Page 24

She nods absently. “My grandma died years ago, and he was alone afterwards, always. All because my momma didn’t marry a doctor or a lawyer…”

“Your daddy owned this huge orchard! What’s wrong with that?”

“He didn’t always own it. His people were sharecroppers. My daddy was a poor kid from the wrong side of town. His daddy died of a heart attack when he was only fifty-five.”

“Shit.” I pull her into another hug.

She manages a smile. “But look what he did. He married the woman of his dreams, he built this huge orchard, he got everything he wanted…”

Her voice trails off, and we don’t continue down that road. I don’t want to think about how he had it all and ultimately lost everything.

I want to think about right here, right now.

I want to think about having her with me and life and love. “Tell me about this peach festival coming up.”

She blinks up at me, her smile returning. “It’s sort of the annual town gathering. We do it every year at the end of the harvest.”

“Are you saying I’ll get to meet the whole town?”

She laughs. “I don’t know if the whole town will be there, but a lot of people go. They have pie-eating contests and car shows and pageants and crafts. Mrs. Jenny Ray, Mindy’s mom, is going to put some of my beauty products at her table for me to sell.”

“Hey! That’s a big deal.”

“Why do you think I’ve been working so hard every night?”

“Hell, I don’t know.” I was too focused on her to wonder about what she was doing or why. “I thought you did that every night.”

“No.” She shakes her head, laughing.

“Well, I’ll be there with my money in hand.”

“You don’t need beauty products.” Her arms are around my neck again, and she kisses my nose. “You’re pretty enough without them.”

“I have to get more of that lip stuff.”

“What’s wrong with your lips?” Heavy-lidded eyes slide to my mouth, and it’s enough of an invitation for me.

I pull her to me, parting her lips, nibbling and kissing them, loving the rise of heat between us as our chests move together, only separated by thin cotton. Her skirt floats around us, and I put my hands on her thighs, sliding them higher, wanting to explore her secret places.

She inhales sharply as I find the line of her panties. She trembles in my arms, and I kiss her deeper now, moving my tongue to hers as I slide my finger back and forth across her clit.

“Taron…” Her thighs tighten around my hand.

I’m rock-hard and desperate to be inside her… Still. “It’s okay.” My breath is hot at her ear, and I start to take my hand away.

“No…” It’s a soft plea, and I grin, finding her eyes. Our gazes lock, and her cheeks flush.

I back us to the pier post, bracing her as I move my hand again to her warm pussy, massaging and fingering the sweet heat between her legs. Her eyes squeeze shut, and her grip tightens on my shoulders. I keep going, watching as her breath grows faster, shallower.

“Right the

re… right there…” It’s a soft hiss, and her hips rock.

She rides my hand, biting her lip and bucking her pelvis. I circle faster, and she holds my arm, focused on what I’m doing to her. I lean forward to kiss her ear, lightly touching it with my tongue, and she breaks with a loud moan.

“Oh, yes!” She’s crying out, thrusting, fucking my hand like a goddess, and with every stroke, she moans and shudders. “Taron…” She exhales sharply. “It feels so good…”

My arm is around her shoulders, and I cradle her against my chest. “I want to make you feel good.”