Page 52 of Stronghold

I pull him back to me, but he puts his hand between our mouths. I lick it and kiss it, loving how his eyes go dark.

"Let's eat whatever snack my mom prepared for us. You know if we don't eat it all and then show up hungry for dinner, we'll be in trouble."

I chuckle, remembering the times we'd been in trouble with our moms for getting so lost playing outside that we forgot our snacks. There's probably a family of raccoons out there in Burlington that was exclusively fed by us for years.

We stand up, shaking off the soil from our clothes, and walk toward the bike where Sky left the bag hanging from the handlebar.

Sky opens the bag and starts laughing.

"What's funny?"

"How hungry are you?" he asks.

"I could eat. Why?"

He comes closer for another drugging kiss. Fuck, I could get used to this.

"Will my kisses be enough?" he whispers against my mouth.

"Well, they're certainly distracting. What were we talking about again?"

He puts his hand inside the bag and pulls out two apples.

"I guess she doesn't want us to lose track of time," I say.

"She underestimates how long I've dreamed about having you in my arms. With this apple and the coffee I had earlier, I think I have enough hydration to keep you here for the next three days."

I wrap my arms around his waist and lean my head on his chest. "But how about energy? You need energy for the stuff I have in mind for you."

He kisses my head and laughs. "You also underestimate how long I've wanted you, Jud."

I look up to give him another kiss.

"Have you always been such a smooth talker?"

"Only for the things I really want."

"And you want me?"

"I do."

20

Skyler

"Put this on," Jud says, waving a sleep mask in front of me.

I raise a brow. "Here. In your mother's kitchen?"

"Put it on."

God, he's sexy when he's bossy.

"Okay, but if someone walks in, you're doing the explaining."

He laughs.

Since the day at the orchard, we haven't spent as much time together as I would like. After dinner with my parents, my dad announced that he let go of the extra help I hired.