She giggled as his breath touched her lips. He smelled like that wonderful mixture of lime, jasmine, and salt water that was uniquely Tuck. Had he brought a bottle of cologne with him to Catalina? He’d had a small bag. She’d been so excited this morning she hadn’t thought to pack much more than her suit and probably smelled like rotten fish.
“Yep, Granny Ellie was always telling us to love our enemies, it would drive them crazy.” Her mouth kept running even though she wasn’t concentrating on what she was saying, just hoping he would kiss her. “Not that you were my enemy, you could never be my enemy. Even though I was scared of you for a minute, I know that wasn’t the real you. I like you, the real you, very much. You’re very heroic and I don’t think I could ever be afraid when you’re with me.” She paused for a breath, but had a hard time catching one with the way he was grinning at her.
“Maryn?” His deep voice rumbled through her chest, they were that close.
“Yes?” She bit at her lip and prayed she could stop talking long enough to kiss him.
“Do you think you could stop talking for a minute while I kissed you?”
Maryn laughed. Her eyes flickered from his amused gaze down to those lips again. His lips were soft, commanding, and such a great shape—the top lip had a slight bow and the bottom lip was just full enough to make things interesting. She’d daydreamed about those lips and about the little scar next to them. “Maybe one minute.”
He smiled and pressed his lips to hers. Maryn sighed from the pleasure and contentment that shot through her. “Or two,” she whispered, running her hands up his chest to entangle them in his hair.
Tuck placed one hand on her cheek and slid the other one down her waist, bringing her even closer to him. He took advantage of her lips for several wonderful seconds. Maryn arched up on her toes, molding her body to his, returning kiss for kiss.
He groaned and kissed her jawline. “Or maybe twenty,” Maryn murmured.
Tuck chuckled and then captured her lips again. He lifted her completely off her feet, kissing her more thoroughly then she’d ever been kissed.
A door opened and closed and then feet tapping a staccato on the wood deck and a soft, “Ahem,” should’ve pulled them apart, but they were in their own world.
Finally, Tucker set her down, but didn’t let her out of the circle of his arms. “Yes, Brax?” he growled. His face pressed against Maryn’s.
“Mama Porter has informed me that dinner is ready.”
“Thanks, Brax,” Tuck said, running his hand through Maryn’s hair and not looking at his friend.
“Very good. We’ll see you in a minute?” It sounded like Braxton was having a hard time not laughing.
“Or two,” Tuck responded, winking at Maryn and gently rubbing his nose against hers.
Braxton harrumphed and marched away.
“Or twenty,” Maryn said, pulling his head down again.
Tucker kissed her with a grin on his face. Maryn knew she should feel bad that Mama Porter’s delicious food was getting cold, but with Tucker kissing her like this, she didn’t have an appetite for anything else.
ChapterSeventeen
The next night Maryn knew she had to go with James and sort out their friendship, but she wished every day could be like yesterday—spent in its entirety with Tucker Shaffer and lots of kissing at the end.
After a delicious dinner with very few awkward pauses and bantering like they used to do before all this drama came into their relationship, James tugged Maryn out of her seat on the rooftop of Perch, a French bistro that Maryn enjoyed but thought was overpriced. The view of the city was amazing up here and it was a beautiful, mild night.
Now if she could get brave enough to tell James she was dating Tucker exclusively. Not that Tucker had asked that of her, but she wanted to do it. Committing herself to more with Tucker was exactly what she wanted in her life.
She smiled just thinking of Tuck. Their day yesterday kept playing through her mind, especially those kisses on his patio last night. Oh, my, he was the whole package for her—fun, kind, thoughtful, handsome, kissed like a rock star.
The wind whipped her hair and she pulled it away from her face. James escorted her toward the glass wall, his hand a bit more possessive than she would’ve liked through the thin material of her blue sheath cocktail dress.
They gazed out over the city lights and didn’t say anything for a few minutes.
“Thanks for coming with me tonight,” James said.
“Sure. It’s been fun to catch up, kind of like old times.” She swallowed hard and forced a smile. “James I need to tell you—”
He put his fingers on her lips and cut her off. Maryn leaned away from the awkward pushing of his first and second fingers.
“Please. I need to say this first.” He looked out at the city then focused on her. “I know I’ve asked you to marry me a dozen times and you always tease me and somehow say no without breaking my heart.”