Page 54 of Mr. July

“Chase?”

“I’ve got you. A wave crashed right over you as you came up.”

“I know. I was fine.”

“I don’t doubt it.” His strong thighs pressed against mine as he treaded water. His strong arms wrapped around my lower back. “I’m not playing games.” He stared intently at me.

“Aren’t you?”

“Maybe a few,” he admitted hoarsely. This time, there was no hesitation as his mouth descended. His top lip grabbed my bottom one. He kissed my lips first, got acquainted with them, before his tongue sought more. The waves picked up. One crashed right over us. He dragged me under the surface. His lips and mouth never leaving mine.

We both needed air but kept stealing each other’s. It was madness. But in that one moment, under the sea, it was just the two of us. No one and nothing could interfere—could touch what had sparked between us. I didn’t hate him, and he didn’t hate me. It was lust. Pure lust and wonder that we had found each other and already had known one another. Our kiss and hands spoke much more than either of us would admit.

We finally broke the surface, chest’s heaving, lungs burning. But nothing burned hotter than whatever was brewing between us. Together, we swam back to the side of the boat, rested our arms on the top of the fiberglass side.

I turned to him. “I’m not… I don’t date a lot,” I stammered, trying to convey that I wasn’t a girl on the scene. Someone who used a dating app and dolled herself up.

He brought his thumb to my lip. “I know.” His eyes were serious as he looked at my upturned face.

“This can’t hurt my Gran. If we crash and burn, don’t take it out on her.”

Now his hand cupped the side of my face. “Oh, we’re definitely going to crash and burn. You can count on that.” His voice was rough sugar as his hands moved to my waist. Even while treading water he hoisted me up as if I weighed nothing to deposit me inside the boat.

I felt a playful swat on my behind as I climbed in. “You know what that’s for… there’s more coming.”

“I’m still suing you.”

His lips curved as he hoisted himself into my boat, forearms and biceps popping. “I still have your money.”

“You could give it back?”

“Maybe I will. Five hundred if you tell me which bra was yours… another eight for which bed you slept in and—two grand for confessing you want me. Want me so bad, you couldn’t sleep last night.”

“That’s extortion.”

“So? Sue me?” His cocky smirk was all Mr. Hotshot. My answer was two of my palms against his chest, pushing him back overboard. My heart rate was high again. He pushed every single one of my buttons. Every. Single. One. I tingled all over. Maybe I was having a heart attack. The kind that grabs ahold of you when you fall for someone so hard you wonder if you’ll ever get back up. He treaded water. Eyes still all over me. “I’m going to break you. And when I’m done, you’re going to tell me everything.”

“Really?” I crossed my arms. But that action only made my breasts lift even higher. He swallowed hard; my eyes watched the Adam’s apple at his throat work. I apparently affected him just as much as he did me. My palms sweated. “We need to get back in. The swells are picking up.” Roscoe barked nervously at Chase still in the water.

I handed him a towel as he climbed aboard. The boat rocked and swayed. I unhooked the line from the buoy before starting the engine. The wind picked up a few knots. I started the engine, steering us home.

My teeth started to chatter. Then warmth hit my back, wrapped around me like a hug as Chase stood front pressed to my back. His strong arms came around me. His chin rested on the top of my head. I was cocooned in his arms. But he was a gentleman and never touched the places where my body screamed. It had been too long for me and even when I was touched my nerves never sang like this for it.

When we reached the mouth of the small inlet, I throttled down the engine. Chase still stood behind me. As I pulled into the cove and prepared to dock, his hot lips found the top of my shoulder. “Tonight, beautiful.”

Then he was gone, grabbed his stuff and left before I had even fully docked. I took my time gathering my things, trying to clear my head. He had left as suddenly as he had appeared. Nerves and doubt started creeping back in. This was no longer about my need to be right, or to win. Somehow the months of bickering correspondence faded into nothing. The only thing I wanted to win now—was him.

Twenty-Two

“What? It’s not like I stole you. I rescued you.” Daisy cocked her head as she sat at my feet. Her brown eyes bore into mine as if she was willing her doggy brain to teleport some piece of vital knowledge.

“Baby blue polo or baby pink?” I grinned, holding both shirts up to my chest in the mirror. She whined.

“Fine. I’ll go with blue.”

She whined some more, pawing at my ankle. “I know you miss her, but you’ll grow to love me.” I knelt to scratch her belly as she rolled to her back. “You were all over me last night, what changed?”

I had forced myself to leave Ryan before we had even docked. It was that or take her and the dog.

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