Redwood Bend

pass what appeared to be a bull ranch, through a dark, dense, overpowering redwood grove, into a vineyard. She was pretty sure they were trespassing in the vineyard, but she didn’t care. In fact, that made it more thrilling.
She had no idea how long they’d been riding when he took them along a winding road that went up into the trees. It felt like the spiral ascent inside a parking garage and her ears popped. When they finally broke through, they were on top of the world and in front of her the ocean spread out again. This was where he stopped the bike, turned it off and raised it onto the stand using his long, strong legs. She got off and removed her helmet and he did the same. Then he flopped down on the soft grass, flat on his back. He moaned.
“Are we quitting?” she asked.
He lifted his head. “We’re taking a break.”
“Why?”
“We’ve been riding for two hours! It’s time for a break!”
She sat down beside him, circling her raised knees with her arms. “Do you tire easily, Dylan?”
“I was driving,” he said. “You were riding.”
“Can I drive?”
“No.” He raised up, bracing on his elbows. “Did you talk to your brother last night?”
“I did.”
“Did he ask you if we were dating?”
“He did.”
“And what did you say?”
She reclined on her side, holding her head up by bracing on one elbow. “I could have just said no, but I said he should mind his own goddamn business. I have to keep an eye on Conner. When he steps up to help me or be there for the boys, it warms my heart, it really does. Getting in my personal life, that annoys me.”
“Has he been doing that for a long time?” Dylan asked.
She made a face. “When I was six, he walked me to school. I wanted my mother to walk me and he could have raced off with his friends, but the truth is—Conner took me on at an early age. Which is sweet, don’t get me wrong. And I love him. But I want to pick my own boyfriends.”
Dylan grinned. “Am I your boyfriend?”
“Oh, please!” She laughed at him. “A kiss just to show off and a trip to McDonald’s and a promise to be gone in a couple of days? I can do way better than you.”
He sat up. “Wait a minute. I took you to breakfast and on a fantastic bike ride!”
“That’s on the cusp,” she said. “Close, but no cigar.”
“Jesus,” he said, running a hand over his head. “You’re tough! What’s a date to you, anyway? It’s not like there are fancy places to go dancing around here.”
She was shaking her head. “I can’t remember when I last danced anyway.”
“What is it you’re looking for? Want to cut me in on the secret?”
She shrugged. “I’ll know it when I see it.”
He stared at her for a moment. He liked that smile; he liked that she was an uppity, self-confident little witch. One corner of his mouth lifted, then he slid his hand around the back of her neck and deftly lowered her to the ground. He hovered over her and concentrated on those large eyes for a second before he leaned in to her plump, delicious mouth. He teased, a little kiss, a little nibble, a lick, waiting for her to let him know she was interested in more. And it didn’t take long, either. She slipped her hands around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers, lowering her lids and opening her mouth for him immediately.
She made a low sound in her throat and he groaned. Their tongues tangled together; he threaded his fingers into her wild hair. He was drowning in her and let his lips slip from hers to her neck with a whispered exclamation. “God, you taste good.” And he kissed her neck, her collarbone, her jaw, her ear, then went back to her mouth for more, licking her open and devouring her. He hadn’t planned this part, but it came to him that he needed her and he was glad it had. Of the hundred or so women he’d kissed, this one was somehow different. As he moved over her mouth, he thought of her as belonging to him. This kind of thought had never happened before; he’d always focused on “this is for now.”
He didn’t want to let her go.
And she didn’t want him to, that was obvious. As he fell onto his side, pulling her against him, she embraced him and stroked his back, his neck, his arms, holding him close. He kissed her for a minute, two minutes, three minutes. He broke from her mouth, but didn’t let her go. “Whoa,” he whispered. He went back for more.
It had to happen. He was aroused and wanted a lot more from her, but resisted the temptation. He did