ontoherback.
“Every. Last. Inch.” He braced his arms on either side of her head and lowered his mouthagain.
Kissing Grady was like diving into a churning wave. A rush of disorienting sensation that sent her spinning, but when she came up for air, she was grinning like she’d conquered theworld.
And she just wanted to do itagain.
“You promise that nobody elseis going to comeuphere?”
He exhaled roughly. “That path hadn’t been used in years. Iswear.”
She wriggled out from beneath him and pushed him onto his back. “In that case…” She peeled off her shirt, loving the way he looked at her, how his eyes darkened and his mouth wentslack.
Time for her to be in charge. “I want to kiss you, too,” she murmured as she crawled over him.“Every.Last.Inch.”
She started with his mouth, pressing her lips against his, then her tongue. She teased him as his hands roamed over her bare back and sides, as he played with the edges of her bra and worked the straps off hershoulders.
She rose up on all fours as he unhooked the bra and bared her flesh, then leaned forward so her nipples just brushed againsthisface.
His groan was unholy andperfect.
He cupped her breasts in his big hands. Her thighs trembled as her body tightened and reacted to his touch—sweet and rough at the same time, and achinglyfamiliar.
“I’ve been thinking about your tits all week, Priya. Do your nipples always get this hard? I need ataste…”
“Put your mouth on me,” she whispered now. He didn’tneed to be told twice, latching onto one peak, then the other. His tongue pressed against her skin as he pulled her into his mouth. He’d bit her last year, and she’d liked it. “Harder.”
He looked up at her, his eyes glittering, and bared his teeth as hetugged.
