Page 35 of Moonshine and Magnolias (Just Add Peaches #1)

“Brandi, your work ethic isn’t going to magically change. You missed your dinner shift without telling me.”

“I know, I’m sorry. There was a problem that I had to deal with. I wasn’t expecting it.”

That could mean a million things. “Contingency plans, Brandi. With Eulalee exhausting herself trying to train Anthon, if Jordan hadn’t been here, I don’t know how I could have done everything. Communication is important.”

“I didn’t want that patented I’m-so-disappointed-in-you Wendy stare. I felt bad enough as it was.”

Wendy swallowed. “I do not have a stare.”

“Yes, you do.” Brandi dipped her chin and tilted her head, looking at Wendy through squinted eyes. “Like this.” She pointed. “You’re doing it now!”

“No, this is my get-real stare.” Wendy lifted her hand. “I can adapt to most situations, Brandi, but only if I know there’s going to be a situation.”

“I’ll get better at this. I promise. I want to do my part. Make Fountenoy Hall mine. Ours.”

“I want to believe you. I do.” Wendy put her back to the tree, next to her cousin. Talking was easier if she could avoid the intense eye contact. “But this isn’t the first time we’ve had a conversation like this. The trust isn’t going to come in one night.”

“Yeah, Sebastien said you’d say that.” Brandi wiped her sleeve across her eyes. “He’s right, as usual.”

“Yeah, Sebastien’s one of the good ones.” Wendy tried to keep her tone light, but she wanted to lock her cousin in a room with the prince until she realized how good he would be for her.

Brandi tilted to knock her shoulder into Wendy’s. “What about this Doctor Rob guy? He one of the good ones, too? ”

Warmth spread in Wendy’s belly instead of the defensive shield that normally sprang up whenever talk with her cousin turned to a member of the opposite gender. So many times, Brandi had ended up with the man, regardless of Wendy’s feelings. “Yeah. He is.”

“Wow, I can tell with that dopey grin on your face. I’ve never seen it before. You’ve fallen, and hard.”

No, that wasn’t true. She liked him, sure. But fallen? Wendy shook her head. “It’s not like that.”

“Yeah, you go and keep saying that to yourself.” She tossed a peach in the air and caught it. “Did you get your bedroom issues straightened out?”

“Brandi!”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If it doesn’t go right the first time, you try again.”

Wendy felt the flush cover her face. Hopefully Brandi wouldn’t be able to tell in the dim light of the setting sun.

“Hey.” Brandi pointed a finger. “If I can learn to maybe possibly be on time and show up for my shifts, maybe you can learn to share what you’re thinking. If not with me, then with him.”

“How do you do it?”

“Please tell me you’re not asking me what I think you’re asking me. And if so, what the hell have you been doing between the sheets all this time?”

Wendy let out a short laugh. “No, not that. How do you…” Fiddlesticks. She smoothed her hands down her skirt to buy some time. Brandi might think Wendy asking about her cavalier attitude toward sex was a judgement issue. “You always seem comfortable with men.”

“You know what the secret is?”

“Enlighten me, oh wise one.”

“Stop analyzing.” Brandi waved her hand. “I mean, think about the who and why and if your condom supply is fully stocked beforehand. But once that’s all been figured out? Do what feels good. ”

“It felt good last night. And still.” She let herself be led by thinking. “You’re right. I was analyzing.”

“And you know this works for more than just sex.” Brandi grinned. “Say, for example, when your cousin is late for her shift.”

“Or leaves halfway through.” Wendy held up her hand. “One thing at a time.”

“Rob’s not your usual style. He’s…” Brandi trailed off.

“Not uptight?” Wendy raised her eyebrows.

“Here,” Brandi said, nudging her chin toward the house. “He’s here.”

Wendy fought the urge to turn around, even as her skin prickled and her breath stuck in the back of her throat. It was too soon. She wasn’t ready. Maybe she could slink through the orchard and back-track it to the house. “Is he looking for me?”

“That’s my guess. Do you want me to pass him a note in fourth period asking if he likes you?”

She shifted to see the shadowed figure walking through the setting sun while her chest tightened. “I can’t stay.”

“Hey. You’re doing it again.” Brandi put her hands on Wendy’s shoulders. “Don’t let this go. Besides, who’ll mind if the dishes get done now or in an hour?”

“The health department.”

“Fine. I’ll take care of the kitchen.” Brandi pushed her toward Rob. “You take care of you.”

***

Rob’s gut socked him with unexpected pleasure when Wendy turned and smiled at him.

There was just enough daylight peeking through the trees for him to see it was more than her bland customer service face.

A determined gleam that turned to hunger lit her green eyes.

For a second, she lowered her gaze, hiding her desire, and bit at her lip.

Don’t quit, he silently urged her. Look up.

When she brought her eyes up to his again, he had to fight the primitive force that demanded he claim her as his own.

“I’m out.” Brandi sidled past him. “See you all in the morning.”

