Page 32 of When You Blush

Now she does pull away, but she doesn’t tug her hand away from mine. Just like all those months ago, after the flight from Denver, she leaves her hand in mine, and it warms my chest.

“What’s your schedule like this week?” I ask.

“Well, I have today and tomorrow off,then I go to days for three days, then off three days.” She narrows her eyes. “Yeah, that’s it. Sorry, it gets confusing sometimes. It’s easier to remember the day shifts from the night ones, but I have it all in the calendar on my phone. How about you? What’s your schedule like?”

“I have today off,” I reply and inhale deeply, wishing for the first time that I didn’t take on so much. “I’m in the clinic the next few days, but no ER in the evening for a while. We finally hired a new ER doc to help.”

“Oh, nice. Working double shifts is exhausting, Blake.”

“You’re telling me.” I grin down at her, then tuck a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. “Let’s take a picture.”

Her eyebrow lifts. “Okay.”

She pulls her phone out of her pocket, and I take it since I have longer arms and can get a better angle. We both smile for the camera with the lake and mountains in the background. She’s tucked up beside me, my arm around her back, and fuck if she doesn’t look good right here.

When I pass the phone back to her, I say, “Please send me that.”

“Oh, sure.” She taps the screen, and my phone vibrates in my pocket. “It’s a good picture.”

“Of course it is. You’re in it.”

She laughs, rolls her eyes, and heads back to the shore to put her shoes back on. First, she pulls a small towel out of her pack to wipe herself off, thenoffers it to me.

“You come prepared,” I comment as I use the towel to dry my feet before putting my own shoes on.

“Always. I even have snacks. I knew I wouldn’tneedthem since this isn’t a super-long hike, but you never know.”

“What kind of snacks?”

She smiles and opens the pack wider, peering inside. “Let’s see. We have cashews, jerky, trail mix, a protein bar, and sour candy.”

Opening the candy, she pops some in her mouth.

“What can I give you?”

You can straddle my lap and let me fuck you here in the woods, sugar.

“I’ll take some jerky.”

“You got it.” She passes me the unopened package, pops more candy in her mouth, then zips up her pack.

When she stands, she loses her balance and ends up over a log, on her ass, scowling as her hat falls right off her head.

“You okay?” I hurry over to her and cup her face, scanning her body.

“I’m a clumsy oaf,” she says.

I shake my head. “The log jumped you,” I reply. “I saw it. Anything hurt?”

“Just my pride and my ass.” I help her to her feet, and she brushes off her backside. I pick up the hat, but I don’t give it back to her yet. “Thanks.”

But I don’t pull away.

I don’t want to pull away.

I step into her and tip her chin up before I slant mylips over hers. A little moan comes from her throat, and she wraps her arms around my waist. She leans into me, presses her breasts against me, and kisses me back.

And every cell in my body ignites.