Page 17 of Swimming for Seduction

“Want to see a magic trick?” Tyler whispers in my ear before leaving one arm around my shoulders as he turns us to face my brother’s best friend.

Devon stares at both of us intently before nodding his head toward Tyler like he’s answering some unspoken question. “I’ll talk to Brady, but I can’t make any promises.”

“Thanks, man,” Tyler says sincerely. “I know if anyone can get through to him, it’s you. She just wants the chance to get to know him.” His arm tightens around me, thwarting my attempt to pull away. “You better get back upstairs before Tracey and Joey send out a search party. Y’all have a Merry Christmas.”

“You, too…both of you,” Devon nods toward me before walking out the door.

“What the hell was that about?” I ask as soon as the door closes.

Tyler drops his hand and walks toward the kitchen as he explains that Devon is extremely talented when it comes to reading facial expressions. “He’s practically a mind reader,” he says as he pulls a can of Coke from the refrigerator and turns to face me. “He’s our best shot at getting through to Brady and I knew if he saw your face when he mentioned Brady, he’d know that you don’t have any ill intentions.”

“Ourbest shot?” I ask sarcastically. My voice rises to a shout as I point my finger at him. “This has nothing to do with you, Tyler. Your meddling could cost me everything, and if it backfires, you lose nothing.”

“Wrong,” he yells, matching my volume. “If it backfires, I loseyou!”

Tyler

I laid all my cards on the table for her this morning. I’m done playing games. I’m all in with her and I want the same from her. But it’s not something that can be forced. Just the fact that she stayed here all day while I was at work is proof to me that she wants it. I’m just waiting for her to take it for what it is.Everything.

So, before she can lie to us both by saying she’s not mine to lose, I leave her standing in the kitchen. I stomp down the hallway and into the bathroom, turning on the shower before shedding my uniform. I step under the warm spray, wishing it had the power to rinse away the feeling of hope I’ve had all day that things were finally moving forward with us.

I must have been too buried in my thoughts to register anything beyond the sound of the shower, because I let out a very unmasculine shriek when I pull back the curtain to see Ricki leaning against the sink. I resist the urge to pull it closed, determined not to hide from her as she takes in my naked body for the first time. I feel her gaze on every inch of my body like a physical caress.

When her eyes finally connect with mine, I recognize the look on her beautiful face. It’s the same expression she had right before she shoved me against my front door and made me come in my pants a few weeks ago. It’s power and control. It’s ownership and domination.

“I see you,firecracker,” I tell her.

“Not the way I see you.” She pushes off the counter to stand straight as she lifts her hand and curls her fingers toward her in a ‘come here’ motion.

I step out of the tub, ignoring the water dripping off my body and onto the floor as I walk toward her until my chest touches her outstretched hand. We both let out a sigh like our physical connection eases some hidden tension even as our bodies both ignite with a different tension all together.

“How do you see me?” I ask as she turns her hand to lay it over the bruise that’s already fading. As twisted as it sounds, I’ll be sad when it fades completely. I like having her mark on me. I want her to leave other marks on me. Ones caused by passion and love instead of fear and turmoil.

“Like you’re mine,” she answers.

When she flexes her fingers like she wants to physically remove the proof of how far I’ll go to prove that to her, I cover her hand with mine. “I’ve already told you; Iamyours.”

“You’ve done more than tell me, Tyler.” Her eyes drop to where my hand is still covering hers on my chest. “You’ve shown me…over and over again.” When her gaze locks with mine again, it’s full of a new determination. “I’m ready to show you that I’m yours, too.”

A million witty responses cross my mind, but I refuse to diminish what this moment means by letting any of them out. Instead, I lean forward to rest my forehead against hers as I whisper, “Then, show me.”

She takes a step back to peel my borrowed clothes from her body until she’s stripped as bare as I am before launching herself at me, forcing me to catch her so we don’t both end up on the wet floor. Her body slides against mine since I’m still wet from my shower and I tighten my hold on her as she orders me to carry her to my bedroom.

My hands tremble as I lay her on my bed and take a step back, because if I don’t get myself under control, this is going to be over before it even begins. I’m desperate to touch and taste her the way I did the night of the haunted house, but I was able to control my dick that night because I was fully clothed. Now that he’s swinging free, he seems determined to mark his territory.

Ricki seems oblivious to my state of panic when she stands from the bed and closes the distance between us. As soon as her hands touch me and she feels the tremors wracking my body as I struggle with its wayward instincts, she steps back with a teasing grin.

“You’re shaking like a virgin on prom night,” she says as she runs her hands up my heaving chest.

“Close,” I tell her, taking another step back. “This isn’t prom night.”

Chapter 16

Ricki

I stop mid-step when Tyler basically announces that he’s a virgin. I remember the way he begged me to tell him what I liked the night of the haunted house and how quickly he came when I touched him last month. How the hell did I not realize it before now? Instead of making me retreat, it makes me ravenous to know that when he said he was mine, he meantallmine.

“I’m sorry,” he stammers. “I should have told you…I would have told you…but I didn’t expect…”

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