Just One Kiss (Oh Tequila Series Book 4)

by C. A. Harms

  At that point I understood that in one move, I could likely ruin this moment. I could say something ridiculous like I always did. I could make a dirty comment about the way her ass was pressing back against my cock. Or how at this angle I could look down her shirt and clearly see the swell of her breasts. Only I didn’t want to do anything that might force her to move away from me.

  So instead I pressed a kiss to her temple and placed both of my arms around her tightly, as I rocked from side to side. “It means a lot that you thought of this place. I know I’ve been a thorn in your side, Palmer, and that I’ve been an arrogant ass in the past, but I need you to truly understand what this trip, what you being here with me means.”

  “I wanted to be,” she confessed, and I knew that was difficult. She was always so defiant and butt-headed.

  “And I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else but you.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Palmer

  I lay perfectly still, curled on my left side as I looked toward Corbin. The sun had begun to rise and I could see him clearly. He looked so peaceful, completely relaxed as he took in one slow breath after another.

  I don’t even know how long I’d been lying there, just watching him sleep. I knew it had been an hour or more because it was still dark when I was jarred awake by the sound of something howling off in the distance. I thought of waking him, but when I rolled over to do so, I instantly stopped.

  For days, weeks even, I’d seen him hollow-eyed and exhausted, and the idea of interrupting sleep I knew he was desperately in need of was something I couldn’t do.

  My mind wandered back to last night, when he held me close and thanked me for this little spontaneous getaway. It was true that the forest, camping, hiking, and all that stuff was not my idea of a good time. But being here with him, sleeping on the bumpy ground with the smell of the wilderness around me, wasn’t so bad.

  Suddenly his hand moved and he reached out for me, making my heart skip a beat. The second his hand found mine, he seemed to relax, and I felt an emotion that I’d been trying to hide. A connection I’d tried to ignore. Threading his fingers through mine, he pulled my hand closer to his side and seemed to relax once more.

  He never said a word, he never opened his eyes, just took peace in knowing I was still there, right by his side. Sliding my body closer, I placed my free hand onto his chest and curled up against him.

  As my eyes began to flutter shut, I felt him turn beneath me and press a kiss to the top of my head. In that instant, I knew I couldn’t continue to deny I felt anything more than a simple friendship. Because hidden beneath the clown he always tried to be was a guy who was caring and sweet. A guy who loved his mother through and through and wasn’t embarrassed to show it.

  “We missed the sunrise,” he mumbled against my hair and I showed no signs of moving. It was the last thing I wanted to do.

  “Then I guess we’ll have to catch the next one.”

  Feeling him let go of my hand, sliding his beneath me, and practically lifting me as he moved my body closer to his made warmth rush through me. Then with both of his hands he held my body firmly to his. “Sounds good to me, P,” he added, kissing my head once more and burrowing in, taking in a deep breath, smelling my hair, “real good.”

  Neither of us moved, only relaxed further as we faded off to sleep.

  My dreams were filled with Corbin, his kisses, and smiles. I was a mess, a complete utter mess over this guy and only weeks ago I wanted to push him off a cliff. I tried to convince myself of and everyone around me of that, anyway. But the truth was I felt a weird connection to him almost instantly.

  ***

  We spent the day walking through the woods while he showed me different places he and Clayton climbed trees and built forts as kids. On more than one occasion, he laughed when I squealed out as some furry critter made a surprise appearance. After that, I stuck close to his side, which I think he secretly loved. All day he’d sneak in a touch here and there, and I didn’t stop him, or even comment on it. I actually did my best to ensure they’d kept coming.

  After a warm day and walking for miles, we found our way to his parents’ place. His father sat on the front porch and his mother was inside. As we walked out of the tree line and into the clearing, his dad must have heard us as he sat forward a little straighter and I could see the tension in his shoulders.

