Just One Kiss

by Baker, Tory

  He laughs, and it’s then that I notice the only thing he’s wearing is a pair of board shorts and nothing freaking else.

  My hair has to be a mess, I’m wearing his oversized clothes on my body, and he’s standing over there looking like a GQ model.

  “I missed our date this morning,” I say to fill up the empty silence.

  “You did, but there’s always tomorrow. Mason and Heath were over, I’m surprised you slept through those two knuckleheads making all kinds of noise,” his muscles are flexing as he walks towards the bed. All I can do is watch his every move, he’s more than I ever thought he’d be. The perfect build for his frame. His muscles are that of a surfer’s as if he’s done so his whole life.

  The light smattering of hair he has on his chest down to his happy trail, it’s enough to make me drool.

  “I really am sorry. I didn’t think I’d sleep this late. What time is it anyway?” I look at the plantation shutters and see they’re closed and only letting bits and pieces of the sun come through, no wonder I slept in.

  “A little after ten o’clock. It’s not a big deal,” Rome is standing right in front of me. His fingers go to the ends of my hair as he plays with them.

  “You can make it up to me, stay with me today and tonight?” he asks.

  “Really? I’m kind of a lame date,” I say with a smile on my face, but I’m jumping up and down, doing the happy dance inside.

  “Really, I’ll take you to your place so you can get a few things. Then we’ll come back here, hang out on the beach, swim, and maybe light the fire pit.”

  “That sounds like the best way to bring in a new year,” I respond and go up on my knees so we’re at eye level. “Thank you for taking care of me last night.”

  I bring my hands up to his neck and hug him.” He smells like the beach, and I soak in his scent.

  13

  Rome

  When I woke up at six o’clock this morning, I was curled around Summer. Not really wanting to get out of bed, but I knew my brothers well enough to know if I didn’t answer the door, they’d bang on it or use the house key I never gave them.

  That would open up a whole can of worms, sure I want Summer to meet them, but I’d like us to be solid before that happens.

  Something tells me they’ll have none of that. They’ll even be here tonight drinking all my beer and trying to steal my girl.

  After our hug, I left her to head into my closet to grab a tee shirt. When I come out, Summer is in the same place I left her, her gaze lingering on me.

  “Baby, you okay?”

  “What? Oh yeah, I’m okay. I might need coffee though, is your bathroom through that door?” My girl, she’s a mess. Especially first thing in the morning.

  “Yeah, it is. Coffee is ready and waiting downstairs for you.” She’s up and walking to the bathroom, but I stop her on the way.

  My hands find her hips, she stops and says, “Oh,” her lips in the perfect shape of an O and it has my mind thinking and my dick growing.

  “Thank you,” I whisper before my lips lightly graze hers. It’s just one kiss, one I know full well if I deepened it, we would both be in my bed, and as much as I want her naked and writhing beneath me. Fuck, I’d love nothing better, yet something is making me hold back, barely.

  “For what?” she questions.

  “Taking a chance on us,” I dip my head towards hers again, only this time I run my nose along hers. Something I’m finding I need, like it’s my last breath.

  “Did he really just say that, he did, didn’t he?” she turns and mumbles under her breath.

  I chuckle and say, “I heard that.”

  “You weren’t supposed to,” she grumbles. I watch her until the bathroom door is closed, only then do I head back downstairs and get started on something to eat.

  I pull out the toaster, find eggs, bagels, butter, milk, and get started on a couple of breakfast bagels.

  After being in the water all morning I’m starving. I get started on preparing everything when I hear the sound of bare feet coming down the stairs.

  “I would have made you coffee, but I wasn’t sure how you drink it,” I tell her as I fry up the eggs.

  “I love coffee, like really really love it. But I can’t drink plain bean water. So, milk, creamer, half and half, anything of the milk variety I’ll take.” She’s prattling on, I’m thinking she’s nervous and unfortunately, I don’t know why she would be.

  “I have milk and creamer. Help yourself,” I tell her, maybe if I help her feel more at ease, she won’t be uncomfortable here.

  “Thank the coffee gods,” she puts a cup under the Keurig and then closes the lid with a pod inside. I’m trying to hold my chuckle. God, do I love the way she talks to herself as if no one is around her.

  I finish plating our food as she takes her first sip of coffee. The satisfaction that’s written on her face with just a sip, is enough to make me jealous. Fuck, I’m jealous of a damn cup of coffee.

  14

  Summer

  I can’t even help the smile that seems to be plastered on my face. Rome offered to take me back to my car at the hotel that hosted the event. But after I told him I took a hired car, we just went straight to my condo. It’s not too far away from his place. It’s in an older part of town, one that needs some rehabbing and not so many nosey older neighbors seeing the comings and goings of your everyday life.

  “I’ll just be a few minutes, I’m going to grab a quick shower then I’ll be right back. Unless you want to wait inside?” I ask Rome after he puts the car in park outside my place.

  “I’ll come in,” he responds. Rome unfolds from the driver’s seat and I meet him around the front.

  His hand is on my lower back as he leads me to my front door. This is the time I truly wish the homeowner’s association that I pay a pretty hefty price tag for would actually do something with the outside. The dark brown paint, and even darker brown trim is really showing its age.

