Page 20

She grabs at my waist. “Take that off.”

“Hang on…” I catch her hands beneath the surface.

“Take it off, and I’ll help you scrub it.”

I do as she says, going under to get the shirt over my head. When I come up, I stand, my jeans heavy on my hips.

“Now take those off and scrub them.” She turns her back, moving away with my shirt. “Old prude.”

Her mutter makes me grin as I struggle with wet denim. “I heard that.”

“You should’ve taken them off first.” She swims to the end of the pier and pulls herself up to hang my shirt on the edge, giving me a glimpse of her wet body in her now-transparent bra.

Her dark areolas are visible through the thin nylon, and heat rises below my belt. She drops into the water again and swims over to take my jeans.

“I didn’t want to be a rotten egg.” The tease in my voice surprises me.

Her pretty green eyes narrow with her grin. “Too late, old man. You’re it.”

She shoots off toward the pier, but I swim after her. I might be playing with fire, but hell, it’s been a long day in the sun. “Old man? I’m only thirty.”

“Thirty-one.” Again, she pulls herself out of the water to hang my jeans on the other corner of the pier. This time I get a full shot of her butt covered only by wet pink lace.

I want to touch her. I want to pull her against my chest and kiss her like we did last night… before I stopped it. I don’t have time to consider the consequences when she shoots forward into my arms, lifting her fingers to the side of my face.

“You’ve got mud all over you.” She scrubs her fingers gently above my ear, along my hairline.

“I can’t believe I stood there like an idiot.”

Another giggle bubbles up from her chest, and it makes me grin. Warmth is humming in my chest. I like holding her this way, letting her take care of me.

I am not being wise.

She lowers her hand, and when our eyes meet, I’m very aware of her body pressed against mine beneath the surface. She was in my bed last night, curled against my chest in the darkness, but this feels more intimate somehow.

“Hey.” Her voice is soft, and her green eyes flutter to my mouth.

“Hey.” Mine is deeper, but equally quiet. I don’t know what to say, so I stick to what’s safe. “Feeling better today?”

“Yes, thank you.” Her cute nose curls, and she blinks up to my eyes again. “Glad I was able to get some sleep last night.”

“Glad I was able to help.”

“You always help me.” Her eyes drop, and she traces a finger along the top of my shoulder. It feels good. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”

“You never bother me.” It’s the truth.

“Thank you.” She hugs closer to me, placing her cheek against mine.

My eyes slide closed. My hands move from her waist to the soft skin of her back, and I hold her in a hug for a heartbeat. She feels good in my arms, right. Taron’s words are in my head, what’s right in front of me…

There’s no denying my body’s response to her. We’re out here in this lake, alone and secluded from the rest of the world. Anything could happen. Clearing my throat, I slide my hands to her waist again, easing us apart.

Cold water fills the place where she was. “We haven’t really talked since I’ve been back.”

“Okay.” Green eyes blink to mine expectantly.

“A lot has changed.” I’ve been waiting to feel ready for this, but it never seems to happen. Now I’ve got harvest hanging over my head…