Page 94 of The Illicit Play

She rests her freezing cheek against my shoulder, and slowly her jaw starts to relax. Her teeth stop chattering first, and then her torso starts to still.

The trembling that was jerking her stomach when I first slipped in beside her eases to the odd twitch, and I slow my frantic moves and just hold her still.

Thank fuck for that.

She’s starting to thaw out, her frozen body heatingagainst mine. Her pert tits squish into my chest. Her silky thigh brushes against mine when she moves her leg and snuggles a little closer into me.

My heart rate spikes, my skin prickling with desire as the crisis is averted and I become hyperaware of all the things I’ve been desperately trying to avoid.

CHAPTER 28

BLAKE

Grady is so warm and solid.

His chest is like an electric blanket—all comfort and deliciousness. Despite his rock-hard muscles, there’s still a softness to his skin. A solace.

The second he wrapped me up against him, I knew I was gonna be okay.

It was the weirdest thing; I didn’t even feel the cold creeping over me. I was so busy caught up in that water fight that I didn’t notice my insides quaking until my limbs started getting sluggish.

Then all of a sudden, it hit me.

I stopped throwing water at him and started seeking out the shoreline.

And it was miles away.

I’m not gonna make it.That was my first thought, right before my rescuer noticed that I was quickly shutting down.

Once again, Grady Newman stepped up and provedhimself. He swam me out of that water, dried me off, got naked with me. All to warm up my freezing body.

He’s such a good man.

So freaking good.

I owe him so much.

This is the third time he’s gotten me out of a jam, and I want to thank him.

Hugging his back, I cling to him and try to imbibe the words into his body. My cheek is pressed against his warm skin, and I close my eyes, willing him to feel my gratitude.

He’s so strong and smart and capable.

I’m safe with this man.

And I don’t know if I’ve ever felt like that before.

I mean, sure, my dad and Wily have always kept me safe, but this is different. I don’t have to put on a show for Grady, because I told him all my shit, and he’s still lying here keeping me warm.

He knows what a fucking wreck I am, and he still brought me to the most beautiful place in the world. He’s sharing his heart and soul with me out here. He might not realize it, but I can see how much this land means to him, and he’s letting me be a part of it.

I’m so overwhelmed by all the emotions rising and pulsing in my chest that I don’t know what to do with them.

Part of me wants to scramble out of this sleeping bag and just run.

But that’s never going to happen, because I don’t know how I’m going to leave his side.

“You’ve stopped shaking,” he whispers against my hair.