Page 33 of Pugs & Kisses
“There’s plenty of that in the air,” Evie whispered. She nudged her hips back, tucking her ass against his groin.
His dick swelled with a swiftness he hadn’t experienced since freshman year phys ed.
Bryson groaned. “Evie, please.”
“You know, erotic fishing wasn’t on my bingo card, but I can’t say I mind it.”
“Fuck the fish,” he said, yanking the pole from the water and tossing it to the ground.
Burying his face against her throat, he gripped Evie by the waist, turned, and backed her up against the live oak a few steps away.
Bryson settled her against the tree’s thick trunk and cradled the back of her head in his left palm.
He traced the curve of her jaw with his lips, running them across her soft skin, basking in the low moans rising from her throat.
He flattened his right hand against her stomach, then inched upward, his fingers tingling as they skimmed the underside of her breast. He brushed his index finger across her nipple and sucked in the gasp she released against his mouth.
He plied her with deep, sensual kisses, probing the inside of her mouth with his tongue while his hand became bolder in its exploration, pinching and squeezing and rubbing her through the fabric of her shirt.
He was dying to slip his hand underneath the hem and feel her skin against his fingers, but if that happened, all clothes would be off within a matter of minutes. The first time he made love to Evie would not be under a tree in his parents’ backyard.
Which meant he should put an end to this now.
He gave his tongue one last, reluctant swipe inside her mouth before pulling away.
“Okay, I think I like fishing now,” Evie said with a breathy laugh.
Bryson tried to reply, but all he could do was smile and concentrate on catching his breath.
“I like your version of fishing even better than the one I grew up doing,” he said when he was finally able to speak.
Her gentle laugh rippled across his cheek. “Maybe you can give me a proper fishing lesson the next time,” she said.
Bryson drew his head back and gazed down at her. “Already thinking about coming back?”
“You promised to take me out on the boat,” she said.
“That I did.” He nodded, then chuckled. “You know, up until we got here, I contemplated turning around,” Bryson admitted.
“Why?” she asked.
He considered holding back the truth, then decided against it.
“Because you grew up in a house ten times the size of this one. And people who grew up like you always made me feel as small as that pebble right there.”
“Really, Bryson? This again?”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry. I know it isn’t fair, because you never treated me that way, but you have to understand, Ev. From the time I entered high school, I was made to feel like I was less than. Your ex took his share of digs during the three semesters we were lab partners.”
“Because he’s an asshole,” she said. “We already established that.”
“There are many assholes like Cameron in this world.”
“And you thought I was one of them.” It wasn’t a question; it was an accusation.
“At first I did,” he admitted. “I quickly learned how wrong I was, because you proved me wrong. I’ve learned it’s a defense mechanism.
That it’s my brain’s way of protecting itself against those taunts I suffered throughout high school.
I’ve worked hard at not automatically expecting the worst in people, but I still fall short. ”
“Why did you stay at that high school if it was so bad?” Evie asked. “The school we spoke at this morning seems amazing.”
“The school I went to had better opportunities,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t regret staying there, but I’ll admit it took a while for the scars to heal.”
Bryson shifted until he was standing beside her, his back flat against the tree.
“For a long time, I didn’t want to come back home at all because of what I went through,” he said. “In the eight years since I’ve been gone, I’ve only returned to this house four times. Today is the first day I’ve been here since my nephew’s high school graduation a year and a half ago.”
“But you’ve been back in Louisiana for a couple of weeks now. Why haven’t you visited?”
“Because my parents have been gone nearly the entire time since I’ve moved back home. They’ve taken up cruising and I won’t be surprised if they become one of those couples who sell their house and live on a cruise ship.”
“Let me know if it ever goes up for sale. I’d buy it just for the peace and quiet,” Evie said. “You know that swing hanging from the oak tree back at their house? Give me that, a good book, and a cold glass of lemonade, and then leave me be.”
Bryson grinned. “You just described Sunday afternoons for my mom when I was growing up. My older brothers would bring me out here to fish, Pop would go help my uncle Rooster work on cars at his shop, and my mom would have the afternoon to herself. We always found her on that swing.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Remind me again about your brothers? I know you told me they were older, but it’s been a while.”
“Jeremy is the oldest. He was a junior in high school when I was born. And Roman is two years younger than him. They were both grown and out of the house before I could get a sense of what it felt like to grow up with two big brothers. We’re a lot closer now that I’m older.”
“I can never see my brother and I having a close relationship, but that’s because Marshall is a dick. Nothing to do with the four-year age gap.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure my brothers would be happy to become surrogate brothers for you.”
Her brows shot up. “Okay, then. You don’t play around, do you?”
Bryson replayed in his mind what he just said to her.
“Shit, that’s not what I meant,” he said. “Did I just make things weird?”
“I’m teasing you,” Evie said with a laugh.
Bryson rolled his eyes. “On second thought, let’s get married. You’d fit right in with my family.”
“Can we maybe start with an actual date?” Evie asked, peering over at him with an impish grin he couldn’t wait to kiss off her face.
He twisted back toward her, positioning her body between his and the tree. Leaning forward, he whispered, “I think we can make that happen,” just before connecting his mouth with hers.