Blue Ribbon Summer (The Baltimore Banners Book 3) (7 page)

Kayli bit the inside of her cheek, trying to stop the laughter she felt gurgling beneath her breastbone. Ian muttered another curse under his breath as he stumbled along behind her and nearly tripped over a small log, catching himself before falling down. He stopped a foot away from her, giving her a disbelieving look before she turned and continued walking.

"Seriously? I thought you said it wasn't far." Ian grumbled, his footsteps noisy in the darkness.

"It's not. Honest."

"I think you're trying to get me lost. Because if you decided to leave me right now, there is no way I could find my way back to the truck."

Kayli laughed again at his grumbling, then reached for his arm when he started to walk past her in the darkness. He stumbled to a stop, looking at her in confusion before she pointed in front of them. Although how he could have missed the sound of the running water was beyond her. Unless the shots he had been tossing back had a bigger effect on him than she thought.

"I'm not trying to get you lost, so don't worry. I just thought you might want to get away from all the stares and questions back at the bonfire." Kayli dropped her hand and stepped around him, walking a few more feet to the flat rock overhanging the river and spreading the sleeping bag down, then lowering herself to a sitting position. The only sound was the gurgling of the water passing in front of her, and Ian's noisy footsteps as he followed her.

It was a silent oasis compared to the noise of the small crowd at the bonfire.

Jake had left the bull roast before it ended, claiming to be tired. And he had offered to take all three girls home with him--after suggesting that Ian and the twins stay at the house tonight, instead of driving the almost ninety minutes back to the city. Jake had leveled a quiet look at Ian when he repeated the invitation, quietly assuring him that they had the extra rooms. As far as subtle went, Jake failed miserably. But some kind of silent agreement passed between them, and Ian had taken him up on the offer.

Ian now lowered himself next to her, hanging his feet off the edge of the rock and staring into the muted darkness around them. The half-moon cast everything in a barely-there ghostly light, cloaking them in privacy in the middle of the great outdoors.

"You weren't having fun at the bonfire?"

Kayli glanced over at Ian, then looked back down at the moving water and shrugged. About twenty or so people had decided to have a bonfire after the bull roast, and Kayli had been invited. She had thought they'd have fun, just hanging out with a few of her friends, and they had--until the stares and questions really started, almost to the point of rudeness.

"It was okay. I just thought you might want a break, maybe some peace and quiet."

"Hm."

She could feel his eyes on her, but didn't look at him, afraid of what she might see. Because if their positions had been reversed, she would have just gone home.

Alone.

"I'm sorry they were giving you such a hard time."

Ian gave her another careless shrug then lay back, gazing up at the stars. A few quiet minutes went by before he spoke, his voice still hushed. "I am either more...mellow...than I thought, or these stars are a lot brighter than normal."

"They're always bright up here. You probably don't notice it down in the city because of all the lights. And..." Her voice drifted off as the first part of his statement sunk in, and she looked down at him in surprise. "Are you drunk?"

He turned his head to the side and looked up at her, giving her his dimpled smile. "No. Just mellow. But I think I'll let you drive home anyway."

Kayli bit back her own smile and turned away. "You didn't have to drink those shots, you know. Nobody expected you to." No, nobody had expected him to, which was what Dale had been counting on.

"Eh. It was called saving face. It was a tough crowd."

"Ian--"

"Look at me. No, not away. Look at me." Kayli finally turned toward him, no longer able to hide her smile. "And
that's
why I did it. Just for your smile."

Kayli laughed and shook her head, then laid down next to him, turning on her side and propping herself on one elbow. "I've had Dale's shine before. I would have held out for at least a kiss."

"Oh yeah?" Ian's gaze held hers for the longest time, the heat in his eyes searing her. She was going to look away, but his hand shot out and wrapped around the back of her neck in a gentle grip. He pulled her down until his mouth closed over hers with an intensity that sent spirals of heat and need shooting through her.

