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Something primitive.

“I’m not?” Curiosity is in her eyes now, and I’m pretty sure a little mischief. “How come?”

“You’re going to the festival with me—and to that ball. If you want to go.”

“I usually go to the festival with Leon. It’s his birthday.”

“I’ll talk to him about it tomorrow. He can ride with us if he wants.”

“Okay.” Her voice is soft and a hint playful.

I’m still riled up and angry, but I don’t know why. We’ve settled it. She’s going with me to the festival and not that asshole Hayes.

Reaching out, I catch her by the waist and pull her to me roughly. Her body is pliant under my grip. She lifts her chin and threads her fingers into my hair when I find her mouth, pushing it open and tasting the sweet mint on her tongue. Desire is in her kiss, and it makes me feel even more frustrated.

Pulling back with a growl, I turn for the back door. “I’d better head on.” Tonight, I don’t know why, but I don’t feel like I’ll leave as easily if I don’t do it now.

“Sleep well,” she calls after me, a lilt in her tone.

The way she’s being tonight, playful and teasing, has me wound up tight, and even though we worked harder today than we did any day last week, I’m not sure I’ll fall asleep.

Frustration courses through my limbs as I lie on the bed on my back staring at the ceiling in the darkness. I have the window-unit on, but this fire is in my veins, it’s in my blood. It’s like a force driving me.

Glancing at the clock, I see it’s almost midnight. I’ve got to sleep.

Pressing my bent arm over my eyes, I try to think of soothing things… Noel’s silky hair, her gentle smile, the way she concentrates when she’s reading a recipe for peach lotion or peach ice cream or… peaches.

Her soft, round ass floats through my mind, and my dick hardens… Soft as a peach. A peach I want to taste, lick, suck, eat… I want her crying out my name like she did in that pond.

The small hairs prickle on my skin when I realize I’m not alone.

Dropping my arm on the bed, I squint into the darkness. The door is open, and in the glow of the moonlight, I see the one thing that can give me relief.

“Noel?” I sit up, letting the sheet fall to my waist where I’m sporting some serious wood. “What are you doing here?”

She doesn’t speak. She closes the space between us, reaching up to push the robe she’s wearing off her shoulders. My forehead collapses, and I let out a low groan. She’s standing in front of me completely nude, and the light from the telephone pole across the yard casts a soft glow around her curves.

“I’m ready now.”

“Close the door.”

All my thoughts of waiting, my concern about leaving her disappear in the face of Noel straddling my lap, cupping my cheeks in her hands, saying how much she wants me.

“Kiss me, Taron.” Her voice is a rasp, demanding, and my hands clutch her soft ass that I’ve dreamed of every night.

I’m hard as a rock as she drags her nails through my beard, as our lips seal together.

She pulls my lips with hers. She bites and exhales a soft purr. “Don’t you want this?”

Her lips move to my cheek and up to my eyebrow before she pulls back to meet my eyes. Her beautiful, whiskey eyes… intoxicating.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” It’s a strained whisper, the last of my resistance.

“Then don’t.”

She moves on my lap and the moonlight glows on her skin. I whip the sheet away and catch her around the waist, turning her so she’s beneath me. She exhales something between a laugh and a sigh, and I cover her mouth again with mine.

Our kisses are hungry, demanding—fueled by every touch denied, every tease wasted, every time we’ve come so close only to push apart.