“That’s awesome.” She looked hesitant for a second. “Would I be overstepping if I asked to take a look? Maybe I can tweak things for you.”

“Would I mind?” Hilly came back incredulously. “Are you kidding? I’d freaking love it.”

“Then it’s a plan. I’ll see if anything needs sprucing up. And if you notice me taking pictures around, don’t worry. I won’t use your campers’ faces unless their parents sign releases.”

“I’m not worried,” Hilly responded almost giddily. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” She bit her lip. “Damn. Now I’m afraid I’m not paying you and your husband nearly enough for being here.”

“Seriously?” Adeline laughed. “A summer away from the hustle and bustle of the city? A camp setting with free meals as well as all the fun and games we can possibly imagine? I feel like we should be paying you.”

Hilly opened the door to her newcomers’ cabin, and held it ajar for Adeline to look in. “Don’t make any rash statements until you see where you’ll be living.”

Three hours later, Hilly felt like she had new friends for life. The pair had settled in, professed their love of their accommodations, then had come to find her and her companions in the dining hall.

Over lunch, with Buffy giving her waggling eyebrows from a table across the room, Hilly began to feel more at ease. Crash proved to be hysterically funny, and Adeline was so warm and giving of her time, Hilly wanted to adopt them both and never let them go. It buoyed her up to an even greater degree that Cisco was showing her more public affection than he had at any time in the past two weeks. Perhaps he was staking some kind of claim in front of company? Whatever was in his head, Hilly wasn’t going to complain about the number of times he touched her; a hand to her back here, a brush to her arm there, a kiss to her cheek…

With the touchy-feely vibe Cisco was giving off, it was all Hilly could do not to drag the man into the woods. And now that Adeline and Buffy had met and joined forces, the two would probably help her tie the man up and haul him anywhere Hilly wanted.

The idea had certain appeal, and Hilly’s lips twitched upward as she finished chewing her last bite of salad.

“What’s funny?” Cisco asked, having polished off his third grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

Of course he’d seen her little grin.

Should she tell him? Hilly wasn’t sure, and bought some time.

“Just thinking about how dangerous the combination of Buffy and Adeline is going to be, moving forward.”

Cisco chuckled. “You’re not including yourself in that group? I can already see that the three of you are going to be thick as thieves.”

Hilly gave him a wide-eyed, innocent look. “Moi?” she responded in her best Miss Piggy voice.

Cisco snorted. “Don’t give me that. I don’t for a second buy your harmless expression. What are you planning?”

Okay. Fine. He wanted to know what was on her mind? Hilly leaned in close and gave it to him, after taking a moment to breathe in his rich, masculine scent.

She made her voice purposely sultry. “I was imagining enlisting their help in tying you up and dragging you off into the woods where I could have my way with you.”

Cisco spluttered.

Hilly watched his face in fascination.

She had no idea that a man with skin so dark could blush so prettily. And, hell yes, she liked that he was the one at a loss for a change.

He finally picked up his napkin and coughed into it before edging close and whispering back.

“Really, Hilly? You say that here? With a hundred or more people watching?”

She continued to tease. “Why? What would you do if they weren’t?”

Cisco’s eyes smoldered. “I’d clear this table with one sweep of my arm, rip those tantalizing short-shorts right off you, and give myself a very different kind of meal.”

Holy hell. Now it was Hilly’s time to blush.

She could picture it vividly.

And she wanted it with every molecule in her now-shuddering body.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Dammit. Now he’d done it. Overstepped his plan to gently woo Hilly into accepting him on her own time and terms. Letting his dick do the talking.

But if the bright color on her cheeks was any indication, he might have gotten a lucky break. It seemed that she was interested in what he’d just proposed.

Maybe his new strategy should be to keep her off balance. Tease her with the possibility of carnal association—like that which he’d just spewed—juxtaposing it with the light flirting he’d already been doing. By the time summer was up, when he made his long-term intentions known, Hilly would be putty in his hands; primed enough for him that there’d be no doubts or arguments over where he wanted to take them.

Over the past couple weeks, Cisco had solidified—at least in his own head—his current and future positions regarding Hilly. He realized he was all in, having quickly morphed from being a player to becoming a goner, and…he didn’t mind at all. The thought of being “off the market” and tied to one woman wasn’t terrifying. It was exhilarating. Hilly was everything he hadn’t known he was looking; someone with whom he could share the rest of his life.

He couldn’t even imagine how much deeper he’d fall once he finally got her into bed. Cisco knew it would be epic. It didn’t worry him in the least that they hadn’t accomplished that yet, nor did he have plans to go there before summer’s end. But when he finally did…get her horizontal—or vertical against a tree trunk—he just knew it would be something he’d only dreamed about. It was fucking amazing, but Hilly hadn’t just captured his physical attention, she’d shanghaied his entire being.

Cisco grunted to himself. Was he ready to say the word “love” yet? Not quite. But he was close. And that didn’t scare him, either.

“The kids have free time next,” Hilly told Adeline and Crash as the lunch hour came to an end. She’d put on a good front of ignoring Cisco’s previously whispered comment, but with that pretty blush still dusting her fair complexion, he knew she hadn’t been able to dismiss it from her head, entirely. “Which means we have time to show you around.” She turned to Mason who’d just polished off an enormous double-serving of American Chop Suey. “Would you like to join us?”

Mason shook his head happily, picked up his tray and stood. “As much as I’d like that, I have to get back to work. I know I’m leaving Crash and Adeline in good hands.” He hitched a thumb over his shoulder. “And now I’m going to thank my mother for the awesome lunch before I take off.”

“Thank her for us, too,” Adeline spoke up. “I haven’t had a bacon cheeseburger this good, in…well, forever.” Indeed, the grinning woman was licking the last of the double-stacker off her fingers.

“I’ll tell her,” Mason replied with a chuckle. “Although with eight sons who still make it a point to drop in for her food, she already knows she rocks it.” He walked toward the kitchen, whistling.

Hilly laughed, nodded, and finally turned to Cisco. “Do you think you could start the tour for our newbies without me, Cisco? I have something I have to take care of before I join you.”

Her face held a displeased cast, so he had to inquire. “Is everything all right?”

Adeline and Crash’s ears had clearly perked up, as well.

“I, umm…” She looked hesitant before she eventually spoke. “You remember I had a talk with Bailey a couple weeks ago?” She gave a quick explanation to their new companions. “Bailey is a counselor who…may or may not be going a little overboard with her teasing of a fellow counselor.”

Cisco definitely knew who Hilly was talking about. She was the girl who Lance was crushing on, and she had been, purportedly, bullying the poor sap.

“I remember.” Cisco urged her to continue.

“Well, it seems she didn’t take my initial warning to heart. I’ve had word from Lisha and Franny—two second year counselors,” she added for Crash and Adeline’s benefit, “that Bailey is still acting like she’s better than everyone else, and treating Lance like dirt. I’m putting her on notice. If she refuses to knock it off, I’ll have to fire her.”

“Will you have trouble getting a replacement?” Adeline asked.

Hilly shook her head. “Actually, I’ve talked to Buffy about it. She’s shown an interest in expanding her duties. Apparently, there isn’t a huge rush to see Buff while she’s wearing her therapist’s hat. She’s excited to possibly become an integral part of the camper’s daily activities and a cabin-mom so they’ll start to trust her.”