Her mouth opened under his assault, and Kayli groaned when his tongue swept in, exploring, coaxing, promising. She leaned in closer to him, melting against him, feeling his hard body next to hers. His hand gentled its hold on her neck, caressing and massaging. His other hand roamed along her back and down, shifting her so she was stretched out on top of him, her legs cradled between his long ones.

Kayli ran her hand up his chest, her fingers fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, popping them open so she could run her hand along the flushed skin of his broad chest. Ian deepened the kiss further, his hand cradling her bottom and pressing her against his hard length. She groaned again and pulled away, moving so she was straddling him, her eyes watching him as she finished unbuttoning his shirt and spread it open. Her hands roamed along his flesh, teasing, learning. His chest heaved with a hitched breath as she ran her fingertips over his nipples and down along his sternum, tracing the thin line of hair down his abdomen where it disappeared into the waistband of his jeans.

She waited for him to grab her wrists like he had the other day, and she looked up at him, waiting. His gaze was intent, watching her, holding her in place. Then he pushed himself up to a sitting position, his hands on her hips, steadying her against him as his mouth claimed hers once more. Kayli's breath left her in a rush and she pressed her hips deep into his lap, rubbing against the hard length of his erection. She ran her hands up his chest and across his shoulders, dragging his shirt down his arms. He released his hold on her hips and shrugged his arms from the shirt then tossed it somewhere beside them. His arms closed around her, holding her tightly, his mouth still possessing her, his tongue still ravaging her.

He pulled away with a harsh breath and looked up at her, his dark eyes shining in the night. One of his hands moved to the front of her shirt and quickly undid the buttons. Kayli spread the material apart and let it slide down her arms as Ian watched, his eyes burning her everywhere his gaze touched.

He continued to hold her tightly in place with one arm, his free hand reaching up to trace a line from her throat all the way down to her navel, then lower to where their bodies met before running back up her bare skin. His hand stopped at the front clasp of her bra; with a quick flick, he released it, baring her to his gaze.

His head dipped closer and his mouth closed over one nipple; a wave of pleasure washed over her at the feel of his swirling tongue, at the rasp of his beard against her bare flesh. Kayli grabbed his shoulders as her head dropped back, as she pushed herself further against him, his touch awakening senses that had been dormant for too long.

She whispered his name but thought the sound was lost in the night around them. Ian's arm tightened around her even more and she leaned back further, bracing her arms on either side of his legs behind her as he suckled her, first one nipple then the other. His hold around her eased as his hands moved to her hips and gently guided her down against him, his own hips pushing up. Kayli moaned at the sensation, wanting to feel more, needing to feel all of him.

Ian's hands drifted over her legs then back up, stopping at the waistband of her jeans, pausing. She shifted and pushed herself up, then met his gaze. Her hands closed over his and gently eased them away, and she smiled at the flash of disappointment she saw in his eyes. She reached for her belt and quickly undid it, then unsnapped the button of her jeans and eased the zipper down, her gaze locked with Ian's own hungry one the entire time.

He reached up and clasped her face between his hands, and pulled her down for a searing kiss. With a groan he pulled away, then ran his hands down along her sides and grabbed her hips. He shifted his legs then rolled, moving quickly so that she was now laying under him, the hard length of his body pressed against her.

His eyes captured hers as he skimmed his hand along her bare skin, dipping his fingers into the open waistband of her jeans, easing them lower. Kayli's breath hitched as her hips rose to meet his touch, silently encouraging. She bit back a groan and closed her eyes when he moved his hand away from where she wanted his touch, then held her breath when he tugged at her jeans and underwear. He eased the material down past her hips to her thighs, then to her knees, exposing her, his fingers trailing a path back up, burning her with his touch.

