Slow Burn Read Online Free Page A

pointed and said, “You folks can have the pink one on the right.”
    Tessa laughed and said, “Oh good. My favorite color.”
    Rick said nothing, though his look promised retribution. He merely slid into the tea cup and patted the bench next to him.
    When she was seated next to him, her thigh brushing against his.
    His tone conversational, he said, “So, this is the most emasculating first date I've ever had. This is a record.”
    “So, I guess that means no carousel?” Tessa teased, as the music started up and the ride began to slowly move.
    In answer, he grinned and then spun the wheel so she swayed into his chest. She started to right herself, but Rick put a halt to that when he wrapped an arm around her. Most of her upper body was now pressed against his chest.
    The look on Rick's face was a mixture of both amusement and desire. As they continued to spin, neither of them manning the wheel, his smile faded. With a look of concentration, he slowly closed the distance between their mouths.
    Tessa stretched up, pressing her lips against his. At the first brush of her lips against his, she felt a jolt of awareness run through her. When his hand came up to cradle her cheek, she let out a soft sigh of pleasure. He took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth, twining with hers.
    She couldn't stop the soft moan that rose from the back of her throat as his hands cruised lazily along her hips and back. Even through the layers of her sundress and the thin cotton sweater she wore, she could feel the heat of his hands on her body.
    His hands moved to tangle in her hair as he gentled the kiss. But instead of backing away as she expected, Rick began to nibble at her jaw and then trace a path down the side of her throat with his tongue.
    Tessa could do nothing but tilt her neck and enjoy the sensations as he swirled and nipped at her. Her arousal grew with every hot, open mouthed kiss he placed against her sensitive neck. It was clear he knew exactly what he was doing.
    He released her when the tea cup finally wound down to a halt. Tessa took his hand as she stood on shaky feet. As he led her back out to the main thoroughfare, she struggled to remember the last time she'd been so turned on by nothing but a few kisses.
    Rick slid an arm around her and asked, “Where to now?”
    Though a few highly inappropriate thoughts ran through her mind, she glanced around and eventually said, “Everything else seems like it's for children and I'm going to have to veto the roller coaster.”
    “Fair enough,” he said. “Let's walk along the boardwalk, then.”
    Hand in hand, they headed toward the back part of the island. As they walked, they both shared stories about themselves. Rick talked about his time as an MP and about his nephew, Mike. The way he spoke of him made it seem like he thought of him more like a son. That only made him more endearing.
    Tessa talked to him about why she'd gotten into science in the first place. She glossed over any talk of her own family. Even now, the loss of her father and the way things fell apart afterward was a sore subject. He seemed to realize it was a touchy subject because he shifted topics relatively quickly. The rest of the walk they played the age old game of “Which would you rather?” in between kisses. It was pleasing to see that the sixteen year age gap didn't present much of a problem for them. They agreed on most books, movies, travel, and music.
    Tessa found herself regretful that the evening was coming to a close when they boarded the last ferry back to the mainland. It was still early spring yet, so the ferry was almost entirely deserted. They stood against the railing as the last few passengers came aboard.
    Rick stood behind her, his arms effectively trapping her against the railing. Not that she minded at all. With a sigh of contentment, she relaxed back against him.
    She frowned when he backed away until she felt his lips against her neck again. She