  I immediately felt for him, seeing the way he watched his son closely. From what I’d been told, Clay and Corbin had always been very close with both of their parents. Yet the last time Burton and Corbin Powell were together, they fought almost to the point of violence. I think that weighed heavy on all of them.

  Corbin paused at the bottom of the stairs and handed me the bag he’d carried with the change of clothes I’d brought. “Why don’t you head inside and take a shower? Just go up to the one you girls used last time.” I looked over my shoulder and found he was looking straight at his father. “I need to talk to my dad.”

  I nodded, before I took the steps onto the wrap-around porch and began walking toward the front door. Burton offered me a kind smile as I entered the house, feeling the nervous energy run through me.

  “Hello, sweet girl.” My attention was redirected to Corbin’s mom as she rushed in to offer me a hug. “Did you walk all this way alone, or—” I could see the hopeful look in her eyes as she looked toward the front door.

  “He’s on the porch.”

  “Good.” She nodded as her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve been a mess over the way things were left after Florida. I’ve spent a lifetime surrounded by three men that are each so strong-willed and determined, but never have I ever seen them at each other’s throats. It breaks my heart to see Burton so torn over the wedge between him and Corbin. He needs to know his boys are good just as much as I do. He’s always been the one to fix everything, but this is something he can’t fix, and it’s killing him.”

  “The only one that can fix this is Corbin.” I offered her a soothing rub against her shoulder.

  “I think you’re missing the fact that you have a little pull in this, too.” On instinct I tilted my head in confusion and wrinkled my brows. “I said it before and I’ll say it again, you and Corbin remind me of Burton and me when we were your age. He drove me crazy, annoyed me even. I’d spend most days wanting to clock him over the head with something hard and at night I’d lie awake wondering why he was the one filling my dreams whenever I’d fall asleep. He eventually wore me down, but still to this day, at least once daily, he gets me flustered. I saw that in the two of you, right from the start and still today.”

  I smiled because honestly, what else was there to say? She’d figured it out to a T.

  “Now why don’t you run up and get yourself a shower? After that the two of you can have a good meal before you take off to your place in the woods.” The way she offered me an exaggerated wink made my cheeks heat and redden. Oh my God, did she know?

  Chapter Twenty

  Corbin

  “I don’t like not being able to make things right or better.” My father sat next to me, his head hung low. That look of defeat was one I’d rarely seen on my dad’s face. He was a strong and determined man; he’d always been. “It doesn’t matter that you and your brother are grown and should be handling your own stuff. It’s in my nature to fix everything, to make it right. But this, I can’t.”

  “No one can, Dad,” I confessed, feeling the rawness bubbling inside me. “He’s gone and I’m just gonna have to learn to face it. I just couldn’t then, ya know.”

  The things I’d said to my father, the harshness in my words and actions ate away at me. He was a good man who didn’t deserve my anger but just happened to get the brunt of it the day of the funeral.

  “That girl of yours is a sweet one.” I looked over to find him sitting a little taller wearing a knowing smile. “Reminds me a lot of your mother.”

  “I’m not sure I can actually call her ‘my girl.’”

  �
��Well, she drove you here, gave you no choice in the matter, and the way she looks at you, I’d say that counts for something.” He stood from his chair and I quickly did the same. When he stepped toward me and pulled me in for a tight hug, I didn’t resist. I knew my father and I needed this closure to erase the events of the last time we were together. “Let’s get inside, get the two of you fed, and then you can get back up on that hill and work on making that woman yours.” He patted my back a few times before pushing back and looking me in the eyes. “I’m not gonna push, Corbin, I’m not gonna make you face your demons, but I am gonna tell you that you and your brother mean everything to me and I need you here and I need you whole. Because there is no other way I know how to live my life unless I have my family beside me.”

  I blinked past the tears that had formed in my eyes and gave him a stern, understanding nod.

  “Now let’s get you fed, boy.” He hooked me around my shoulders and pulled me toward the door. It didn’t matter that I was six feet, three inches tall, my father still had a couple of inches on me.

