Page 61 of Enticed

“Let’s just get something to share and then put it in the freezer back at the cabin for later.”

“Alright. How do you feel about chocolate turtles mixed in vanilla ice cream and topped with strawberries?”

“Mmmm,” he groans. “That sounds fucking great. Wrap it up, sir!” He shouts at the teenage boy working behind the counter, his head bobbing in agreement.

With ice cream in hand, we walk down the sidewalk for a few more minutes and find the center of the village where five rather large fire pits are all ablaze and people stand around, soaking up the warmth and ambiance.

A four-member band is situated in the far corner, playing covers of country songs and a few couples dance off to the side. Children are roasting smores in the fires and parents are snapping pictures with their phones left and right.

I weave my arm around Cooper’s waist as he hugs me back while we stand there and watch everyone around us, but then I let out a long yawn.

“I’d better get you back before you pass out on me,” Cooper teases as he directs us back to the truck. “We can come back tomorrow and see everything we missed.”

“Sorry, it was just a long week. But this is so beautiful, Cooper. I’m really having the best time.” I smile across at him once we’re belted in our seats and cruising back to the cabins.

Cooper deposits the ice cream in the freezer when we make it back inside and then leads me out onto the patio I hadn’t seen yet where a hot tub is submerged in the deck, giving you a perfect view off the balcony of the surrounding landscape.

“Wow. What a view…”

“I know, right? Wanna soak in here for a little bit? It will help you relax…” his hands rub up and down my biceps, heating me up from the inside out against the chill in the air.

“Definitely.”

“Go change into your suit. I’ll turn on the jets.” Coopers smacks my butt and rushes me along to the bedroom where I open my suitcase and fish out my bikini. When I make my way outside, I find him lighting the tiki torches hoisted in the pillars of the deck, his back to me.

I take the moment to admire his body—those broad shoulders attached to those strong arms that make me feel so safe when they’re wrapped around me, that narrow waist that holds those abs that make me go insane, and his tight ass that I know looks just as good in jeans as it does bare.

“You’re really pulling out all the stops, aren’t you?” He jumps at my voice before turning around and taking all of me in, a towel wrapped around my waist, but my body barely covered by the strings of my bikini.

“Damn. I didn’t think you could be any sexier than when you’re fully naked, but then you went ahead and packed a teal bikini…” he shakes his head as his eyes travel the entire length of my body. I pull the tab of the towel tucked in at my waist to hold it in place and let it drop to the deck to give him the full effect.

“Fuck, Clara… you don’t even realize that you’ve just made my teenage fantasies come true.”

“Oh, yeah?” I swallow as my heart hammers in my chest while watching him devour me with his eyes.

He nods. “Yeah. The first time I noticed you, you were in a teal bikini…”

“Well, now your fantasies are reality, Deputy,” I smirk before climbing slowly into the scalding water. “Don’t keep me waiting or I might disappear.”

Cooper rushes back inside and comes back out in less than two minutes, wearing a pair of red swimming trunks that fit him like a glove. They highlight every perfect aspect of his body and as he slides in the water beside me and pulls me to straddle his lap, I get to explore every inch of his wet body while we soak in the warmth.

“This is so nice,” I murmur in his ear, taking the lobe and lightly grazing my teeth over it.

“I’m glad we came up here. It’s nice not having to hide, isn’t it?” He asks, rubbing his palm up and down my back and along my hips.

“Yes, it is.”

“You know we don’t have to hide anymore, right Clara?” He says as he leans back so we’re facing each other again.

My eyes rock and back and forth between his, contemplating how much I want to divulge. I can sense his growing frustration with our arrangement, but it feels so much safer in our own little bubble.

“I know. I’m just scared, Coop,” I whisper, pushing myself to open up to him. I need to do this. I don’t want to live in secret with him forever.

“What are you scared of, Clara? You know you can tell me anything…” his words are heartfelt and sincere, and they give me the courage to keep talking.

“I’m scared that once we tell people, something will wreck it—like, other people’s opinions will tear us apart…”

“Like Liv’s?”

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