“Do you like that?’ he murmured.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“Then spread your legs a little wider for me, sweetheart,” he instructed. His voice went from low to gritty. The air in the car changed from pleasantly warm to hot and humid. And the tingly buzz I’d been feeling with him all evening turned into a full forced screaming ache.

This just got very real, very fast.

My heart begun to slam even harder inside my chest. I could have told him to stop. I could have told him no. But I did neither. On the contrary, I inched my legs apart, exactly as he’d asked, inviting him to do more.

“Good girl,” he breathed, his eyes locked on mine. With the gentlest of touches, his fingers again traced down my leg and then back up. But this time as he moved higher, brushing past the edge of my lace panties. The need and excitement that had built up inside reached an unbearable level. And I might have screamed at him to stop torturing me and touch me already…except…he touched me. In a spot no one ever had before. In a way no one ever had before. Just like that, another one of my ‘firsts’ was lost to Rhett. One of his fingers slid over the spot that was practically screaming for him, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the contact.

“Rhett,” I whispered.

It felt really good, like really, really, surprisingly good.

I closed my eyes, let my head fall back against the seat, and gave in to his touch. He moved in a pattern—up, down, then back up to where he would swirl his finger around my most sensitive part in the most incredible way, then repeat. He’d obviously had years of practice at this sort of thing. Which almost annoyed me, but my body didn’t care where or how he’d learned this. It only started responding. It built toward something very powerful, very rapidly. My breathing increased and my mouth fell open and—

“Open your eyes,” he commanded. “Look at me.”

I opened my eyes and his face came back into focus.

“Hi,” he whispered, smiling.

“Hi,” I repeated, heat creeping over my cheeks. His hand still moved against me.

Then, almost as if he couldn’t resist another second longer, he kissed me. He hadn’t earlier, outside the restaurant entrance, when I remember wanting him to so desperately. Actually, ever since we’d kissed two years ago, a part of me had always longed to try it again. Relief and a bit of familiarity poured through me as our second kiss ever finally happened.

His lips were warm, soft, and gentle. His hand still played under my panties with a certain confidence, but his kiss was tentative—testing, even. One more slow press, then he pulled back to gauge my reaction. The corners of his mouth turned upward, as something must have made him smile. I couldn’t help it as I reacted the same, smiling for a small second before he pressed his mouth to mine once more. Now his kiss became anything but cautious.

Holy shit. Seriously, holy shit. He knew how to kiss. He held nothing back. There was tongue and there was heat and there was passion. The tingling, kind of desperate feeling that his hand had been inducing down below increased tenfold with this kiss. Dammit, it felt good. Too good and I moaned against his mouth because the combination had to be the sweetest, most powerful thing on earth.

I wanted more. I needed more. My heart exploded in my chest and a frantic urge for something I didn’t understand took over. Not breaking the connection from his mouth, I moved to climb on top of him, to straddle him. He helped guide me with his one free hand until I was where I wanted to be.

And I could feel him—how hard he was—through his jeans.

Oh. Damn.

My legs were open wide against the spot. He slowed us down for a moment so that he could get rid of my panties. To do this, he pushed me back on his lap, the steering wheel uncomfortably digging into my spin, and he bent over. With his teeth and his hot breath against me, he created a small tear in the fabric. And then I swear to God, he ripped them, completely ruining my underwear, right off me. Giving me a cocky smile, like he was proud of himself, he flung what was left of my panties into his backseat.

“That’s better,” he said. “They were in my way anyway.” Gripping the sides of my hips, he yanked me forward and back into place against his waist. I couldn’t help it when I squealed in laughter at his rough movement. That laughter quickly died as his mouth returned to my mouth and his hand continued where it had left off. Only this time, he pressed a finger inside me. He pumped slowly in and out as the heel of his hand dug against me.

This was too much.

I was going to come. I didn’t understand fully what that meant, as it had never happened to me before, but I couldn’t stop the overwhelming sensation that took hold of me. Warmth rushed over my whole body, had me screaming out loud against Rhett’s mouth, digging my nails into his shoulders, grinding against his hand, and then ultimately melting under his touch. If I’d thought he’d filleted me wide open earlier with his backward compliments, I’d thought wrong. Coming for Rhett, essentially on his hand, with my forehead pressed to his forehead, our eyes locked on one another’s—was the rawest, most ripped-open feeling. I think I’d just exposed myself bare to him. It was terrifying, or possibly wonderful, and I couldn’t decide which. Either way, for a moment I couldn’t breathe or think—only feel.

These little shocks of absolute pleasure pulsed through me as the feeling reached its crescendo and then began to subside. When it ended, I realized that we’d both stopped moving. Or maybe, more accurately, I had.

Embarrassment flooded me.

Oh God.

I ran my fingers through my hair, pulling it away from my face and off my neck. It had to be a zillion degrees in his car. I felt so ridiculous, acting like some sex-crazed, desperate maniac there for a moment, practically humping his hand. Not to mention, I knew he hadn’t reached an orgasm of his own. What was I supposed to do now? Pull his pants off and return the favor? Oh my God.. I was so clueless.

Rhett hardly seemed concerned though. He cupped my face, planted a big kiss on my lips, and then smacked my ass. My dress had worked its way up around my stomach, basically exposing my whole naked bottom half, and he literally smacked the side of my ass. Kind of hard too. “C’mon baby, let’s go inside. It’s a sauna in this car.”

Opening his door, he scooted me off his lap and got out of the car. My mind spun. I had no idea what to say. I did the only thing I could do, and I yanked my dress back into place. Still, Rhett seemed unfazed, as if he did this sort of thing all the time. No big deal.

“C’mon,” he repeated, grabbing my hand and helping me out of the car. My knees gave. I think all of that had turned my muscles into mush because I felt dizzy. I’d had only one drink earlier, but I wobbled like I was drunk. Rhett, with this smug look, bent down and hoisted me over his shoulder.

“Put me down,” I yelped.

“Nope,” he objected. “I did this to you. I’m taking care of you. Don’t argue with me, green eyes.”

I didn’t argue, a part of me was relieved he was helping me, and I stayed still as he carried me up a flight of steps and to his front door. He fumbled with the keys, finally opened the door, and then brought me inside. The air conditioning hit me and it felt heavenly. The lights were off and it took him a moment to find them and flip them on. Once he did, he moved to the kitchen and set me down on the counter. All too aware that I didn’t have my underwear, I crossed my legs tightly together.

“Damn,” he sighed, shaking his head and shooting a grin my way. “You want a beer?”

I shrugged. “Sure.”

He moved for the fridge, hanging on the door and dipped his head inside. “We’ve got lots of choices. Um…cherry wheat?” He held up something that looked vaguely girly. “They’re my roommate’s. She won’t mind.”