Page 21 of Forbidden Kisses

Afterward, Duncan straightened up and walked over to us. I nearly swallowed my tongue. His muscles seemed more pumped and defined from the effort. I was not going to survive the next few months working for this man. He was far too sexy.

"Your turn," he told Jeremy. "I’m going to walk next to you in the water and watch."

He took Jeremy's hand, and they went to the middle of the pool. I relaxed, figuring that with his back to me, I wouldn't be so on edge.

Oh no, that was a mistake. His back was just as sexy as his front. I couldn't explain what was happening to me, except thatI'd never been around such a hot man. The guys I'd dated were fit, but Duncan wasn't just fit. He was a work of art.

He patiently explained every move to Jeremy, correcting him firmly but gently, melting my heart. If I had a kid, I would raise him in the exact same way.

The unexpected effect of the butterfly stroke, though, was that Jeremy was completely spent five minutes later. He was red in the face as he walked toward me and said, "I need a break. Riley.”

“Want another brownie?" I suggested.

"Yes, please."

"Now I've got a new strategy," I whispered to Duncan, who joined me as Jeremy got out of the water. "Whenever he's got too much energy, I'm going to ask him to swim."

"It knocks him right out, but don't get your hopes up. He's going to be fit as a fiddle in twenty minutes."

It turned out that Duncan was wrong. Jeremy wanted to go on the slide only ten minutes later.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Duncan

"Dad, I want us all to get on the slide."

"Buddy, you said you were old enough to do it yourself."

"I know, but I've seen other parents do it."

"I'll go with you," Riley said, then turned to me. "Come on, Duncan. It's going to be fun."

I focused on the brownie I was about to eat, shoving it into my mouth and chewing slowly. Today, I thought I’d surprise Jeremy, but I'd been the one surprised by how sexy Riley was in that bikini. I was also shocked by my visceral reaction to her. I actively avoided looking at her, though I was starting to accept that I didn't have as much control over my body as I thought. At least not where Riley was concerned.

"Come on, Duncan," she repeated when I didn’t budge. "It's good to let your inner child come out to play from time to time."

I swallowed the brownie, then looked her straight in the face. As long I maintained eye contact and didn’t look at her body, I was safe.

"You don't know how to do that?" she teased.

"I honestly don't."

"Pools are for fun."

I rose to my feet. "I relax by swimming."

"Ha, but see, that's the difference. I wasn't talking about relaxing but about having fun. And going down the slide, well… the thrill is not knowing if you're going to face-plant or dive in feet first."

"And that's fun for you?"

She grinned. "Obviously. I like the unknown."

Her enthusiasm was catchy. "Okay, fine. Let's go."

Jeremy screeched with joy.

Damn it, I was an ass. When he’d told me two years ago that he wanted to do it alone, I’d assumed that he really meant it. But maybe he'd simply noticed that I didn't enjoy the slide and wanted to please me.