Page 136 of Meet Me In The Dark

She unclasps her bra. The straps slide off her shoulders, and the lace falls onto the sand. She doesn’t look away. Not once. She keeps her eyes locked on mine like she’s daring me to stop her.

I don’t.

I can’t.

Bending slightly, she hooks her fingers into her panties and pulls them down in one slow motion.

She’s completely bare.

The kind of naked that’s less about seduction and more about claiming the night for herself. It’s in the tilt of her chin, the unapologetic way she stands there, moonlight spilling over every inch of her.

I’m rooted to the spot, my cock already straining, my jaw tight enough to ache.

Then she turns, gives me a view that nearly finishes me off on the spot, and tosses a wink over her shoulder. “You coming?”

Not yet, but I will be.

She bolts toward the water with a squeal, kicking sand behind her, and all I can do is sit here stunned.

What the hell do I even do with this woman?

I should remind her she was doubled over in pain less than a week ago, the ocean is freezing, and she’s going to regret this in about two minutes.

But none of that comes out.

Instead, I drag my T-shirt over my head and stand.

If she’s going to swim in the middle of the night on my beach, then the least I can do is follow her into the damn water and make sure she doesn’t drown.

She shrieks when the waves hit her knees, laughter echoing over the tide as she stumbles forward.

I can’t stop the laugh that breaks free.

She makes it waist-deep before she turns with water dripping off her skin.

The moonlight hits her just right, and something in my chest pulls tight.

“I’m waiting,” she calls.

I shake my head, stepping into the surf. “You’reinsane.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that.”

“You realize I’m the one who’ll have to carry your shivering ass back up the beach?”

She shrugs. “Worth it.”

The cold hits like a punch, stealing my breath.

“Fucking hell. Don’t even ask me where my cock went,” I growl, ducking under to get it over with.

When I resurface, she’s doubled over laughing.

“You think that’s funny?” I narrow my eyes.

Her grin falters.

Good.