Page 18 of Cruising with You (Swenson Sweethearts)

And right now, I’m just along for the ride.

Her palm is warm as she finally gains the courage to dive under my shirt and feel my heated skin.

Slowly, she trails her manicured nails up my abs before scraping them along my chest. Her mouth hovers less than an inch above mine, but her shallow breathing fans across my face, tempting me even further.

My restraint is barely intact as my fingers dig into her thighs again.

Sliding them up a few more inches, I cup her toned ass and realize she isn’t wearing any sleep shorts.

“Are you in your underwear?” I grit out.

Her mouth quirks in the corner. “Is that a problem?”

“Tell me I can kiss you.”

The heat from her gaze burns me as it drops down to my mouth. “You can––”

My lips are on hers before she can finish her sentence, but I can’t take any more of this torture. I need to taste her. Feel her. Connect with her the only way I know how.

Wrapping my arm around her slender waist, I flip Nora onto her back then cage her in with my biceps before getting lost in her kiss. The room gets darker as the minutes tick by, then her underwear is ripped off, and I follow them with my board shorts.

With a moan, she throws her head back and squirms beneath me, her desperation as palpable as my own. When her shirt rides up a few more inches, I take advantage and tease her with my fingers until she’s sopping wet.

“Stop torturing me,” she begs. “We can do all the other stuff later. Right now, I need you inside me. Please.”

My amusement sparks. “All that other stuff?”

“You know what I mean!” she argues, her skin becoming more flushed as I stare down at her.

Damn, she’s adorable.

Diving back in, I lick the column of her throat, then bite the sensitive skin while lining myself up with her entrance. She’s right. We’ve been torturing ourselves long enough.

“Only because you asked nicely,” I tease her.

Nora’s back arches as she spreads her legs a little wider in anticipation. Then I press into her and let out a groan when I realize I’ve died and gone to Heaven.

“Shiiit,” she whimpers with her eyes squeezed shut.

Chuckling, I look back down at her. “Good shit? Or bad shit?”

She rolls her hips beneath me, then opens her eyes. “Get moving, Gage, or so help me––”

My deep thrust cuts her off, turning her order into a gasp as I bury my head back into her neck and breathe her in. Her nails digging into my back, I pick up my pace and begin to push into her harder, making sure to hit the perfect spot that pulls the longest moans from Nora’s sexy lips.

Like a wave, we let the moment build before crashing over the edge together.

It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt as we catch our breaths in the otherwise silent room.

There’s been a shift in the air. I’m not sure what it is or how we caused it, but I know I’m not the only one who feels it.

The girl beneath me turns from melted muscles to a stiff board.

I steal another taste of her bare shoulder.

Her skin is dewy sweet, and I commit the taste to memory, unsure if she’ll ever let me this close to her again.

“That…that was….” Nora swallows but doesn’t say anything else as I watch a single tear slip out of the corner of her eye before gliding past her temple and landing in her tangled hair.

Cupping the side of her face, I run my forefinger against the glistening trail that’s left and press my mouth to hers.

This kiss is lazier and more intimate somehow.

When I pull away, I don’t say anything. I simply hold her close and pray she can feel the same connection I do whenever we’re together.

“What time is it?” she chokes out.

“I don’t know. Why?”

“It’s super dark.” Eyes widening, she shoots up out of bed. “Shit! Did we miss the eclipse?”

Confused, I try to process her anger before searching for my cell to check the time. The screen is bright in the dark room, and I squint my eyes as I register that we missed it.

“We’re ten minutes late,” I inform her.

Covering her mouth, she collapses back onto the mattress. “So, we were too busy having sex to witness it.”

“Uh…yeah? I guess.”

She’s about to cry again. I can see it. I can feel it.

Not sure what to do, and feeling more insecure than I’ve felt in a long ass time, I mutter, “Do you want me to go?”

A soft sob escapes her before her white teeth dig into her lower lip so hard that the plump flesh starts to lose its color.

“Whoa, Pretty Girl. Calm down. What’s wrong? Is it about Gem? I’m sure she’ll understand why you missed it. You’re sick. She’ll forgive you––”

“It’s not about that,” she chokes.

“Then what is it?”

“I need you to go.”

“What?”

I knew there was a shift in the room after we finished, but come on. She won’t even give me a chance to prove that I’m not an ass?

“I just…I need you to go. I need to take a shower and––”

“Nora. Calm down. You’re freaking out.”