  As we entered the house both my mother and a freshly showered Palmer looked up from setting the table. They both smiled when they saw my father and I and our current mood. I knew I had a long way to go, a lot of healing was still before me, but being here helped. And having Palmer alongside me helped too, more than I could ever explain.

  “Dinner is just about ready,” Ma said happily as she hurried off toward the kitchen, my father trailing behind. I walked toward Palmer and she didn’t move, just watched my movement closely.

  I paused at her side, and she tilted her head back to look up at me. “I’m gonna go take a quick shower.” My father’s words from moments ago, “the way she looks at you,” rang in my mind. Suddenly I lifted my hand to cup her jaw and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. The fact that she accepted it without hesitation made me feel like I was soaring. “I’ll only be a few minutes,” I spoke against her lips, and she nodded her head.

  When I stepped back and let my hand fall away from her face, she slowly opened her eyes. Biting her lower lip, she kept her eyes on mine as I backed away and moved toward the steps. That feeling, the one racing through me, was one I’d only heard about. I listened to Xavier, Eli, and hell, even my brother, talk about a possessiveness they felt when they were around their girls. The need to keep them close, the desire to always touch them, was also coursing through my veins.

  Palmer was quickly becoming the one I needed, the one I had to have. It was no longer a fun game to prove that she did in fact feel something for me. It was more, so much more. It was the connection that made me feel whole again. The depth was something greater than just physical and I wanted it all. I wanted it with her.

  ***

  Half way up the hill toward our tent that second night, I reached out and threaded my fingers through Palmer’s. It was strange how just holding her hand gave me a small sense of peace. The fact that she didn’t resist me, didn’t even flinch, made it even more real.

  Something had begun to shift between us, and I was truly unsure of the exact turning point. I just knew I was thankful for the road we were on.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked her, a little concerned as to why she’d been so quiet since we’d left my parents’ house.

  “I’m actually praying I make it up this hill before one of the furry creatures hidden in the depths of the darkness jumps out to attack me.” I chuckled and glanced over just in time to see her own grin spreading wide across her mouth. “Actually, I’m seeing the appeal of it all, that peacefulness.”

  “Oh yeah? What else?”

  Call me greedy, but I knew there was more and I wanted to hear it. I needed to hear it.

  “Fine,” she said rolling her eyes playfully, “and I like being here with you. But let’s just keep that between you and I, because if anyone asks, I’ll deny it.”

  “Our secret.” I tugged her hand and she stumbled a bit as I reached out to hook her waist with my free hand. Positioning her body in front of mine, facing me, I noticed the surprised look in her eyes. “I like being here with you too,” I confessed, feeling my heart rate speed up just a little more just as I dipped my chin and moved in closer. “But just so you know, I already knew you had a soft spot for me.”

  “Is that right?” Palmer gave me that sultry look as she flirted back and managed to close the distance between us just a little further.

  “It’s in your eyes,” I told her, brushing my lips over hers. “They share all your secrets.”

  She smiled knowingly, placing her free hand against my chest just over my heart. The movement was something I’d noticed she’d done often over the last twenty-four hours. I wanted to ask her about it, but the thought faded when she lifted onto the tips of her toes and kissed me softly.

  Releasing my hold on her hand and hip, I lifted my hands, placing one on the back of her neck and the other cupping her jaw. Her body relaxed, pressing more firmly against my own, almost like she’d lost all strength.

  A kiss that started out slow easily changed to more. The whimpers of desire, the quick movements of our hands, began to demand something of each other. The path we were on was lined with trees and a small overhang etched into the side of a hill. It formed something like a wall, with large rocks at the base. Carefully and with ease I began to back her up the space and reached out to steady us when I stumbled over a root sticking higher up than the ground. Not once did she pull her lips from mine, but instead held on tighter to ensure we remained connected.

