Page 189 of Small Town Firsts

His throaty chuckle follows behind me, taunting.

“We swim now?” Tatum bursts through the back door, struggling to remove her cover-up.

I start to go to help her, but Alden beats me to it. “Sunblock first.”

I retrieve the bottle from my bag and pass it to him. He sprays her down and then uses it on himself. I watch, tantalized by the way his abs flex and bunch as he does so.

“Hey! Earth to Nat!”

I snap out of my Alden-induced lust-fog. “Huh? Yeah?”

He laughs again. “You want some?”

So, maybe I’m still in said lust-fog because it takes me a minute to realize he’s referring to the sunblock and not…well, you know. “Sure,” I croak out.

Except he makes no move to hand over the bottle. I gesture for it, but he smirks. “Can’t put on your SPF if you’re still clothed.”

“Y’all go ahead,” I tell him, desperate for his attention to be off of me.

“Nah, we’ll wait.”

Hello, rock and hard place.Nervously, I peel my cover up over my head, depositing it onto the porch near my feet.

ALDEN

I know the game I’m playing is dangerous, but for some reason, I can’t stop pushing her buttons.

But when that piece of fabric hits the deck, I damn near swallow my tongue. Natalie has grown up right. “Damn, girl,” I mutter under my breath as I step a little closer.

She’s looking anywhere but at me, and yet I can’t look away. She’s all lush curves, and the way her tits look in her swimsuit top is almost pornographic. They’re full and bouncy and jiggly and…fuck.

I have to get my shit together, for several reasons. One, because our daughter isright fucking herewatching our every move. Two, Natalie and I aren’t like that. I mean, the last time we kissed, she practically begged me not to do it again. Which, not going to lie, sucks. And three, I’m about two seconds from pitching a tent in my shorts, and that’s the last thing any of us need.

Quickly, I toss her the sunblock and move to grab Tatum, hoisting her up onto my shoulders. She squeals as I walk us into the pool, the cool water instantly cooling my raging, underused libido.

I lower Tatum, moving her to balance her on my hip. She splashes happily as we wait on Natalie to join us. And join us she does, gliding down the damn pool steps like a runway model, with Tatum’s floaties clasped in her hands. She walks to us, the water moving around her, splashing up onto the exposed hint of her midsection. Her two-piece is classy and shows just enough to make me want to peel it away.

Fuck. What am I thinking?

I school my features as best I can, trying to keep her from seeing the X-rated thoughts dancing in my mind. When she reaches us, she dips one floatie in the water and then slides it up Tatum’s arm, repeating the action with the second.

With me at her shoulders and Natalie at her feet, together we help Tatum float on her back. When she gets tired of that, I teach her to hold her breath via the classic puffed cheeks and nose-pinch method, and I softly dunk her a few times.

Every time she resurfaces, she cackles like it’s the best thing she’s ever experienced. Turns out my girl’s a water baby. Once she’s fairly comfortable with that, I let her jump from the edge and catch her.

We play and splash, and splash and play until Tatum’s tummy rumbles, and she demands a snack. The three of us climb out of the pool, and Nat dries Tatum off while I run inside to grab her something to eat.

Armed with the perfect late afternoon snack—lemonade and fresh-cut fruit—I head back to my girls.Oh, shit. Did I just saymy girls? Yes. Yes, I did, and I’m not sure how I feel about it.

I find them laid out on side-by-side loungers. Tatum is wrapped in her towel, while Natalie lies on top of hers, soaking in the sun, looking every bit like a goddess.There I go again. Jesus. It must be all the skin she’s showing that’s got me so keyed up.

“Who’s hungry?” I ask, setting the platter down. I pass each of them a small plate and glass—well, a sippy cup for Tatum.

While Tatum is happily munching away, I ask Nat, “Do you mind if we Skype my parents? They’ve been dying to meet her.”

“No, not at all.” She downs the last of her lemonade. “I’ll give y’all some privacy.”

“Oh, you don’t have?—”

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