“I appreciate you just fine, Eddie, with or without the stupid crossword. And I am getting in this hot tub. ”
She stood, and in one smooth movement, pulled the dress over her head. She squealed as the cold air hit her bare skin and she immediately plopped into the tub. She sank down to her shoulders, her grand moment of bravery spent. “That wasn’t very graceful, was it?”
“The judges give you a nine-point-nine. ”
“Not a ten?”
“I didn’t say you weren’t a ten. ” He sidled close, but not too close. “You’re beautiful, Laura. Don’t you get that?”
“Thanks. ”
“Hey, I’m not so sure you do get it. ” He gently turned her face to his, studying her intently. “I blame that bastard fiancé of yours. ”
“Ex-fiancé. ” She looked away, avoiding that intense gaze, and instead placed her hand on the surface of the water, focusing on the feel of bubbles between her fingers. “It’s not what you think. It wasn’t like I was so in love with him. Patrick didn’t break my heart. He just showed me…how I need to be more careful. Keep myself safe. Protect myself, you know?”
“I’ll find him and kill him. ”
She shot her head up with a laugh. “Okay. But you’ve got to let me help. ”
“Naturally. ” He leaned back, spreading his arm behind her, along the back of the tub. “We’ll be a duo. Only now, I’ll be the one to keep you safe. ”
She felt her smile fade. “Sure. ”
“Hey, come here. ” He pulled her onto his lap, settling her sideways, and the position exposed more of her body to the cold evening air. He smoothed her wet hair from her shoulders. “You’ve got to let yourself be vulnerable with somebody, sometime. Vulnerable isn’t weak. Sometimes vulnerable is good. Like…vulnerable can get you this. ” He kissed her neck, and the feel of his hot mouth on her cooling skin sent a delicious shiver rippling across her body. She became exquisitely aware of her breasts tightening under the thin, wet fabric of her bra.
“Or this,” he said, his voice gone husky. He stroked down her arm, until his hand disappeared below the bubbles. His fingers splayed over the side of her hip, gripping her, tugging her panties against her flesh just enough to set her body on fire.
She had to open her mouth to inhale. “All right,” she managed. “You’re convincing me. ”
He nibbled her earlobe. “Only partly convinced?” His breath tickled her skin, and her pulse became a drumbeat. “What else do I need to do?” One hand smoothed down her thigh, finding her knee, and the other swept down her back, lower then lower still, until the very tips of his fingers dared plunge under the top of her panties.
“Oh. ” She’d begun to speak, but her word became a moan. Nodding, she said, “You win. Vulnerable is good. I see that now. ”
He stroked his other hand back up her thigh, higher and closer, until his thumb was sweeping just below the V of her thighs.
Her body was throbbing now, begging for more, and instinctively she circled her hips in his lap. “Mmm. I could maybe get used to vulnerable. ”
“Show me. ” He nipped at her shoulder, kissing along her collarbone, waiting for her to make the first move.
She tucked her knee, and in a single motion she swung her leg between them, spinning in his lap to face him.
He barked out a pleased laugh. “Hot damn, Laura. ”
She felt like she must’ve been beaming, she felt so free, so gratified, so joyous. “I used to be a cheerleader, remember?”
“How could I forget? You were the Holy Grail of my teen years. ” He grasped both her hips and ground her closer. His arousal was undeniable, and it was a spark, inflaming her.
“We’re not kids anymore,” she said softly as she twined her hands behind his neck. She hitched her hips to nestle him in place and kissed him deeply.
When she pulled away, he looked drugged, dazed. “You are one sexy thing, darlin’. ”
He parted his lips, leaning closer to taste her again, but she ducked away, instead kissing along his jaw, his neck. She’d dreamed of seeing that bare chest, of touching him, and let herself explore every inch with palms and fingers and mouth.
It was perfect. Just then, in the dreamy twilight, this was perfect.
She roved back up and let herself sag into him, savoring the feel of his hands stroking along her back. “This is good, Eddie. ”
“Better than good,” he said, in a voice gone fierce. He guided her mouth back to his, taking another kiss. It was passion and urgency, but mastery, too, his hands knowing just where to go, his kiss just right. Good Lord, but the man knew his stuff.