Carter flicked through the pages. “Yeah, I know that,” he grumbled. “I’m sure I’ll live.”

She pulled out a pad and pen and made some notes. “Do you want to take it home and read it? I can assign you maybe two chapters that we’ll discuss next session?” She huffed. “What’s that face for? We have to do this, Carter. I’m not asking you because I’m being a bitch.”

“I know that.” He tapped the book against his knee. “I just thought I was past being given homework.”

She smiled. “We’ll talk about the chapters next session and then we’ll read some more together.”

“Fine,” he muttered with a wave of his hand. “Whatever.”

“You say that a lot,” she retorted with a smirk. “Maybe we need to work on your vocabulary as well.”

Carter stared. “Are you fucking around with me?” he asked, narrowing his eyes playfully.

She giggled and he poked a finger into her ribs. She squeaked loudly, surprising them both.

“Peaches,” Carter whispered devilishly. “Are you ticklish?” He glanced down her body, silently calculating how many places he could touch to make her squeak some more.

She adjusted her top, flustered, and picked up her resources to put back into her bag. “Not at all.”

“Oh,” he retorted dryly. “Well, that’s good, because I would hate to do this”—he poked her again, causing her to shriek—“and make you squeal like a girl.”

“I am a girl,” she snapped, pushing her stuff into her bag.

Carter laughed and handed her the remaining papers. “You know what I mean.” He poked again.

“Quit it!” Peaches said in a high-pitched voice, slapping his hand away. “You’re so childish!”

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Carter replied. He stood up and brushed off the grass attached to his ass.

With his helmet in his hand and his jacket over his arm, Carter set off at a slow walk along the edge of the boating pond. It was late afternoon and the park was a bustle of people, running, walking, and playing. Peaches caught Carter looking down at her. She blushed and smiled. He pushed his hand into his pocket as the urge to do something shook his body once more. He thought back to the conversation he’d had with Jack and cursed himself. He was a damned fool if he thought he was going to be able to maintain the friendly, flirty relationship he’d built up with her.

He’d thought about kissing her, and now he wanted to … what? Hold her? Yeah, he wanted to hold her, and, fuck, he didn’t hold women. That was too intimate, but dammit if she wouldn’t fit perfectly under his arm.

“So,” he croaked. “This wasn’t so bad, right?”

“No,” she replied. “It was very pleasant, Mr. Carter. You continue to amaze me with your literary intellect.”

He glanced away. “It helps having a great teacher, you know.”

“Th-thank you,” she stammered. “But if you’re trying to butter me up to get more Oreos, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

* * *

Kat laughed uneasily, brushing off his praise by speeding up her steps. His hand gripping the crook of her elbow stopped her. She glanced up in question when he pulled his shades from his face. When she saw his eyes, she stopped breathing altogether. His eyes were the brightest blue she’d ever seen and they seemed to look deep into her, caressing the parts of her that were aching.

“Carter?” she whispered when he took a step toward her. Standing so close to him, Kat felt very small.

“Peaches.” His gaze wandered around her face. “I didn’t say it to— I meant it. I think you’re …”

Kat’s heart thumped wildly. His touch on her arm was so comforting she daren’t ask him to remove it, and when his eyes stayed on her mouth, she felt it between her legs. She instinctively wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. No man had ever looked at Kat the way that Carter did.

“Carter,” she said again, placing her hand on top of his. “Are you okay?”

He was still staring at her in a way that made her back arch and her nipples tighten. His mouth continuously opened and closed as though he wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Eventually he dropped his head with a muttered curse and looked out toward the path.

His back snapped straight. “Shit,” he hissed. He grabbed her forearm and pulled her back in the direction they’d come.

“Carter!” Kat protested as he dragged her around a corner and pushed her backward against a tree, dropping his helmet and jacket at her feet.

He leaned over her, his arms above her head, gripping the bark with his fingers, while the apples of his cheeks turned a ferocious red. Kat’s anger turned quickly to concern when she watched him peering cautiously around the tree, mumbling and cursing.

“Carter, what’s wrong?” His eyes darted from left to right while he tried to hide her with his body. He shook his head. “Carter, talk to me,” she urged, placing a palm on his shoulder. “Who is it?”

“My cousin,” Carter answered in a quiet voice that belied his huge frame.

Kat jumped when his palms slammed against the bark above her head. “Goddammit.” He blew out his cheeks and leaned harder against the tree, trapping Kat with his arms.

“Calm down.” She rubbed her palm a little from side to side before moving it down until she could feel the hard edge of his left pectoral against the side of her thumb. He was so strong.

“I wanna see him on my time, ya know? On my terms.” Carter’s eyes pleaded with her to understand.

“It’s all right,” Kat soothed with a soft voice, keeping the motion of her hand. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Gradually, his body started to relax under her stroking palm. He continued to look at her in a way that made her skin prickle. As yearning washed over her, Kat was suddenly aware of how close they were standing. Their chests touched when each of them breathed, and his nose hovered by her hairline.

“You smell good,” he whispered. “Do you know that?”

Kat swallowed. Her hand stilled on his chest.

“You do,” he said, dropping his shoulders farther, bringing his face closer to hers. “You smell really fucking good.”

“Thank you,” she replied, shifting her back against the bark of the tree.

Her body was burning up, even with the breeze around them. He was so close. She knew she should push him away, but every time the thought entered her mind, she wanted to do the complete opposite. She wanted him closer.

“What are you thinking?” Carter’s hands slid down the tree until they were resting above her shoulders.

The blue of his irises reminded Kat of the Caribbean Sea, and the pucker of his top lip ached to be licked. She noticed a small scar on his chin, and her fingertips itched to touch it.

“I’m— I’m thinking that we need to, we need to get— I need to go home,” she stuttered and his nose grazed her left temple.

“Do you want to go home, Peaches?”

“I should,” she replied. “I need to.”

Carter moved his head back, his eyes hooded and sexy. “Can I tell you something?”

Kat could do nothing but nod. Carter’s stare prowled down her face, coming to a dead stop at her mouth.

“I really, really, really want to kiss you right now.”

“Cart—”

“I know I shouldn’t, and I don’t usually kiss, but, fuck, I want to.” He trailed his thumb across her mouth. “I want to find out what your top lip tastes like.” He licked his own. “And then compare it to the bottom.” He exhaled. “I’m desperate to know if your tongue tastes of peaches.”

Kat’s eyes fluttered closed at his words. “We— I … please,” she murmured. “Don’t.” The word fell from her but it made her stomach clench all the same. She was amazed she had the energy to utter the one syllable at all.

“Would it be so bad?” He moved, his breath washing over Kat’s face like a lusty fog. “God, you’re so pretty.”

Everything in Kat’s body was surging toward the man in front of her. Her core purred, her pupils dilated, and her heart beat wildly. She knew they were about to cross a line—a huge dangerous line that had her career written all over it.