He might have said something or grunted. He wasn’t sure. His attention was on the brunette in front of him. The eye contact was good. The smile was good. Even the nervousness that radiated from her was good.

“Hi,” she said.

His cock stirred at her low and husky voice, begging him to wrap his arms around her and pull her to the bench. To the ground. All the way to bed. But tonight had to be all up to her. “I thought you might be out here.”

“You came looking for me?”

He shifted close enough to feel her body heat. “I wanted to see you.”

She pulled her ponytail over her shoulder and played with the ends of her hair. “Look. About last night. It was…” Her lips pressed together as she swallowed.

Rob decided to help her out. “The best sex you ever had?”

“What?” Her mouth gaped open. “It was rude of me.”

He snapped his fingers and pointed to her. “That was my second guess.”

Her eyebrows drew down as she cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m sorry.”

“That we did the naked tango?”

She shot him a look of frustration. “For kicking you out of my room.”

“So not for the naked tango.”

“No. That was nice.” She cringed a little as she said it. “Very nice.”

At least she modified the less-than-enthusiastic response.

“Which part? Because if nice, very nice for you describes the part I’m thinking about, then I hope to all creation we’re not talking about the same thing.

” He stepped closer, staring into the wide eyes that reminded him one misstep would send her scurrying away.

He dropped his voice. “It was incredible.”

Before she could respond, he turned from her and straddled the stone bench. It was still warm from the sun, and he wrapped his fingers over the edges to keep from touching her.

Heat suffused her cheeks. She tossed a glance back to the Hall, her body almost poised to escape. “Look, I just wanted to say I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“If you have to. But I’m going to be here for a while, in case you want to hang.” And hope that she changed her mind. He gave a casual shrug. “It’s nice out. Very nice, even.”

She exhaled a quick puff of breath. “Good night.”

He softened his voice. “Good night, Wendy.”

She walked up the small hill, her strides determined. He could barely make out her form in the growing darkness. Damn. She was really going to leave.

As she was about to crest the hill, she stopped. Took a few more steps. Stopped again, this time longer. He held his breath until she pivoted.

Thank God.

He expected her to say more. Instead, she charged straight forward, not stopping until she nearly knocked him off his seat between her hold on his head and the onslaught of her lips.

He slid his hands to her hips, but did nothing more than give her a solid base from which she could continue to use him anyway way she wanted.

And want to she did. She roped her arms around his neck and pressed her torso closer, keeping their lips connected. The outsides of her breasts grazed his arms.

That was all it took to get him rock hard, ready to flip her on her back and hike up her skirt. He closed his eyes and pushed away all thoughts of movement. This was Wendy’s show. It had to be.

She straddled the stone bench facing him, her breathing ragged.

Her skirt hiked up over her knees, revealing the smooth, pale skin of her thighs, and he fought to keep his gaze from drifting lower.

She studied his face and what he hoped was a lust-filled, encouraging, open-to-anything expression.

Her gaze moved to his chest, down his torso, and stared at his crotch.

His jeans got uncomfortably tighter. A satisfied smile played upon her lips.

Holding eye contact, she slowly drew the elastic out of her hair and ran her fingers through her long tresses.

He had never so much in his life wanted someone with the ferocity that roared through his blood. His own breath hitched and he grabbed the bench behind him.

Letting Wendy take control was the whole point, but this was torture. Half of him regretted the decision when she ran her hands along the underside of her breasts, keeping her eyes on his as if daring him to move.

He had no idea how he kept from touching her.

She bent forward, her warm breath tickling his stomach. He threw back his head and closed his eyes when she reached for his jeans. Even exhaling was difficult. He thought of curses and lost treasures, hoping to keep from exploding in his pants like he was with a girl for the first time.

“Stand up,” she ordered.

He slid his leg over the bench and obeyed, and she yanked his jeans down to free his crotch from the confining fabric.

His penis ached to be loose as well, but she tugged on his arm and he sat back down.

Her fingers slipped into his underwear, fondling him, caressing him, and pulled down the elastic so it was under his balls. He lifted his hips to make it easier.

Her hand dug into his shoulders as she used him for leverage to shift onto his lap with only the material of her underwear between him and heaven. Her gentle thrusts were an echo of what he wanted her to do.

Torture.

He would not be the first to orgasm. To make sure of it, he dug deeper into the bench, scraping his skin enough to take the edge off his pleasure, helpless to do anything but watch as she swayed up and down, her satiny hair shimmering over her shoulders and tickling his chest. Her eyes closed as she tilted her head back, and one of her hands reached up to caress her own breast. Rob’s eyes followed her action, mesmerized by the pleasure on her face and the ragged mewling sounds escaping her throat.

God, he wanted to be inside her. He reached for her, ready to kiss her and get her naked and on the ground before driving into her and making her scream beneath him.

Instead, she danced off his lap with a scolding look on her face.

When he reached behind him and grabbed hold of the bench, she straddled him again .

Somehow, she had removed her panties without him seeing. He was going to be the one screaming.