Water ran down her body, dripping from her bent elbows, the tips of her high, tight breasts, and sheeted over her flat stomach. The late afternoon sun kissed her wet skin, turning her into a glistening, golden version of perfection.
“You coming, sugar, or did you forget to pack your water wings?”
He got to his feet and pulled his boots off. Jeans and briefs came next, in a tangle of fabric, and then he tugged his shirt over his head. A second later he hit the water, and was nearly to her before he realized she’d gone under again. He opened his mouth to call her name, and the next thing he knew, took a tidal wave straight in the face.
He spat out pond water. “Sweet Virginia, you’re going to pay.”
Her laugh came from behind him. “Did I forget to mention I learned to swim in this pond?”
He turned and watched her do a leisurely breaststroke over to him. She stood and wrapped her arms around him. “I know all the ins and outs.”
He caught her lower lip between his teeth and bit down. “I know a few ins and outs, too.” Not with regard to the pond, no, but he suspected
she’d appreciate his skills in the long run. She pressed herself against his chest. Or maybe in the short run.
“You think you could teach me some?”
“I’m certain,” he replied. “But you’d have to get into position.”
“How’s this?” She wrapped her legs around his waist.
“Getting there.” He gripped her ass and waded a little deeper. “I think you’re ready for your first lesson.” Then, without warning, he dunked them both under the water.
She came up sputtering.
“Learn anything?”
She wiped the water out of her eyes, drew her arm back to splash him, and then froze. “Someone’s coming.”
“Yeah, right. Nice try, but I’m not so easily distracted.”
“I’m serious.” This time the panic in her voice couldn’t be missed. “Crap. Crap. Crap. I think it’s Junior. If he sees us, he’ll tell everyone. LouAnn can keep a secret, but once Junior gets to drinking, he’s a loose cannon.”
Shaun turned, and, sure enough, through the trees spotted Junior’s red F150 pulling up behind his jeep. As he watched, Junior climbed down from the cab. The solid thud of a car door closing followed. “Just…hide behind me. I’ll get rid of him.”
She splashed past him, scrambling toward the bank. “My clothes…he’ll see—”
He hooked her arm and pulled her back into the water. “I’ll put them under the blanket. Stay here.”
But by the time he retrieved her clothes from the branch, he was about halfway between the picnic blanket and the pond, with Junior closing in fast. There was no way he’d make it to the blanket and back to the water in time to shield Ginny.
“Hey Shaun, that you, buddy?”
Shit. He bundled her clothes up like a football and ran into the water. As he splashed to waist-deep, he scanned the pond for Ginny, who was suddenly gone. Behind him, the sound of footfalls grew louder and then came to a stop. He shoved Ginny’s clothes under the water, caught them between his knees, and turned to face Junior.
“Hey, Junior. What’s up?”
“Oh, you know, I left my toolbox here this afternoon, and I promised LouAnn I’d finish her fancy closet installation tonight. Since I ain’t likely to get any sort of appreciation from her ’til it’s done, I dragged my ass back here to pick up the damn tools. How ’bout you? Come ’round to cool off?”
“Yeah.” Where the hell was Ginny? How long could she hold her breath? “I was driving by, and decided a swim sounded good, so I stopped…”
Junior’s eyes swept over the picnic blanket Ginny had so carefully arranged, and the thermal backpack with the bottle of white wine sticking out the top. His gaze swung back to Shaun. “Spur-of-the-moment, huh?”
“I hit Boone’s for supplies first. In case I got hungry after my swim.”
“Looks real, uh, romantic, with the blanket and wine.”
“I thought it might be nice to”—he winced and forced the words out—“pamper myself.”