“Hey, what’s wrong?” He pushed the hair back from my face, looking me over in the darkness.

I wiped my cheeks by instinct, though my tears were now dry. “I can’t tell you.”

“Of course you can. You can tell me anything.”

“But . . .”

“Shh.” His hand cupped my cheek. “I already know, Emmy.” My eyes met his as his thumb soothed the skin along my jaw. “Our lives are different,” he continued. “Me being here highlights that. But I told you I’m going to win over your dad. And actually, I enjoyed hunting today.”

I nodded. “I know my parents like you already. That’s not what this is about.” God help me. Did I even have the courage to tell him the crazy thoughts running rampant in my mind?

“Emmy, breathe for me, baby.”

I pulled in a deep, shuddering breath, my lungs tightening with the effort.

“Tell me.” His tone was commanding but his gaze was worried and sincere.

“What’s your stance on marriage?”

He coughed. “Marriage?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, shit.” He rubbed a hand through his rumpled hair. “It seems like a fine institution.”

I was in too deep now. I decided to push on. “I mean, do you want to get married someday?”

“Is this your way of asking me where things are headed with us?”

“I guess so,” I said, my voice a weak murmur.

“Hey, look at me.” Ben lifted my chin until my eyes met his. “I want you. I want this. I’ve never had a serious girlfriend before, so I’m sorry if I’ve given you the impression I’m not committed to us—I am. And I know things with Fiona are fucked up . . . but don’t question this.”

I swallowed. “I’m not. I’m just scared. I see my life—my future—and I want kids, a devoted husband. I’d like to live here in Tennessee near my parents someday.”

He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing visibly in the dim light. “I didn’t have the best example growing up. My mom never married. I haven’t really ever thought about it. Shit, I never thought I’d be in a serious relationship like this. Just give me time, okay?”

I closed my mouth, unwilling to press him further, and nodded. It wasn’t the exact answer I’d been looking for, but it was all he had to give. His hand curled around my waist and he pulled me closer so that I was pressed against him on the couch. His hands rested on my hips, clutching me firmly to him, and everything felt right. He might not have given me an answer my mom would be happy with, but it was enough. For now. He was willing to try, for me.

My heart rate kicked up and suddenly my body wanted more. More everything. More contact. More him.

I didn’t care that we were in my parents’ living room. I needed him. Wanted to feel his skin against mine. Nothing else mattered.

I pulled my T-shirt over my head and dropped it to the floor. My bare nipples tightened in the cool night air.

“Holy shit. What are you doing?”

“Now I’m horny.”

“Baby. I was kidding before. We can’t. Your parents . . .”

“I need this. Please . . .”

“Fuck, baby. Don’t tempt me. You know I want to make you come.”

“Yes, please, Ben.”

Ben

Hearing her beg for it was too much. I needed her. Needed to get her off. But, fuck, we were in her parents’ living room. Anyone could get up for a glass of water or to use the bathroom, and then I’d be fucked. Likely with one of those impressive shotguns pointed in my face. But my daring side was willing to risk it.

I briefly considered taking her back to her bedroom, but seeing how that was right next to her parents’ room, I wasn’t sure that option was any better.

“Emmy, we can’t,” I protested weakly as she crawled into my lap to straddle me. She pushed her pelvis down, wiggling in my lap, and I instantly went hard.

Fuck it.

I knew she felt it too because she released a breath, squirming against the hard ridge in my shorts.

Shit. I wanted to fuck her. In her parents’ house. This was bad. I couldn’t let this happen. She was grinding against my dick. “Emmy, no.”

I lifted her off me and set her on the sofa beside me.

Not wasting any time, she started untying the drawstring on my shorts. Instead of stopping her somehow, my hips lifted, allowing her to tug the shorts down my thighs. My dick sprang free, resting against my belly.

Emmy licked her lips then dropped down to her knees in front of me.

Fuuuck. The eager-to-please look in her eyes was so incredibly sexy. But seeing her on her knees in front of me was almost my undoing. I wanted nothing more than to feel her mouth around my dick and I wouldn’t stop her now.

Emmy’s soft hand closed around me, and my head dropped back against the sofa. She stroked me slowly from base to tip. My body reacted to the simple contact, fluid beading as she stroked me. I was powerless to stop it. Fuck it. I pushed my shorts to my ankles and brought a hand to the back of Emmy’s head, guiding her mouth down to my needy cock.

I watched her lips close around me and I was lost. She might feign innocence, but shit, she was good at giving head.

Her mouth opened wider and her cheeks hollowed out as she sucked me deeper.

“Ah, shit, baby.” I guided her, showing her I wanted it deep, and Emmy happily obliged, taking every inch.

She had the distinct ability to make me feel things I’d never felt before. It had never been just sex with her. She was pleasing me, taking care of me, putting my needs first. It overwhelmed me and a feeling of being loved settled over me.

I’d never wanted to label things, to plan out every last detail of my life, and just the words “holy matrimony” made my skin itch. It just wasn’t in my DNA. But if anyone had the ability to change my mind, it’d be this girl. I couldn’t let her leave me, which meant I might need to rethink my future of bouncing from city to city.

But for now, I focused on the beautiful girl on her knees in front of me, enjoying the mind-numbing bliss she was delivering. And Emmy, ever the devoted lover, gave an amazing performance, her hands stroking, her tongue lapping against me, and little groans escaping her throat as she got into it.

“Come here, beautiful.” I lifted her under her arms, pulling her into my lap again, and lowered my head to taste her breasts. Thrusting her chest out, Emmy whimpered as my tongue flicked back and forth over each swollen nub. I covered her mouth with one hand and worked the other into the front of her sweatpants.

I was unaware of anything but her so the rattling noise across the room took me a few seconds too long to realize it was the front door opening.

Emmy

Ben’s incredibly skilled mouth teased my breasts, and just as his long fingers were about to reach my sex he suddenly pulled away, tossing me off his lap and onto the cushion next to him.

What the?

I followed his worried stare across the room.

Shit!

Porter was home.

He stood facing the couch, an angry scowl stretched across his normally relaxed face. “Fuck! That’s my sister, dude!” He took a threatening step closer.

Ben shot up from the couch, tugging his athletic shorts into place. “My bad, dude.” He held his hands up in front of him, palms facing Porter.

The vein in Porter’s neck was throbbing and his fists clenched at his sides.

Oh, God. This wasn’t good.

I leapt up from the couch, pushing my palms against Porter’s chest to get him to back off. “Porter, this was my fault. Ben said we couldn’t.” My brother’s face twisted in revulsion as he realized that yes, his sister liked sex and even initiated it. Too bad. That was a damn fact of life. Hi, have you seen my boyfriend?

“Not cool, Emerson. Get your ass to bed. In your own room.”

My cheeks heated and I nodded. Stealing one last glance at Ben, who was now smirking, I scurried off down the hall.