“My clutch and wrap had fallen to the floorbecause both my arms were around his neck, my body was plastered tohis, one of his arms was tight around my back, the other hand hadslid in my dress and down and was cupping the cheek of my ass, skinto skin (I was wearing a thong, which was a smart move on my partnot only to avoid panty lines but because his warm, strong handcupping my ass felt freaking great)when I heard my father clear his throat.”

“My heart went into my throat. I leaned back against Luke, his arm moved to wrap around my chest and we watched two people we both cared a lot about. They were in love, they were healed and most of all, they were outrageously happy.”

“Love you, Tabby." Oh yes. I pressed the insides of my thighs to his hips, wrapped my arms tight around him, and whispered in his ear, "Love you too, Shy." His mouth moved below my ear and he murmured against my skin, "Everything to me.”

“I felt a warm hand on the skin of my lower back.”I twisted my neck, looked up and there he was.I held my breath and he asked, “You comin’ or what?”That was it. That was his pickup line. “You comin’ or what?”I went.”

“We were both quiet a long time and I was about to fall back asleep in the curve of his arm with his warm body at my back when he called my name.“Laurie?”“Yes,” I muttered, my voice sleepy.“I was pissed last night.”“I know.”“You look good.”“Sorry?”“No way you can look like all the rest.”My eyes shot open.His arm curled me deeper into his body and I felt his face burrow into my hair.“You’d always shine through,” he muttered and now he sounded sleepy but I was again wide awake. “Somethin’ special,” he finished.”

“His hand slid up my back and his fingers sifted into my hair to cup the back of my head.“Kiss me, baby.”I used the moonlight on the angles of his face to aim and found his mouth. The minute my lips hit his, he rolled partially into me, forcing me to my back in the bed, and my mouth opened as did his. My tongue slid inside, he growled against it and when I absorbed that in my mouth, a small moan escaped my throat. His head slanted one way, mine tilted the other and my kiss turned into a kiss.”

“After more of his sweet torture, I called, “Tate, honey?”“Yeah, baby,” he answered.“Am I under your skin?” I whispered as my hips moved with his hand.He replied instantly, “Oh yeah.” His thumb tweaked my clit harder, my hips jerked and a low mew slid out of my throat as the fingers of one of my hands slid into his hair and the other arm held on tighter. “Fuck yeah,” he growled and his lips left my ear, his mouth found mine and he kissed me, wet and deep.”