  Thank goodness, I semi-renovated the interior. It’s all neutrals, with splashes of corals.

  The walls are all a light dove grey, white trim, and clean lines. My parents thought I was crazy when I took a week off of work to paint it by myself. They wanted to hire it out as a reluctant housewarming gift. I wouldn’t budge though, they groused and grumbled before they gave up, or so I thought. They ended up doing something stupid, like paying my homeowners association dues for a year. We fought to no avail, as usual.

  “I’ll be back in just a minute. The remote is on the table, make yourself at home.” I head towards my bedroom, knowing the mess I’ll walk in on. I was late yesterday getting to the salon appointment my mother made for me.

  I bypass it all and head straight for the shower, stripping out of Rome’s clothes along the way. His smell still lingers on my skin even though his clothes are now in a pile on the bathroom floor.

  Turning on the water, waiting for the hot water to kick in, I brush my teeth, grab a towel and hang it on the hook outside the shower area.

  It’s time to wash last night’s make-up off and get rid of all the gunk that is piled in my hair.

  Rushing through everything humanely possible is hard to do. Especially when it comes to what the salon did to me yesterday. I’m putting my foot down from now on. This is not who I want to be or what I want to do.

  After washing my face twice and shampooing my hair the same amount of time, I put conditioner in my hair and let it soak in. I know my comb won’t go through my hair if I rush through this part.

  “Ugh, this is ridiculous. Never freaking again,” my voice is full of grumpiness and after I realize I said that out loud, my head whips every which way making sure Rome hasn’t caught me talking to myself again.

  15

  Rome

  Summer has a chair in the corner with books stacked all around not only her chair, but the bookshelf seems to be overflowing and are stacked this way and that way. It’s the only area that doesn’t seem organized like the rest of
her place is.

  I take my time and read over what she reads, when I come across a variety of books my own mother reads. I can’t help but smile, she’ll fit in perfectly with our family.

  Putting the racy romance book back where I found it, I grab the remote off of the end table and sit down on her couch to watch television.

  Finding the local news station, hoping to catch the forecast for tomorrow morning’s surf report. Maybe I can convince Summer to wake up early and hang out on the beach, if I had it my way, I’d be teaching her how to surf though.

  Fuck, how she would need help getting in and out of a wet suit. It’s enough to conjure up all kinds of images with her body slick and glistening from the salty water. I imagine tracing every drop of water that poured off her body.

  I stand up and pace the length of living room, knowing if I don’t get my thoughts under control, I’ll march my ass into her bathroom, strip my clothes, and take her against the shower wall.

  That doesn’t do anything for my hard on, that has decided to stand and salute her empty living room. “Stand fucking down,” I mumble out loud.

  “Are you taking after me now?” My head snaps up and I look right at Summer. Her hair is down and is a mass of curls and waves, her face is clean of make-up, and she’s wearing a pair of shorts and V-neck tee shirt.

  This woman, it doesn’t matter what she wears or doesn’t wear. She’s going to be the death of me, in the best possible way.

  “I might be,” I respond.

  “It’s not a bad thing you know,” she winks, it’s then I see she has a bag at her feet.

  “Not at all, baby,” I take her in from head to toe again as I walk towards her. Summer standing there barefoot has me thinking all kinds of things. Things that make for a promising future with just her, a few kids running around, and me by her side for all of time.

  “Good, I packed a few things. I wasn’t sure what plans we have,” her smile lighting up her whole face as she looks up at me. Our height difference isn’t too much, but when I’m standing right in front of her, she still has to look up. I bend, my lips find hers. My hands find her hips and I hold her as I finally get a taste of her lips, when she moans, I deepen the kiss.

  Our tongues slowly glide along each other’s. Summer stands on the tips of her toes, and right now I hate our height difference, even though it’s slight.

  I pick her up and her legs wrap around my waist, finding the nearest wall. She writhes against my body, her hands find the nape of my neck and I can feel her fingertips press into my skin.

  My hips wedged between her thighs, I swear I can feel the heat of her branding me through our shorts. “Fuck,” I murmur out as we take a breath.

  “Yes, please,” Summer’s voice has taken on a husky quality. One I want, but not here against the wall. Hell no, I want her spread out and completely naked the first time.

  “Soon, I promise,” I respond, allowing her to slowly peel herself away from me, even though I don’t want her out of my arms. It’s a damn conundrum trying to be a gentleman when all I want to do is beat my chest and claim her as my own.

  16

  Summer

  After our close call against the wall, Rome grabbed my bag and we headed back to his place.

  When he said his pool was heated, I asked if we could hang out on his back deck.

  Rome didn’t have a problem and even suggested I change into my bathing suit while he grabbed the sunscreen. I took the stairs two at a time, a day to just lounge around and hang out with Rome, I’m in.

  I went into the master bedroom where my bag was placed, grab my burgundy two-piece bikini and changed as fast as I could. Wanting to get back to Rome as quickly as I could.