His hand circled the crease of her thigh, teasing, his thumb brushing against her clit and moving away, brushing against her again. Kayli swallowed a soft moan, her hips slowly rocking toward him, seeking. Then he stopped teasing, his hand closing around her as he slid one finger inside her, then back out. Up across her clit then in, teasing, deeper. Kayli moaned and her hips rose to meet him, searching, begging for more as he slipped a second finger inside her.

"You are so beautiful." Ian's voice was a husky whisper, the words hoarse. Kayli opened her eyes to look at him, and was surprised to see the look of raw passion focused on her. The intensity in Ian's gaze sent shivers of excitement and anticipation through her, and she wanted nothing more than to feel him, all of him, over her, against her.

Inside of her.

She reached out and ran her hand along his chest, lightly grazing his flesh with her nails, feeling a surge of power when his head dropped back and his jaw clenched. And yet his fingers still teased her, stroking, probing, caressing her.

She shifted and dragged her hand lower, reaching down to unsnap his jeans and caress him through the denim. She fumbled with his zipper, trying to pull it down, but couldn't manage one-handed, not with his fingers inside her, branding her, coaxing a response from her.              

"Ian..." She called his name, a demand, a question, the pressure building inside her, tightening. His fingers continued their exquisite torture, pushing her to the edge, holding her there.

"Come for me, Kayli." The soft demand was a ragged whisper in her ear. Her back arched as she fell off the precipice, her body shattering into pinpoints of light, reflections of the stars above them. She called Ian's name, felt his mouth close over hers, swallowing her cries in a fierce kiss as her body shuddered under waves of pleasure. Her hands gripped his shoulders and roamed over his back, holding him against her, using him as an anchor during the brief storm of insanity.

His kiss gentled as the storm subsided but she still felt lost, wandering, needing. She pulled her mouth from Ian's and kissed his jaw, his throat, feeling the brush of his clipped beard against her skin. Her hands roamed lower across his back, skimming around to his flat stomach and dipping into his unsnapped jeans, searching.

Ian's low moan echoed in her ear and he reached down and helped her with the zipper, then eased his jeans lower on his hips. Kayli skimmed her palm along his hot flesh, into the waistband of his shorts, and closed her hand over his thick shaft, her thumb teasing the smooth tip of his cock as she stroked him.

Ian nuzzled her neck, his mouth teasing, nipping, finally closing over her ear. His breathing was harsh, his words ragged. "I want you, Kayli. Now."

Her hand tightened over him as her stomach curled in anticipation, and she nodded. "Yes." Her whispered word unleashed something in Ian, and he pushed her back, easing her all the way down on the sleeping bag as he sat up. He leaned over her and pushed at her jeans, sliding them down her legs...where they caught on her boots, refusing to be moved further.

His laughter was a mixture of frustration and humor, and Kayli smiled at his impatiently muttered words. She sat up and grabbed his arm, then gave him an open-mouth kiss.

"Let me." She toed one boot off then leaned forward and tugged on it, untangling it from her bunched jeans. She placed it to the side then kicked her leg free of the denim before reaching for the other boot.

Ian grabbed her and pulled her back, his mouth closing over hers, his tongue plunging deep in the recesses of her mouth. His hands tangled in the length of her hair and he tilted her head back then skimmed his mouth down her neck and across her shoulder blade. A shiver coursed through her and she moaned, his impatient excitement filling her with desire.

He pulled away long enough to push his own jeans off then kneel between her legs. He sheathed himself with a condom then leaned over her, his hands on either side of her head. His lips brushed against hers, a soft whisper of a touch.

"I don't want you to do anything you don't want to." His eyes were serious, his concern reflected in their dark depths as he watched her. Her heart squeezed even as she fought not to smile. Could he honestly think she didn't want to do this? Could he honestly think she didn't want him?

Kayli raised her hips and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her, feeling his hard length pushed against her wet heat. She lifted her head just a fraction of an inch and brushed her lips against his, then cupped her hand along his cheek. "I want you, Ian. Now. Deep inside me."