Page 38 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

‘Ginger?’

‘My boat.’

She giggled and he could feel the vibration through his chest.

‘I don’t count that.’

‘Okay, then no. How about you?’

‘Not really.’

‘Not really?’

‘I mean, I don’t think so...’

‘Haze...’

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m pretty sure you would know. I mean, I think it should be obvious.’

She scrunched her nose again. ‘I guess you’re right. It just feels like maybe I should have been. I had a few long relationships and I was ... comfortable, I guess. For a while anyway. And then it was always like I outgrew them or we outgrew each other.’

‘Hmm, yeah I get that.’

‘You do?’

‘Not really. Just trying to be nice.’

Hazel laughed.

‘Hey, Haze?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Are you sure you don’t have any strange sex kinks you want to confess? I’m very open.’ He waggled his eyebrows and her laugh fizzed through him again.

She was grinning up at him, her body still pressed against his and he thought maybe his weird sex kink was Hazel. Just ... all of her. But not in his usual way. Not like when he spotted a woman at the bar and knew they’d have fun together for a weekend or two, when he didn’t want to know much more than her name and what would make her come.

Hazel was different. He wanted Hazel in bed and out of it. He wanted to lie here and talk to her all day and then bring her home and do everything but talk. He wanted to know what she loved and also what she tasted like.

But none of that was whatshewanted.

She wanted him for a good time. An adventure. A diversion. She might live here in Dream Harbor but he needed to remember to think of her like every other tourist. Hazel Kelly was passing through his life and he needed to shake off all these crazy feelings he was having. He needed to stop noticing her eye color.

‘I’m sure you are very open but I have nothing like that to confess.’

‘We could remedy that, if you really wanted to kick this summer of recklessness into high gear.’ He’d let this conversation get too deep. It was time to steer things back toward what he did best. Flirting. Charming. Entertaining.

It was what Hazel had signed on for. Not some sad dude pining after her.

She laughed again, but had somehow inched forward so her breath teased across his lips. ‘How about we just start with making out on the beach?’ That mischievous glint was back in her eyes, the one he selfishly hoped only he got to see. Even though he shouldn’t. Even though this thing was temporary. He’d take this image of Hazel above him, looking wind-blown and sun-kissed, with him. Another little Hazel treasure.

‘Hell, yeah.’ He cupped her face with his hands and brought her mouth down to his. Her soft sigh ricocheted through his body. Hazel Kelly was going to be the death of him. He rolled her onto her back, suddenly needing to take control of the situation. She’d blindsided him with too many kisses, left him dizzy and reeling. He was taking the lead this time.

Or he thought he was, anyway. With Hazel’s arms wrapped around his neck and her breathy little sounds against his mouth, Noah had lost all sense of reason once again. He kissed down her neck and Hazel arched into him and he suddenly hated the damn sweatshirt she was wearing. He sucked on a particularly sensitive spot on her neck and she groaned.

Oh, God, he wanted more of that.