I feel tears fill my eyes; tears of frustration and embarrassment and love as I shake my head no.

He catches a tear with his thumb, and his eyes soften as he continues to watch me.

“Say it again, Carolina.”

Oh, how I love the sound of my name on his tongue. That alone almost makes me cave, but I resolutely shake my head no.

He glides his hand down my face, down my neck to a breast, where he brushes his thumb across my already-puckered nipple, making me gasp. His lips twitch as his hand moves farther south, over my stomach to my center. But instead of sinking his fingers inside me or worrying my clit with his thumb, he just cups me in his hand and leans in to kiss my cheek in that soft way he does that makes me sigh.

“Cara,” he whispers, and moves over me, his cock already hard once more, and slowly slips inside me. “Say it again.”

“You say it,” I whisper so softly I’m not even sure if he’s heard me.

With his body filling mine, covering mine, his eyes holding mine, he leans on one elbow and grips my hand with the other, holding it between us.

“I love you, Carolina Donovan, more than I ever thought was possible.” He nudges his nose against mine and then rests his forehead on my forehead, sighing deeply. “I don’t remember what my life was like before you.”

“I love you,” I murmur, with more conviction this time, and sigh as he begins to make long, slow movements with his hips, building us both back up slowly.

“You’re so beautiful.” He kisses one cheek and then the other. “So damn smart.” Kisses my jawline and down my neck, then over to the other side and back up again.

“Josh,” I whisper, the sensations running through me making it hard for me to form coherent thought.

“Yes, love?”

“I need you.”

“You have me, baby.” His pace doesn’t change, but the intensity of the thrusts do, and before I know it, I’m on the precipice of another amazing, teeth-numbing orgasm.

“Oh, God!” He plunges inside me and holds himself there, watching me as I shatter beneath him.

“I fucking love it when you massage my dick like that.” And with that he comes again, loudly, shuddering over me.

I run my fingertips up and down his back, absorbing his weight as I kiss his neck and shoulder softly.

He pulls back, his dark hair falling over his forehead, and I brush it back with my fingers. “You’re so handsome.”

“You destroy me, Cara.”

Just like that, I’m thrown. I can only stare up at him as he tries to pull his thoughts together.

“You. Destroy. Me.” He swallows hard and cups my face gently in his hands. “I love you and respect you so much.”

“Josh”—I lift my head and kiss him softly—“I love you too.”

Chapter Twelve

JOSH

She loves me.

I unconsciously rub my stomach, as if that will clear out the butterflies, while I lean on the doorframe of my large master bathroom and watch Cara dress for our night out with our friends. Since Jill’s in town, we’re all going downtown to play pool and dance.

Well, the guys will play pool and the girls will dance.

Cara pulls a sexy tank dress over her head and down her amazing, curvy body. It’s black and hugs her breasts and hips, the hemline hitting her midthigh. Her honey-blond hair is down, falling in gentle waves down her back and around her sweet face. She’s worked some magic with a few pieces of makeup, and her lips are pink and pouty.

Just like her pussy.

I was inside her an hour ago and damn if I don’t want to boost her up onto that countertop and take her again. I don’t know what the hell she’s doing to me, but I hope she never stops.

“Hoops or studs?” She holds one of each earring up to her ears, asking my opinion. I move up behind her, wrap my arms around her middle, and bend down to bury my face in her neck, breathing her in. She is everything soft and gentle and good.

She’s everything.

“They both look great,” I murmur into her neck, and let my hands glide down her hips to her naked, smooth thighs and up under her dress.

“We don’t have time for this,” she mutters with a giggle.

“I love that sound.”

“What sound?” She tilts her head farther to the side, giving me better access to her throat.

“Your giggle.” Her dress is up around her waist now and my hands are roaming over her hips and ass, glorying in the warmth of her soft skin.

“Josh, we have to—” She can’t complete the thought as she bites her lip and leans into my chest, widening her stance as my hand moves between her legs to fondle her pussy.

I fucking love her pussy.

“We have to what?” I ask, and chuckle when she swallows hard and opens those gorgeous green eyes to watch me in the mirror.

“Go.”

“We will.” I smile softly at her in the mirror and hold her gaze in mine as my hands drive her wild.

No one else is as responsive as Carolina is.

“When I touch you”—I kiss her shoulder and her neck—“you always give yourself to me so easily.”

“Did you want me to put up a fight?” she asks dryly.

“No, it’s fucking sexy as hell.” I push her hair away from the back of her neck and kiss her there, push on her clit with my thumb and wrap my arm around her to pinch a nipple through her dress. “Come for me, Cara.”

And she does, bending at the waist, holding on to the countertop and pushing her sexy ass back against me.

I pull my hands away, smooth her dress back into place, and grin at her.

“I like the hoop earrings.”

She’s panting as she grins back at me, her eyes glassy with lust. “Okay.”

* * *

The bar is crowded, which is expected on a holiday weekend in the heart of summer. A mixture of tourists and locals are mingling in various stages of drunkenness. The band has been playing in this bar for the past twenty years. They play a mixture of classic rock and country, and they are badass.

Right now they’re playing “Brown Eyed Girl.”

The stage and the dance floor are adjacent to the pool room, with tall, round tables and stools scattered about. Ty secured one of the four pool tables before we got here.

“Good shot, man,” Ty calls to Zack, who just sank his red ball in a corner pocket.

“I figured you’d have forgotten how to play over there in the sandbox.” I take a pull on my beer and watch my brother circle the table, looking for his next shot.