"WHAT DID YOU say to Sunny?" I asked as August walked back behind the bar, twirling a set of keys in his fingers. I noticed he was walking better, with more ease, and relief swirled in my chest.

"I just told him we'd lock up when we're done," August replied as he closed the distance between us and looped an arm around my back, tugging me into him. I did a quick look around us, nervous about having an audience, but the bar had pretty much cleared of guests.

I quirked a brow. "Done...doing what?"

"Giving you pool lessons, of course." August's handsome face transformed into a cocky smirk.  "I told Sunny you needed some practice before we played with Cohen and Finny next week. And then he told me to take it easy on my knee, so I think he knows exactly what's on my mind."

A flush rose on my neck until I could feel it heating my cheeks. My lips parted as I tried to think of something to say. But then August derailed my thoughts before I could figure them out.

"Fuck, you're pretty when you blush," he murmured, his voice all gravel and husk as he trailed a finger across my cheek.

Heat spiraled through me at his touch, as simple as it was. There was promise in that touch, though. Promise for more. And when August gave more, I knew he wouldn't hold back.

August spun our bodies so he was pinning me to the bar, his body all hard and delicious as it pressed against mine. His breathing was uneven as he dropped each of his hands to the countertop on either side of my hips, caging me in.

With any other man, it might alarm me. But the feeling of August surrounding me was ridiculously comforting. At this rate, we weren't even going to make it to the pool table. And considering how I could still hear Sunny and Cohen cleaning up in the kitchen, we needed to get a grip.

Tipping my head back, I looked up at August and swallowed past the desire clouding my senses. "You know, you can go to pool night without me. I don't want to keep you from seeing your friends."

"I can see my friends whenever I want," he said earnestly. He dipped his head, letting his words brush across my skin. "But I don't know how long I'll get to see you, Castle. How long I get to keep you here on my island."

An ache spread through me at his words.

Maybe this was foolish of us—this thing we were doing. It was starting to feel too big, too comfortable, too deep for what it could ever really be. I couldn't stay here forever. But I'd be leaving much more than an island behind when I left.

"Come on," August breathed, breaking through my thoughts. He pulled back and grabbed my hand, tugging me away from the bar. His movements were still on the slower side as he led me across the space to the pool table, but I liked holding his hand too much to walk ahead of him.

God, this wasn't good. The fact that August holding my hand had me spiraling just really wasn't good.

Not to mention how his eyes connected with mine when he handed me the cue stick, all sharp and heated. I didn't know what the hell was happening between us, but it was palpable. The desire that swirled in the air around us was like a fog I could cut through like a knife.

But I didn't want to. It felt too...good. Too intoxicating.

I bit down on my lip as August released the cue stick, his jaw clenching.

"You have got to stop looking at me like that, Castle," he grunted as he forcibly stepped around me to start setting up the game.

"Or what?" I called after him, and he momentarily stilled.

"Fuck," August swore before he turned back around, grabbed me by the waist, and sat me on the edge of the pool table. I would never have guessed that August had hurt his knee yesterday, considering how quickly he stepped between my legs and cupped my face in his hands. "The way you challenge me is going to be the fucking end of me," he groaned.

I barely had a moment to gasp before August slammed his lips to mine. And oh...oh, God. He hadn't kissed me like this since our first kiss. Desperate and raw. Like he hadn't been able to exist for more than another second without getting his lips on mine.

"August."

I whimpered into his mouth as it moved over mine, fiercely drawing my breath from my lungs. His tongue dipped into my mouth, stroking and taking. His hands clutched my face, refusing to let go.

No one had ever kissed me with this much passion. With this much...reverence. I wasn't sure I would survive it. His lips trailed down my neck, nipping and sucking at every inch of skin he could find. I arched back, letting him.

Something told me he was going to leave a few marks. Something else told me he was going to like that.

I liked it, too.

"Please," I gasped, not even really sure what I was asking for. But I needed...more. Of him. Of his lips.

August heard my plea and returned to my lips, kissing them soundly before pulling back again.

"Oh, fuck me, Castle," August groaned into my mouth before capturing it. Again and again, until he finally let me come up for air.

"I'd be happy to," I said breathlessly, and August swore harshly beneath his breath.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Quinn."

