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“Why wouldn’t I be?” He held his wet tee at his side, and I took a moment to drop my eyes to the buckle of his well-worn jeans. “Maybe we should . . .”
“We should what?” I asked, sounding oddly breathy as I found his eyes again.
His lips were a hard slash. A determined look in his eyes as he studied me. But what was he determined to do?
When he took a step forward, only inches separated us. I thought he might reach for my chin, urge me to look up at him so he could steal a kiss right there on my ranch and not give a damn who saw.
But I startled at the sudden feel of cold water spraying my back, and Jesse caught my arms when I went forward his way.
“Gotcha!” Shep yelled, and of course my firefighter-hopeful brother would extinguish the moment. Put out the fire I’d spent years willing to happen.
“You good?” Jesse cupped my chin and directed my focus his way.
I had to assume Shep had already taken off for a new unsuspecting target, or Jesse wouldn’t be holding my face like this.
“I’m just wet,” I murmured.
His brows stitched together as if catching the double meaning there. It hadn’t been intentional, but hell if it wasn’t true. My panties were wet, but not from the water gun fight, and I’d need to find some relief later. I was aching with want.
“You’re wet, hmm?”
“Very,” I whispered, and my chest lifted with a deep inhalation. My breasts touched his naked chest, and I vaguely noticed him letting go of his shirt with his other hand.
“You, um . . .” He released my face and stepped back to snatch the shirt he’d dropped.
“I’m what?” I lifted my hand to the column of my throat before grazing my fingertips across my lips. I longed for him to touch me. Paint my face and body with his kisses.
Jesse stood tall with the shirt clutched in hand and frowned. “You should probably change.” His tone became deeper. Slightly commanding. A touch military perhaps.
“Yeah, okay.” Disappointment cut through my words, and he reached for my arm. “You’re a Hawkins, Ella.” He nodded as if convincing himself of something, and with that, he turned and left.
Ouch. Shivering slightly, I left the shade to get in the sunlight and sat in a clover field as I watched the man of my dreams climb up the grassy hill and toward the others.
My eyes fell to the clovers, and I picked one. “Five leaves.” I held it in my hand and made a wish. One day, Jesse, one day maybe you’ll see me as more than just a Hawkins.
LETTER
JESSE
DEAR ELLA,
I’m trying to wrap my head around last weekend. Did we almost kiss? Did I almost cross the line?
We’ve known each other our entire lives. I love you like family. You’re a Hawkins. My best friend’s sister.
But now . . .
You’re all grown up.
A.J. would kill me if he knew the thoughts I had all weekend about you.
Do you have any idea what you did to me when you asked me to help you with the pool stick at the bar? You know how to shoot better than most. And yet, you asked me for help. Had your ass against me. I couldn’t hide the damn bulge in my pants, either.
And don’t get me started on when I dropped you off at home. Your long legs. The way you gripped your thighs while I drove had me white-knuckling the wheel.
But God help me, the next day at the ranch beneath that tree. Did you know your nipples were showing through your wet tee? (You did, didn’t you?)
Am I messed up for getting off to that image later that night? Am I a special kind of fucked up for writing this all down before I go stroke my cock to the idea of it being your hand instead?