  “What is it about these woods?” She mumbled the question with her lips still pressed tightly to mine.

  “It’s not the woods, Palmer.” It was definitely the girl.

  The gentleman in me wanted to insist we slow this down until we at least got back to the tent, but I couldn’t seem to bring my mind and my movements together. Feeling Palmer’s soft skin against the palm of my hand as I slid my hand along the hem of her shirt was just another jolt to my system.

  A needy moan, a desperation in her kiss as she sucked seductively on my tongue, made my head spin. The thin pair of basketball shorts I wore did nothing to hide my excitement as she reached between our bodies and began stroking me through the material. It was my turn to moan.

  Cupping her ass, I pulled her in tight, pushing my hips forward and pinning her hand between us. A shift of my hips…I tried my best to seek out some sense of relief to clear the fog that was filling my mind. I didn’t need alcohol and I sure as hell didn’t need drugs; I just needed her.

  “Are we really doing this right here?”

  She nodded, wiggling enough to regain control of her hand as she began to lower my shorts. “Yes.” She looked down between us at my exposed cock and bit her lip. “Next time we’ll shoot for the tent, but right now this is good.”

  “Next time?” I won’t lie; I loved the sound of that.

  “I’ll ignore the arrogant look on your face for now.”

  I pointed to the ground a few feet away. “My wallet is in the bag.” Palmer’s forehead crinkled in confusion. “Condom.”

  After showering she threw all our things in her bag and I grabbed some clothes I’d found in my old room that still fit.

  The tight little shorts she wore that barely covered her ass gained my full attention as she hurried off to sift through the bag. When she found what she was looking for, she stood and spun around to face me. It was my turn to be confused, wondering what the hell she was waiting on.

  There I was, my shorts around the middle of my thighs as I bared myself to the squirrels, and she was just staring back at me. Then she lifted her hand to her mouth, pinched the foil packet between her lips, then placed her hands over the buckle of her shorts. My eyes were glued to her movements; the buckle unsnapping, the sounds of the zipper, I swear, echoed through the woods.

  Again, she bit her lip, I think to hide the smile she was fighting. I had no doubt that she knew she had me hanging on the edge of sanity. Palmer shifte
d her hips from side to side, wiggling out of her shorts as they glided over her thighs and pooled at her feet. She used one foot to lift the discarded shorts and place them on the bag.

  I was frozen, feeling as though my tongue was four sizes bigger than normal.

  When she hooked the sides of her panties with her thumbs, I’ll admit without shame—I fucking groaned. A deep animalistic growl of overpowering need hit me, and I fisted my hands to keep myself from attacking. Mother of all things holy, I tipped my head to the sky and said a silent thank you.

  When I looked in her direction once more, I found she was only a couple of feet away, holding the torn package between her fingers. Still my seductress said nothing, just watched me through those lust-filled eyes while she removed the condom and dropped the package to her side.

  And took control. Gripping me in her hand, she pinched one end of the condom and began to roll the latex over my cock. My hips jerked, and I’ll admit it, I almost lost my shit. This was single-handedly the most erotic experience of my life so far, but something told me with Palmer, it was just the beginning.

  “Are you just gonna stand there staring at me like a horny boy, or are you gonna do something about it?” A simple quirk of her eye, a sly tilt of her lips, and she knew she fucking had me.

  She let out a loud squeal as I lifted her and spun her around. Much like our first time, I pinned her against the grassy patch on the hill and moved my hips. Seeking her out, it only took seconds to find her warmth. She was already so wet and ready that it took very little effort to find my place.

  Together we let out a stifled moan when I was fully seated inside her, and she whispered two words that flipped a switched inside my head. “Fuck me.” And I was done.

  No longer could I hold back my need for release. The release of not just the sexual build-up, but also the emotional strain I’d been under for weeks. I drove my hips forward, slamming inside her heat; she dug her heels into my ass and her fingers into my back.