Page 178 of One Wild Wish

There was no describing this thick swelling in my heart. I wouldn’t want to, anyway. It was private. A slice of paradise just for us.

I inched my hands down his pecs, over the wonderland of his abs, to his waistband. I traced the ridge of his belt toward his back and dipped my hands inside his briefs, grazing the top of his fine behind. “To prove my valor, I plan to torture Emmett until he tells me what your tattoo means, then I’ll torture you with the knowledge. Use it to demand sexual favors.”

“How does messing with my mind prove your valor?”

“Just go with it.”

He unleashed an impish smirk. “He told me, this week.”

Ex-squeeze me? “How did I miss that?”

“I think he felt bad for me.”

I squeezed my legs tighter around his back. “And?” When his smirk widened, I fisted the front of his shirt and pulled him close. “Now’s not the time to hold out on me, cowboy. My form of punishment involves lack of sex.”

He slapped my ass. “I’ll take it under advisement. How about we go to your place and get naked?”

The bugger ignored my ultimatum, but my willpower waned. I was weak, needy. “Will you tell me eventually?”

Keeping me clutched to his chest, he kicked his leg over the bench and stood. He walked us to our cars while I did my best koala impression, legs hooked around his middle. “If you stick around, maybe.”

I pressed my face into his warm neck. “I’m not going anywhere.”

EPILOGUE

TWO MONTHS LATER

Ainsley

A six-letter word for a place of ideal perfection.

I grinned at my crossword clue, an easy one that wouldn’t require any cheating. Before I could type my answer, Rachel elbowed me. “They’re finally starting.”

“About time.” I pocketed my phone and watched the group of fit men slap one another’s backs as they spilled onto the soccer field. “It’s a hunk buffet.”

Gwen snorted from my other side. “You two aren’t allowed to indulge.”

“But we can look,” Rachel said.

And we did. Thick thighs abounded. Broad backs filled out the yellow or blue shirts on either team, long socks suctioned to defined calves. There was one particular set of calves I was searching for—the pair attached to my favorite hunk…whose ass was being squeezed by another man.

His perverted brother flashed me a wink.

I glared at the jerk. “Emmett needs to get over the ass grab.”

Rachel scrunched her adorable nose. “Why does he even do it?”

“Because he knows it annoys me. It’s always the left cheek, the one with the tattoo. Neither of them will tell me what it means.”

“I still can’t believe Owen hasn’t let it slip.”

“I can’t believe we haven’t pantsed him yet to see that sucker.” Gwen shook her head in disgust.

My scowl deepened. “He’s staying mum. I figured it’s better to focus my efforts on Emmett. He’s likely to crack sooner.”

“Good luck with that one.” Cameron climbed the small set of bleachers, joining us for the morning festivities. He scanned the field. “It’s a hunk buffet.”

My words exactly. “You and I share a brain.”