  Our gazes collide with each other’s. I stop in my tracks and so does Rome. He’s standing in the kitchen wearing only his shorts. It may be too soon to some, but I know what I’m feeling for Rome already. And if the smoldering look he has on his face that he’s giving me is anything to go by, I’m pretty sure he’s feeling the exact same way.

  “Come here, Summer,” his voice has taken on a raspiness. It makes my insides turn into liquid. I walk over to him on shaky legs, our eyes never leaving one another’s. He licks his lips, and it reminds me all too much of our first kiss we had just an hour ago and how much I want his lips back on mine.

  “Yes,” I whisper out, once I’m in front of him.

  “You’re gorgeous,” he states. I feel the meaning to his words to the very depths of my soul.

  “Thank you.” My eyes stay locked on his until we both hear splashing coming out from the pool.

  “You gotta be kidding me, those two don’t listen for shit,” he grouses. All I can do is laugh, he warned me they lived pretty closed, and usually stop in uninvited a lot of times.

  “It’s okay. You know they’re only doing it to get to you,” I wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me in by my hips.

  “You’re right, except knowing those two they’ll try and steal you from me,” he grunts.

  “Not happening,” my lips find his and give him a soft and sweet kiss, nothing that lasts as long as I want it to, but enough for Rome to know he’s the one for me.

  “You’re perfect,” he mumbles, as we pull apart.

  “I’m not so sure about that, but we can pretend I am, and add it onto my amazing qualities along with the fact you always catch me talking to myself,” I blow out a puff of breath and take in the fact that Rome is laughing. Damn, he is hot in every single way.

  “Let’s get this sunscreen on you before Mason and Heath barge in.”

  “If you can do my back, I’ll do my front once we’re outside,” I suggest.

  “I’d rather you do it in here, I know my brother’s, they’ll drool and fall over themselves if you put sunscreen on in front of them,” I turn around while he works on my back. I try my hardest to string two words together, but with his hands on my and his scent surrounding me, the only thing I can do is sigh.

  17

  Rome

  I saw Mason and Heath’s eyes bulge out of their sockets. If mom were here today, she would have walloped them with her shoe.

  Summer introduced herself and then asked if she could use a float and laze around while we caught up with one another. Little did she know if they weren’t here, I’d be happier. Don’t get me wrong, I love them but talk about interfering little shits.

  I’m the oldest of them, not by much. Enough to shove it in their face at times, but they do the same thing at times too.

  “How did you land Summer, no offense. She’s so far out of any of our leagues,” Heath states.

  “Fuck if I know, but I’m not letting her go,” I grunt.

  “She fits in perfectly and she hasn’t met mom yet. Mom is gonna flip, you better call her and soon,” Mason suggests.

  “It’s on my to do list, tonight. So, neither of you idiots say a word. At least not yet,” I reply. I look to where Summer is on the lounge float type thing Mom usually uses when she comes over. She’s completely content, almost like she’s asleep. Summer isn’t though, I can see her lips move every now and then, knowing she’s talking to herself. I chuckle, not letting my brothers really know what I’m thinking.

  “Sure, yeah,” they both agree. Knowing them, they’ll run their mouths and Mom won’t hear it from me, but from one of them.

  “I’m starting the grill, you two can make the sides. Leave Summer alone too,” I demand as I get up from the chair I was sitting on, making my way to where the woman of my dreams is and asking her, “You need anything, baby?”

  “Nope, well maybe just you?” she replies.

  “Yeah, you do. Let me start the grill and I’ll get in with you,” alluding to more than just hanging out with her. I see her legs rub together and I know she’s trying to ease the ache that’s been there from earlier this morning.

  “I can’t wait,” she replies.

  I give her one more lasting look, letting her know I can’t either before I leave h
er to get our food ready.

  It doesn’t take my brothers and I long to get the food ready. I even snuck up stairs while they were in the kitchen to shoot our Mom a quick call. She was ecstatic to know Summer Jones was here, “That girl, she’s a blessing. I don’t know how she got stuck with the short end of the stick for parents. You let her know, I look forward to meeting her.”

  “I sure will, love you, Mom.”

  “Love you, Rome.” She hangs up and I head downstairs to get this shit on the road. I can hear Summer’s laughter from upstairs and I’m ready to have some alone time without my brothers trying to hog my girl.

  18

  Summer

  Mrs. Carter sure did raise some amazing men, Rome’s brothers are funny and obnoxious. It’s easy to be around them, When I saw them all head inside, I decided to get my lazy butt up and see what I could help with.

  I made up a salad, while they worked on the other sides to make with shrimp and chicken taco’s Rome is going to grill.

  The fries are already in the oven and the meat is ready to be put on the grill when two hands come around my waist while I’m washing up the dishes.

  “You didn’t have to help,” Rome whispers into my ear, my skin goes on high alert when he’s surrounding me like this.

  “I wanted to, is everything okay?” I ask him.

  “Yeah, wanted to call Mom before Mason and Heath did. They’re worse than women, I swear,” he grouses. I turn the water off and turn around in his arms. His brothers vacated the kitchen before Rome came down, it’s just the two of us now.

  A fact that I want to take advantage of, “Think your brothers would miss us if we disappeared for a few minutes.”