All I could do was smile dazedly at him, watching as his own lips stretched in a handsome grin. He looked so uncharacteristically happy that I couldn't help the giddiness that spread at the knowledge of how I had caused that. I made August Fletcher smile, and I could easily get drunk off that smile.

A second later, a crash of pans in the kitchen cut through our moment, and I watched as August's expression filtered with alarm–like he'd forgotten we still weren't completely alone.

"That's why you can't look at me like that," he said in a low voice. "Because I was ready to bury my face between your legs without giving a flying fuck who was around to see it."

My breath hitched, and August took another step back because we both knew we weren't far enough apart.

Although, I wasn't sure if we would ever be far enough apart to interrupt what coursed between us.

I supposed at some point we would find out.

August took yet another step back and winced. Hopping off the pool table, I poked him in the chest, urging him gently toward the chair behind him.

"Why don't you have a seat while I get this game set up?" I suggested.

August's eyes simmered, never leaving mine, but he remained silent as he dropped into the chair.  His hands spread over his powerful thighs, clenching as he settled in.

I somehow managed to look away, turning my attention to the table so I could rack the balls. I bent over the pockets along the side, reaching to grab at the balls as they tried to roll away from me. And because heat still licked at my insides as adrenaline pumped through my veins, I gave my back a little arch and popped my hips up.

Behind me, August emitted a low growl.

"Castle."

He said my name like a warning, one I absolutely didn't heed.

Instead, I readjusted, giving him a nice view of my ass in my pair of cut-off shorts as I sorted the balls into place in the triangle. August grumbled something beneath his breath, and I grinned to myself. I knew I should stop teasing him, but I couldn't help it.

"Almost ready for your....lessons," I said over my shoulder.

"I bet you are," he replied huskily. "I bet you're all ready for me, Castle."

I clenched my legs together at his implied meeting, the ache between them growing to a new degree, and August must have noticed because I heard him exhale shakily.

"What the hell are you doing to me?" he muttered, more to himself than to me.

"You told me I couldn't look at you." I put the final ball in place. "So I'm not looking at you."

"And you thought this would be better? Giving me a front-row seat to–"

"Night, Auggie!" Sunny's voice filtered through the bar, and I immediately straightened, turning and smiling at the older man as he walked toward the door. "Heading out for the night. Make sure to jiggle the door to make sure it's locked tight when you leave. You know how it gets."

August cleared his throat, and I caught a glimpse of Cohen's not-so-subtle smirk as he followed his dad across the bar.

"Sounds good, Sunny," August called over to him. "Drive safe on the way home, 'kay?"

After getting to know Sunny's light-hearted personality over the last couple of weeks, I half expected to brush August's last comment off. But he gave a firm nod in reply, and I supposed that made sense, considering what happened to August's dad.

"Night, guys," Cohen said with a wink before he followed Sunny, letting the door slam shut behind him.

August pushed to his feet and strode to the door, locking it and jiggling the handle just like Sunny told him to. But I didn't expect him to do that until after we left.

When he turned back around, his gaze found mine, and it was alive with heated intent.

"I don't want anyone interrupting us," he said, his voice a low hum that felt like liquid lava as it washed over me.

I had to swallow past the sudden dryness in my throat before I could talk.

"You did promise that the lessons would be private."

"Mm," August agreed, almost lazily, as he wove through the tables to find his way back to me. "It's actually a requirement for what I have planned."

My lips quirked. "Not much of an exhibitionist, huh?"

August pressed his lips together while considering a response, which surprised me. I didn't expect him to have to think about it.

"I don't mind people seeing that, at least for tonight, you're mine," he finally said, thrusting his hands into his pockets as he walked. "But I don't like the idea of people seeing you in a way that's only for my eyes. So no, not much of an exhibitionist."

He stopped about a foot before me, and I looked him up and down, appreciating everything about him. Not many men could make a white T-shirt and jeans look this fucking sexy, but I'd always known August Fletcher was one of a kind.

"You're doing it again," he murmured, breaking through my thoughts.

"We're not exactly in public anymore," I said, glancing at him beneath my lashes.

"No." His lips curved, a smirk quickly forming on his face. "We're not."

The way he said those three words made goosebumps erupt over my body. And they only multiplied when August lowered his voice and issued a command I couldn't ignore.

"Turn around, Castle."

☀️

a/n:

not me immediately turning around

thanks for reading!
xoxo amelie