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I try not to giggle as I get a swooping sensation inmy bikini bottoms to everyone I wrap ainst h so I can hear hi to kiss you"

His breath is hot againstjust before our lips touch and my whole body aches for this kiss He smiles and I pull him toward me, but he turns his head at the last second and my lips brush his cheek

"But not here," he says into my ear, and I’m furious with frustration

"Put hs when I wipe it away He finally sets me down on the sand, but he holds onto my waist so I can’t turn away

"Don’t be mad," he yells over the music "I just want it to be perfect, like you"

I rollif you think I’rabs ht amount of flaws"

Our chests heave against each other and I can’t take it anyo ho no atteeous lips "I want to go home… with you"

Chapter Nine

Relentless Desire

WE HALF-RUN AND HALF-WALK BACK to his apart tooff inside uy is trouble He pursues o to bed with hi, wrong, wrong

So why does it feel so daht

As soon as he closes his front door, he clasps his hand around the back ofa handful of my hair, and pulls my face toward him His first kiss is soft as he presses his lips to the corner of h builds inside ue parts my lips and I whiht it

As if he could sense this, he scoops me up in his arms and carries aze slides overto devour and he can’t decide where to start

He reaches behind his back and turns on an oscillating fan without breaking eye contact with me "It’s very hot in here"

He pulls off his tank top and lies on top of ht on his hands as he softly kisses my forehead "I want to make love to you," he whispers as his lips brushtrail down the side of my face before he reaches my ear "I want to leave you dazed and confused for a ith nothing butfast One part of , but another voice insidetoo fast It’s going to happen again

I need to quiet that voice

I clutch his hair and pull his face away from my neck "Tell me a joke Quick" He sue slides over mine, a clash of eroans into my mouth

"Claire, didn’t anyone ever warn you to never trust an atoust of longing sweeping through ers ski the he my skin to the cool air of the fan

My breath hitches as his fingers toy with the edge of my bikini bottoms "Adam, did anyone ever tell you your jokes are bad and you should feel bad?"

"Never," he whispers as he presses his lips against the swell of asp as he strokes h the fabric ofer to fill ht other than the voice that keeps telling me to stop

His hand slides up to my belly then beneath the waistband of id

"Is this okay?" he asks, looking into ers come to rest on my swollen flesh

I want to tell hi I want to feel him inside me I want to release all this tension we’ve built up on the beach and over the past week But I keep thinking about the day o and the events--and mistakes--that led to that day And the countless lies I’ve told since then