Chapter 4
FOUR
TINA
In hindsight, buying a short golf skort in the pro shop was more than a last-minute fashion choice. It turns out to have been a strategic tactic for my game.
Every time I lean over to tee off, Josh sucks in breath. And every time I follow through with my swing, setting the skort a flutter, he groans.
I’ve never been the kind of girl to tease a man. I’ve especially never been the kind who used her sexuality in that kind of way. Then again, I have also never been someone who marries a stranger the same night she met them.
At the fifth hole, I take a swing and set the ball sailing through the air.
Josh lets out a low whistle of admiration. “You weren’t lying when you said you’re good at this game.”
“Yeah, well. I’ve played a lot.” I shrug, even as I glow under his praise.
“Were you on the golf team back in high school or something?”
“No, but I used to play with my dad and brother a lot.”
“Oh, nice. Nothing like some family bonding.” He flashes me a bright grin that makes my breath catch. “Do you still play with them often?”
“No.” I wince inwardly. I shouldn’t have brought them up. Because the more I talk about them, the more I talk about my past, the more questions there will be.
And I don’t want to answer those questions. Not with anyone. Especially not with him.
Josh and I aren’t really together. We’re not even friends. There’s no good reason for me to bring up any hint of my past.
Before he can ask why I don’t still play golf with my dad or brother—before I can admit that I haven’t seen either of them since I was in college, I change the subject.
“Wanna make this game a little more interesting?” I ask.
He arches an eyebrow, giving him an even more devil-may-care look. “Oh? I didn’t know you were a gambler too.”
“When in Las Vegas.” I start to relax now that I’ve good and truly changed the subject. “Winner gets to demand one thing—anything—from the loser.”
Heat flashes in his eyes. “Anything?”
My pulse quickens. I know exactly what I’ll ask for when I win. “Anything.”
Holding my gaze, Josh takes my offered hand and shakes. A fresh jolt of heat shoots through me, and it has nothing to do with the desert heat.
“It’s a deal.”
Challenge issued, both of us step up our game. Neither of us holds anything back.
I add a little more hip wiggling to my putting.
He matches by giving me lingering looks with parted lips.
We match each other barb for barb, though they lean more toward teasing than truly heated.
It all comes down to the final hole. If I can get the ball in the hole on this next shot, I’ll tie him. If I miss, well, I kiss my wish of asking him for another kiss good-bye.
“Well, well, well.” Josh clucks his tongue. “It all comes down to this.”
“Yeah, well.” I wiggle my shoulders to loosen up. “Prepare to head to the tiebreaker.”
“What’s the tiebreaker?”
“You’ll see.” I smirk, even though I have no idea what it might be. There’s no point in coming with an idea until I sink this shot.
I start to pull my arm back and Josh says, “Wait.”
I lower my arm and scowl. “No fair. You’re cheating.”
“I’m not.” He moves closer. “But you have something on your face.” He rubs his thumb over my cheek, sending a flutter through me. “Here.” He holds up his thumb to show me. “It’s a ladybug.”
I swallow hard, my body all too aware of his. “Thanks, I guess.”
He grins. “My pleasure.”
Taking several calming breaths, I turn my attention back to the ball, back to the hole. Back to the game. It’s all on this.
I pull back my arm and tap the ball with my putter. It flies forward, inching closer and closer to the hole. I hold my breath.
The ball rolls to the hole, starts to go in, but at last second, spins away.
I groan and clench my eyes shut while Josh gives a whoop. Shit.
“Well, you won. Barely.” I sigh, equal parts disappointed not to claim my winnings yet eager to hear what he chooses. “But a win’s a win. And, like you, I’m a person of my word.”
I take a deep breath and straighten my shoulders. “So. What do you think? What’s your prize?”
“I think,” he says, taking a slow step toward me, his voice low, “that I’d like to kiss you.”
“You’ve already kissed me.” My heart is off to the races. “Several times, in fact.”
“That was before. When it was the tequila and bubbles doing the talking. And neither of us was thinking right.” His gaze drops to my lips.
I instinctively rub them together. “And this time?”
“This time”—he lifts my chin and lowers his mouth until it’s a breath from mine—“I want both of us clear-headed. I want us to remember. Every. Damn. Second of it.”
“Okay.” My already thundering heart pounds even faster. “So kiss me.”
“With pleasure.”
His lips touch mine. A gasp catches in my throat as his warm, strong lips move against me, waking ever cell in my body. Stirring my soul. Capturing my senses.
With a groan of pleasure, Josh slides a hand to the back of my head, urging my lips open. Deepening the kiss. His other hand strokes up and down my back before resting on my hip.
A discernible, intriguing bulge presses firmly against my body.
It’s all I can do not to crumble at his feet. Instead, I grip his shoulders. Pressing my body more intimately against his. Tangling our tongues together. Stealing his breath. Giving him mine.
I’ve never been kissed like this.
I’ve never kissed anyone like this.
The past twenty-four-hours have been a whirlwind of firsts and never-have-I-evers. And each one has led me to this moment. Led me to this kiss.
I could live to be a hundred, and I will never—ever—forget the feel of his heart racing under my palm. The heat of his lips branding mine. The way with one kiss, time seems to stop and the whole world disappears beyond us.
It’s soon too much. We break off the kiss, gasping for breath before either of us passes out.
“Well,” I say between breaths. “I’d say you got what you wanted.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” I nod, daring to raise my gaze to his. My heart hitches at the way he looks at me as if I’m the most important person in the world. As if I truly matter to him. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that kiss.”
“Me neither.” His lips, swollen from mine, curve up. “What do you say? Should we see if the second time is a charm?”
“Please.” I lean up on my toes.
Tightening his grip on my hip and cradling my cheek in his palm, he kisses me again. Slowly. Sweetly. Savoring me as if we have all the time in the world instead of just this weekend.
This is only for fun.
This is only temporary.
This could never, ever last.
No matter how many times I try to remind myself of this, it’s no use. I’m drawn deeper and deeper into this man. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to pull myself away.
When we pull apart again, our brains desperately in need of oxygen, he rests his forehead against mine. “I’d like to take you out for dinner tonight.”
I grin. “Aren’t you supposed to ask a girl out on a date before you marry her?”
“Oh, probably.” He chuckles. “Even though it’s not the usual order of events, what do you say?”
More time with the man who is quickly making me forget about all of my worries and cares?
“Dinner sounds great.”
After that, who knows? All I know is I want to spend every second I can with this man while there’s time. The clock is ticking until we have our meeting with his lawyer Monday morning. An annulment is the right thing to do. I know that.
My heart just isn’t on the same page as my brain.