Page 168 of Crossed Wires: The Complete Series

“It’s freezing!” The smile in her eyes belied her complaint.

Keith chuckled. “It’s not exactly warm.”

“Quit your bellyaching, you two.” Marc splashed water at Keith. “And live in the moment.”

Harper splashed him back, the move disturbing the water enough for Keith to notice a hint of dusky shadow where her nipples would be.

His groin tightened, the cold water having fuck-all effect on his hard-on. Jesus, what the fuck was he doing? What would he say when?—

Water splattered against his face. He threw a warning glare at Harper, his pulse quick. “Oh, you wanna start a war, do you? Think a lone American woman can defeat two Aussie blokes?”

She splashed him again. “Bring it on, Kangaroo Jack.”

“Right, that’s it.” Keith threw a look at Marc. “Ready, Thomo?”

Marc nodded. “Ready, Blue.”

Keith lunged for Harper. As did Marc. At the exact second Harper disappeared under the water with a squeal.

The water fight lasted a good fifteen minutes. By the time it was finished, Keith had not only seen Harper’s exquisite breasts more than once, he’d felt them squashed against his back as she’d tried to dunk him under water. If it wasn’t for Marc “saving” him by snaring her around the waist and hauling her off his back, Keith would have gladly gone under, just to experience the sensation of them brushing the back of his head.

It was a giddy moment. A wonderful moment.

He’d never had so much fun with a naked woman, let alone one he barely knew. And despite the furious water fight, he was still as erect as ever.

Was Marc in the same state?

And if so, what did they do about it?

“Time out!” Harper called, the words almost lost in her laugh. “Time out.”

Keith shot Marc a look as she ducked under the water.

His best mate looked back at him, his expression unreadable.

“Okay,” Harper resurfaced, smoothing her wet hair down the back of her head and neck, “I call uncle. You win.”

Marc chuckled. “Ah, the Australian brilliance is too much for the Yank. Onya, Blue. We win.”

Harper bobbed in the water, the tops of her shoulders peaking above the surface. “Why Blue? Is it your eyes?”

Marc directed a splash at Keith’s head. “It’s his hair.”

Keith tried not to laugh at Harper’s puzzled frown. “But his hair is a reddish-blond,” she pointed out.

“Yep.” Marc dropped her a wink and began swimming toward the far bank. “That’s why we call him Blue.”

Harper turned her frown on Keith. “I don’t get it.”

Keith shrugged, the feel of the water on his balls and cock more than a tad distracting. Or maybe it was the way drops of water clung to Harper’s eyelashes. Or the way she was slowly swimming closer to him, so close the ripples she made from each gentle dog-paddle stroke lapped against his chest. “It’s an Australian thing.”

She looked at him for a long moment, an ambiguous expression clouding her eyes. And then she said, “Is kissing an American woman until she almost passes out an Australian thing?”

He nodded, fighting to keep his own expression composed. “It is.”

She caught her bottom lip with her teeth, dipping down into the water enough to cover her chin as she did so. “Can I confess something?”

Keith nodded again. His chest was tight. His heart beating fast.