AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I nodded but said nothing. I’d always dreamed of having a big, happy family. My father died in combat. My mother jumped from one toxic relationship to another. When I joined the Marines, I never heard from her again. Jules was lucky in a way that made me jealous.
Jules waved a hand in front of my face. I dragged myself out of my thoughts.
“Where did you go just now?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Thinking too hard.”
She frowned with concern and almost looked like she might press me to continue. In the end, she climbed off the bike and came to stand in front of me, her ice cream cone clutched in one hand.
“Is this the part where you let me down easy?”
I blinked, confused. “What?”
Jules shrugged. “Most guys panic when I mention my family. They don’t want to get saddled with babysitting duty.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I think I can manage a few rug rats.”
“Are you sure? They can be a handful. I know you’re the big tough Marine and all but everyone has their breaking point and if anyone can root it out, that would be my siblings. And possibly my mother.”
Jules punctuated her words with a playful punch to my shoulder. I caught her wrist, curling my fingers around the strip of skin exposed at her cuff. I felt her pulse leap beneath my fingertips, fluttering and fast.
“Are you trying to scare me off?” I asked, my voice low and quiet, searching her face.
Her sunglasses were tucked into the collar of her shirt, granting me a full view of her eyes and every shift of expression that crossed her face. She was so innocent, so open and unguarded. I’d spent years of my life keeping everything compartmentalized. Locked down.
“I don’twantto scare you off,” Jules replied softly. “But I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to make a run for it.”
Shifting my knees apart, I pulled Jules closer. Since I was seated, it put me at eye level with her. She held her ice cream out of the way but her hips slanted forward, clearly appreciating the close proximity.
“Now, see, that would ruin my plans,” I said.
“The same plans you mentioned earlier? The kissing plans?”
A small smile played across my lips. Curving my free hand around her hip, I slid my palm under the hem of her jacket, splayed across her lower back.
“Unless you don’t like those plans.”
“No, no,” Jules replied in a rush. “Those…those plans are good. I like those plans.”
“Maybe we should wait,” I said with a hint of teasing in my tone.
“Why?”
“Don’t you want to be kissed at a candlelit dinner with champagne and a ridiculously expensive dessert?”
Jules snorted in amusement. “Not really.” She hooked two fingers into the lapel of my jacket and gave a tiny tug. “I’m not very patient anyway. Besides, I thought you were a man of action.”
I hummed. “Can’t rush these things though.”
She groaned. “Guess I’ll have to find another Marine with a motorcycle who’s willing to kiss me.”
“Hey, hey. Don’t play dirty, pretty girl.”
Jules tilted her chin up with a playful gleam in her eye, egging me on. The breeze caught a stray lock of her hair, sending it skimming across her cheek. I tucked the wayward strand behind her ear, trailing my thumb down her jawline. Her skin was silky soft and I wouldn’t mind touching her all day like this, memorizing every dip and curve and swell of her body.
Her lips parted, perfectly pink from the chill of her ice cream. I cupped my palm to her cheek, drawing her close.
When my mouth finally met hers, she tasted like strawberries and cream. She moaned into the kiss and I wasted no time sliding my tongue past her lips, gliding into the sweet heat of her mouth.
