Page 44 of Don't Call Me Sweetheart (Something Borrowed 1)

Suddenly, the temperature cranked up another five degrees, and she found herself kicking off her shoes. When he stopped to tread water, she paused in removing her capris. “Turn around.”

The wolfish grin he shot her turned her knees to mush and she wobbled. “Yes, ma’am.”

Once she was sure he was being a gentleman, she shimmied out of her capris and folded them on the rock. She unbuttoned her blouse, and set it on top of her capris. Snatching up his shirt, she pulled it on, breathing in the scent of his cologne and the musk of Luke himself. The shirt went almost to her knees, covering up the sexy lingerie.

“Okay, I’m decent.”

Luke turned around, and the look in his eyes made her shiver in spite of the heat.

“Damn, you look good in my shirt.”

Marley blushed hard as she stepped down into the water. “Stop it. We’re just going to swim—no flirting.”

“I agreed to no such thing.”

Marley slipped in, sighing as the cool water washed over her heated skin. “This is better than I remember.”

“How long has it been since you’ve been swimming here?”

Since before Beth died.

“Feels like forever.”

She drifted closer to him, and when she was within arm’s length, he reached out and tucked some wet hair behind her ear.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

She stiffened, reading the pity in his eyes. “For what?”

“For how much pain losing your sister brought you.”

She didn’t want this. She wanted the light-hearted banter. Hell, she’d take the flirtation at this point.

“Yeah, well, it’s in the past. Right now, I’m here with you.” She splashed him in the face and started swimming backwards. “And you deserve that for always teasing me.”

Luke wiped the water from his face, and grinned evilly. “You just remember you started this.”

With a squeal she took off, swimming until she felt his hand wrap around her ankle. She was laughing so hard she almost went under, would have if he hadn’t slid his arms around her and held her against him. Her laughter died with their faces so close, his lips inching toward hers…

A stream of water flew out of his mouth and right in her face.

“Oh, my God, that is disgusting! Not only do I have your mouth bacteria in my eyes, but you probably have Giardia from drinking river water.”

She couldn’t see but she could feel his warm breath on her face as he chuckled. “Oh, come on, don’t be a baby.”

“Seriously, I’ve been blinded by fish poo water.” She sniffled a little for effect. “Oh, my God, my eyes are burning.”

His voice was laced with concern now. “Hang on—”

When he released her waist, Marley opened her eyes and jumped him, pushing his head under with all her might. He came up spluttering, and she cackled. “Boom, sucker!”

Luke grinned through the ripples of water on his face. “You’re a pretty good actress. No wonder you handle Sonora so well.”

“She’s pretty easy to figure out. Stay on her good side or she’ll make you miserable.”

He seemed to be studying her, as if trying to work out whatever she was hiding and it made her heart skip nervously. “One thing I can’t wrap my head around is you being in rehab. You just seem so together, I can’t imagine you losing control like that.”

She couldn’t tell him he was right, no matter how badly she wanted to, so instead, she just kept moving. “Strange friendships form when you’re thrown together. Just look at us.”