“It’s a shame,” he said.

“Why?”

“Because I see how fiercely you love.” When she tried to pull free, he tugged a little bit harder, holding her to him. “You’ve got so much love to give, Piper. It’s hard to see you closed off.”

They stared at each other, during which she felt a shift, a cataclysmic one, at least for her. She’d thought of him as the fun-time guy. After all, he was going to leave soon, and hell, for that matter, so was she. They’d probably rarely, if ever, see each other again. Which was why he’d seemed like the perfect distraction.

But in that moment, she felt the lock on her heart loosen, even open, which meant this wasn’t anywhere near as casual as she’d planned.

Cam whispered her name softly, with a longing that stirred her own to an almost unbearable level inside her. And then—she wasn’t sure who moved first—they were kissing, long, lingering kisses with lots of heat and tongue. Her hands tightened on his biceps, then ran up to cup his face before going south and landing on his bare chest.

He froze, then pulled free.

“Oh, crap, sorry.” Mortified by his response to her touch, she tried to scoot away, but his hands were immediately back on her, his voice sounding strained as he held her to him.

“Piper—”

“No.” She covered her face. “Forget it, okay? It’s been a while, and I’m really bad at this part, at reading what a guy’s thinking, and—”

He pulled her hands from her face, so she played a three-year-old and closed her eyes.

“Look at me,” he said, in a voice she imagined he used on his men, because she obediently opened her eyes.

“Are you listening?” he asked very intensely.

Listening. Dying . . . “Yes.”

“Good. I want you, Piper.” He waited for her to realize she was literally up against the proof of that wanting. “Badly. But . . .”

“I’m not a big fan of buts,” she whispered.

He smiled. “Piper, we’re outside.”

“And?”

“And by the time I get you inside, I suspect you’ll have changed your mind.”

“Try me.” She had no idea where those two words came from. No, scratch that. She knew exactly. And she meant them too.

He looked at her, and she did her best to seem like something he couldn’t go without right this very second.

He took a deep breath and started to speak, but with the feel of him so hard against her, she was done with the speaking portion of this event. Especially because he looked so turned on and stern at the same time. So she leaned in and kissed him again, very seriously.