He laughed and grabbed my breasts, leaving behind handprints on my boobs.

We continued to roll around in the paint, smiling and laughing, as we tried to get the other person dirtier than we were.

I fell onto my stomach and he landed on top of me, carefully holding his weight slightly above me so that he didn’t squish me.

I tapped my hand against the mat. “I’m out, I’m out.”

He laughed and rolled off of me, lying flat on his back. I raised my head slightly to look at him and laughed when I saw he was entirely covered in paint. I’m sure I looked much the same.

“We’re a mess.” I giggled, sitting up.

He grabbed my waist and towed me towards him. I slid easily on the slick surface. “Come here,” he growled lowly, and I swung my legs so that I was straddling him. He sat up, wrapping his arms around me. Slowly, one hand slid up the bare skin of my arm and then he grasped my chin. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he breathed, his dark eyes flicking down to my lips.

Not one to wait, my fingers delved into his hair and I pulled him closer, angling my mouth over his. He exhaled a deep moan and I swallowed it with a kiss.

I rolled my hips against his and his fingers tightened around my waist.

“Fuck,” he growled, “I need you.” His fingers skimmed underneath my top and he pulled it over my head, tossing it so that it landed on the sheet. He lay down, and my lips never parted from his. He sucked my bottom lip between his and I let out a mewling sound.

“You kill me,” he breathed in-between kisses, “you absolutely shatter me.”

I clasped his face in my hands and stared down into his warm eyes. There were so many things I wanted to say—to confess—but I refused to give life to the words. I’d been hurt enough, and I had to protect my heart at all costs, especially from someone who didn’t want it.

Instead of saying anything I kissed him again.

His tongue swept past my lips and I breathed him in.

He was everywhere—his taste, his scent, his touch, it was all too much.

It didn’t matter how many times he touched me, it always lit me on fire from the inside out. It was like my body was programed to come to life when he touched me.

He turned, pining me onto my back and his lips left mine to kiss a trail down my neck, between my breasts, and over my stomach.

My back arched above the mat and I fisted my fingers in his hair, tugging slightly and he growled in response.

Before I could take my next breath he ripped my shorts off—seriously, ripped them because he tugged them off so harshly. I couldn’t complain about him ruining them since he’d bought them and they were already covered in paint. Plus, seeing him do that was pretty hot. My underwear and bra went next and both were removed with just as much vigor.

I palmed my breasts as he removed his clothes. His eyes darkened with lust as he watched me. I didn’t have much going on in the boob area, but the way he looked at me made me feel good.

He undid the button on his paint covered white pants and started to tug them down, but cursed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice sounding breathless.

“I don’t have a condom,” he hung his head, smiling sheepishly he added, “this wasn’t about sex.” He gestured to the twister mat and paint. “I really did want us to do something fun.”

“Well, now it is about sex.” My voice was full of want and desire. “Just forget the condom. I’m on birth control and I’m clean. I got tested after…well, after.” He knew what I was talking about.

His whole body shook when he inhaled a breath. “Are you sure? I’m clean too.”

“I trust you.”

I trusted him completely—with my life, but not my heart.

He nodded once and removed his pants and boxer briefs.

My eyes immediately dropped to his erection. I couldn’t help myself. I reached out, wrapping my hand around him and rubbing up and down. Air hissed between his teeth and he let out a curse.

“I need to be inside you,” he murmured, grabbing my hands and pinning them above my head. He captured my lips with his and thrust inside.

I gasped at the intrusion and then my body began to relax. Pleasure zinged through my veins. I’d never known how potent and special sex could be until Ezra. I had thought I’d known, but I’d been oh-so wrong. Everything from my past paled in comparison, and I feared that anything after would never live up to this. But from the first time I let him touch me it had been a risk I was willing to take.

His hips rolled deliciously slow against mine and a breathy sigh escaped me.

He stared into my eyes, the feelings and moment far too intimate for two people that were only supposed to be friends with benefits.

I stared right back, unflinchingly.

I don’t know what he saw in my eyes, but his darkened with heightened passion and he pulled his bottom lip between his teeth.

Letting go of my hands he skimmed his down my sides and then back up to palm my breasts.

My naked body was covered in paint, as was his, but I didn’t care.

He lowered his head, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth. I moaned and his tongue swirled against mine.

My body began to shake as I soared to that place high among the sky.

When I fell his lips silenced my small cry.

I wrapped my fingers around his neck, holding him to me. I kissed him back with every ounce of desire that my small body possessed.

His thrusts quickened and he rested his forehead against mine, still looking into my eyes.

I knew I should look away, that watching him like this would only make me fall harder for him, but I couldn’t let this moment leave. I wanted—no, needed—to see if any part of him cared for me the way I did him. Even if it was only a fleeting look, I would treasure it forever, because for that single suspended moment in time we would be one.

He groaned, his body shaking as he found his release.

I held his face in my hands, refusing to let him look away.

And then I saw it—that look, so full of love and longing.

I held onto it, tucking the moment into my heart where I could treasure it forever.

I knew I had to let him go, but I raised my head and kissed him again.

His lips were a brand against mine. His fingers fisted in my hair and he kissed me with fervor, like he needed me to survive.

He broke the kiss first and pressed a single, tender kiss to my forehead before pulling out and rolling onto his back.

We both lay there, covered in paint, unmoving except for the heavy rise and fall of our chests as we struggled to get enough air into our lungs.

So much hung unsaid in the air between us.

And it would remain that way.

“WOOO! WE’RE IN MIAMI BITCHES!” Maddox yelled, grabbing up Emma and tossing her over his shoulder. He ran straight for the blue-green colored ocean water. She beat at his back, laughing wildly at his antics.

“We’re not even in Miami!” Hayes hollered after him, shaking his head. “Fucking psycho.”

“Do you think we could, um maybe keep the cussing to a minimum?” Arden asked, covering her daughter’s ears.

I’d ended up closing down my shop for the week and after talking to the guys, Emma, and Remy to see if it was okay, I invited Arden and her daughter Mia to go on vacation with us. I knew it had been forever since she’d had a break—being a single mom was hard—and I felt bad that I’d blown her off a few times when she asked to get lunch or something.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Hayes smiled sheepishly at her. “That might be difficult between the two of us.” He tossed a thumb in Mathias’ direction.

Mathias rolled his eyes and finished unloading the suitcases from the trunk of one of the SUVs we’d rented for our stay.

I glanced up at the gigantic mansion we were staying in.