“That’s because that’s what I do. I’m a Cancer, remember? I’m an emotional wreck who feels everything. And right now, I feel like the stupid yolk has slipped out of the little cracks and is about to be tossed in the trash. I just…I need you to go. Now.”

“Where are you from, Nora?” I demand.

Flinching back, she blinks rapidly before shaking her head. “What?”

“Where do you live? We’ve never had this talk, and I want to know.”

She swallows, watching me like a hawk. “Miami. Why?”

“That could work,” I offer.

“What could work?”

“ We could work.”

“Gage, don’t––”

“Why not?” I argue, my frustration boiling over.

“You don’t have to pity me because I’m crying right now, okay? I get it, but a tiger doesn’t change his stripes.”

“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. I’m not saying I love you. I’m not saying I want to marry you. I’m just saying that when we get off this boat…we could give this a real shot. We could try .”

“Or we could end it right now. You’ve gotten your brownie batter.”

Gritting my teeth, I spit, “Well, maybe I want to bake it. Did you ever think of that, Nora?”

“Don’t lie to me––”

“Who the hell says I’m lying? Is it because I’m a Leo?

Is that the problem?” I laugh, though there isn’t any humor in it before I climb off the bed and begin pacing the tiny room.

“Just because the stupid zodiac signs say we might struggle to communicate, is that why you’re not willing to give this a shot? ”

“That’s not it––”

“You sure about that?” I growl. “I want you. I want us. I want hard conversations. I want real connections. I want fudgy, gooey brownies that are baked to perfection. I want to try .”

Her lower lip quivers as she crosses her arms over her chest, but she doesn’t say anything.

“Talk to me, Nora,” I plead, my voice softening as I take in the gorgeous girl in front of me.

“Why me?” she whispers.

“Because you’re you. I don’t know how else to explain it.

You balance me out. You see things from a different perspective.

You’re compassionate. You’re kind. You’re clean.

You’re consistent. You’re…you’re everything .

I wouldn’t want this if I didn’t think we could make it.

I think about hurting you. About not being able to commit to you.

And it makes me feel like someone is ripping me apart limb by limb. Will you please try this with me?”

Standing up, she runs her fingers through her tangled hair in frustration. “But what about our future, Gage? I want the white picket fence. I want to get married. I want to have babies and a dog. You want freedom, and I can’t waste my time with someone who doesn’t want what I do.”

Her barriers are still firmly in place, and it pisses me off.

How can she not see that she’s enough? That any man would be lucky to claim her, and I’m trying to do exactly that.

Closing the distance between us with slow, deliberate steps, I raise my hand and cup her cheek.

“When I’m with you, I don’t feel tied down.

Maybe the stars really did align to bring me to you. But I’d be a fool to let you go.”

With a shallow breath, she whispers, “Are you sure, Gage?”

“About us?”

“Yeah.” Her gaze is filled with barely-restrained hope, and the sight is enough to disperse the last of my reservations.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, I admit, “I’m unsure about a lot of things, but I know that I want the real deal with you. So tell me something, Pretty Girl. Do you want me too?”

“More than anything.”

“Then, I guess it’s settled.”

Her grin practically lights up the room. “I guess it is.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, she raises her chin, and I savor this moment before kissing her. Again. Only this time, I crack the damn egg to let her know that we’re both in this together.

And we’re gonna make some damn good brownies.

Epilogue - Gage

One Year Later

“Hey, Bertie,” I greet her while setting a cup of coffee on the reception desk.

“Is this––”

“Coffee as black as your ex’s soul?” I wink. “Why, yes. Yes, it is.”

“Why do I only attract assholes, Gage?”

“Maybe because you’re looking in the wrong places. Have you decided whether you’re going to attend the singles’ cruise this year?”

“I dunno,” she hedges.

“You should. Nora is friends with one of the bartenders. She thinks you two would hit it off.”

“You think?”

I shrug. Hell if I know, but I’m not about to douse the hope shining in Bertie’s eyes. “Sure. Why not?”

“Then I guess I’ll pack my bags. Nora is lucky to have you, you know.”

I wave her off. “Nah, I’m the lucky one to have her. And you should be grateful she trained me to bring in coffee whenever I stop by her office. Is she still getting ready?”

“Yup. The makeup artist is finishing up with her. Then you guys should be all set for the interview.”

“Sounds good. Will Conner and Gem be joining us too?”