reached a wide clearing with a small stream trickling through it, ending in a wide pool, and tied up the horses. Bennett unpacked a picnic, and I stretched out in the sun. It was peaceful up here. Serene. Quiet. All the things my life was not.
And that was before everything had gone to hell.
After lunch, we lay on the blanket on our sides, arms tucked under our heads, swapping stories and laughing. He’d taken off his shirt, and both of us had shed our shoes.
“You should have seen his face!” Bennett said, shaking his head. “He just couldn’t fathom how his car had made it into the bell tower.”
“You’re the worst sort of prankster!” I said, but I couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling up in my chest.
Bennett got suddenly serious, his smile sliding from his face. I wondered if I’d hit a nerve somehow. After a moment he looked like he was about to say something; something serious that would shatter the illusion of this perfect day, and I didn’t want that. I wasn’t ready for it.
Smiling, I jumped to my feet instead.
“Come on!” I said, starting to pack up our lunch. “I want to go for a swim before dinner.”
He rose as well, customary grin sliding back into place, and waggled his eyebrows. “Why wait?” he asked, and before I could respond, he’d swept me from my feet and tossed me over his shoulder, making a beeline for the stream.
“Bennett Dallas Campbell, don’t you dare!” I shrieked between peals of laughter, and a moment later we were both soaked, standing in the middle of a stream that proved deceptively deep.
“You were saying?” Bennett asked, managing to still look sexy, even with his hair half wet and falling in his face. His feet touched the bottom of the pool, but mine didn’t, and I was treading water in front of him.
“You’ll pay for that,” I promised, laying my head back to wet my hair thoroughly, and then wiping it forward, spraying him in the face with a shower of droplets. It wasn’t much of a payback, but I could hardly stay mad at him. Bennett hardly even noticed as his hands found my waist under the water, and my hands went to his shoulders, sending a fresh cascade of water sliding down his skin, pooling briefly in his clavicle before continuing on.
“Name your price, Sunshine,” he said, and I pressed a little closer, the heat of our bodies together warming me even in the cool water.
“Kiss me,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes.
“Done,” He dropped a quick kiss onto my lips, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
“No,” I said. “Really kiss me.”
“Ava,” he began, but I cut him off.
“I’m your wife, Bennett. So stop making excuses and just kiss me.”
As I pressed myself as close to him as I could, I felt his erection growing against my thigh and leaned in, my lips a whisper away from his. “Kiss me,” I repeated softly, and he finally obliged.
The kiss was slow and sweet to begin, but it quickly heated up, and soon my legs were wrapped around his waist under the water, and his fingers were sliding up the back of my wet, clinging tank top.
“Bennett,” I murmured against his lips when we broke to breathe.
“Ava,” he whispered in return, voice a low rumble that sent a wave of lust through me.
Surprised by my own boldness, I let my hand slide down his bare chest, finding his jeans beneath the water, fumbling open the button and zipper and sliding my hand inside his boxers. Bennett groaned as my fingers curled around his hard length, and it pulsed in my hand as I began to stroke.
“Fuck,” Bennett muttered. “Fuck, Ava.”
“Soon,” I answered, feeling my own arousal rapidly building. “Tonight.”
And then we were kissing again, tongues teasing each other, and Bennett’s hand moved between my legs, rubbing against me, making me shudder.
We moved together for a few, frantic moments, and then we were both hovering on the edge, and I gasped a soft, “Please.” He groaned and bucked forward, his hand moving more
And that was before everything had gone to hell.
After lunch, we lay on the blanket on our sides, arms tucked under our heads, swapping stories and laughing. He’d taken off his shirt, and both of us had shed our shoes.
“You should have seen his face!” Bennett said, shaking his head. “He just couldn’t fathom how his car had made it into the bell tower.”
“You’re the worst sort of prankster!” I said, but I couldn’t stop the laugh bubbling up in my chest.
Bennett got suddenly serious, his smile sliding from his face. I wondered if I’d hit a nerve somehow. After a moment he looked like he was about to say something; something serious that would shatter the illusion of this perfect day, and I didn’t want that. I wasn’t ready for it.
Smiling, I jumped to my feet instead.
“Come on!” I said, starting to pack up our lunch. “I want to go for a swim before dinner.”
He rose as well, customary grin sliding back into place, and waggled his eyebrows. “Why wait?” he asked, and before I could respond, he’d swept me from my feet and tossed me over his shoulder, making a beeline for the stream.
“Bennett Dallas Campbell, don’t you dare!” I shrieked between peals of laughter, and a moment later we were both soaked, standing in the middle of a stream that proved deceptively deep.
“You were saying?” Bennett asked, managing to still look sexy, even with his hair half wet and falling in his face. His feet touched the bottom of the pool, but mine didn’t, and I was treading water in front of him.
“You’ll pay for that,” I promised, laying my head back to wet my hair thoroughly, and then wiping it forward, spraying him in the face with a shower of droplets. It wasn’t much of a payback, but I could hardly stay mad at him. Bennett hardly even noticed as his hands found my waist under the water, and my hands went to his shoulders, sending a fresh cascade of water sliding down his skin, pooling briefly in his clavicle before continuing on.
“Name your price, Sunshine,” he said, and I pressed a little closer, the heat of our bodies together warming me even in the cool water.
“Kiss me,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes.
“Done,” He dropped a quick kiss onto my lips, his eyes sparkling mischievously.
“No,” I said. “Really kiss me.”
“Ava,” he began, but I cut him off.
“I’m your wife, Bennett. So stop making excuses and just kiss me.”
As I pressed myself as close to him as I could, I felt his erection growing against my thigh and leaned in, my lips a whisper away from his. “Kiss me,” I repeated softly, and he finally obliged.
The kiss was slow and sweet to begin, but it quickly heated up, and soon my legs were wrapped around his waist under the water, and his fingers were sliding up the back of my wet, clinging tank top.
“Bennett,” I murmured against his lips when we broke to breathe.
“Ava,” he whispered in return, voice a low rumble that sent a wave of lust through me.
Surprised by my own boldness, I let my hand slide down his bare chest, finding his jeans beneath the water, fumbling open the button and zipper and sliding my hand inside his boxers. Bennett groaned as my fingers curled around his hard length, and it pulsed in my hand as I began to stroke.
“Fuck,” Bennett muttered. “Fuck, Ava.”
“Soon,” I answered, feeling my own arousal rapidly building. “Tonight.”
And then we were kissing again, tongues teasing each other, and Bennett’s hand moved between my legs, rubbing against me, making me shudder.
We moved together for a few, frantic moments, and then we were both hovering on the edge, and I gasped a soft, “Please.” He groaned and bucked forward, his hand moving more
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