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Ruben shrugged. “About fifty miles south.”

Fifty miles weren’t exactly around the corner, but it wasn’t the end of the world either. We could work with that. “Cool.”

“Cool,” Ruben repeated.

Restlessly, I stroked his shoulder with my thumb. What did he want me to say? What did I want? Every summer fling had ended for me. Until now. I gripped his upper arm more tightly. “We’ll see how things go on.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ruben nod. “Do you want it to go on between us?”

“Yes. Of course.” I swallowed hard. After these few days, I hadn’t given it any thought of what I should make of the situation. I was somewhat surprised that I didn’t sense any weariness in myself. Normally, after a one-night stand, my curiosity was satisfied. Two or three more times in bed with that person and I was ready to decline any repeat offers. With Ruben, that wasn’t the case. Ever since we first slept together, I wanted more and more. I could hardly wait for him to lock up his truck in the evening so I could pull him between the sheets in my trailer. The prospect of him disappearing after a few days together made me unreasonably nervous. My mantra of living from one day to the next had worked fine until now. Ruben awoke something in me that I had suppressed for years. The calm that had filled me a few minutes ago was replaced by a slight panic. Only Ruben’s shoulder was my anchor point.

When we reached the surf school, Ruben stopped and turned toward the shore. Behind us, the receding waves swallowed our footprints in the sand.

“Will we be seeing each other tonight?”

“Of course!” I kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll stuff myself with your food, party with the guys, and then I’ll kidnap you to my humble abode. There I will spoil you.” I concentrated on what I knew and could do. With one hand on the back of his neck, I held his head steady. “I’ll kiss every inch of that body from head to toe. Lick it. Taste it.”

A shiver ran through Ruben and he trembled slightly. “You already did that yesterday,” he murmured.

“Are you complaining?”

Ruben vigorously shook his head. “No. No complaining.”

Grinning, I stroked his cheek. “Maybe this time I should keep edging you until you come without touching your cock.”

A whimper was his answer.

Satisfied, I stroked his lips with my thumb. “If we don’t want to give the beachgoers a show here, we better break this up for now.”

Ruben had his eyes closed and spoke against my fingers on his lips. “Yes. No show. Work.”

Laughing, I took his hand. “Come on. I’ll even take you back to your truck.”