Page 18 of Almost Had You

Instead of replying, he pulls off his shirt and slides his jeans off. I watch his every move closely. Mostly because watching his muscles bunch and ripple is mesmerizing, but also because I want to see how far he’s willing to go. “You wanted adventure, mayor’s daughter. Take off your clothes and meet me in the murky water. If that’s not a euphuism, I don’t know what is.” He stands up to his full height of six feet and waits for my reply. “Come on now, darlin’. Caution to the wind.”

My eyes widen, as I take his hand to stand. “What’s in there?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not scared. Are you?”

“I’m not going to think about it. I’m just going to do it,” I reply, blowing out a breath.

He chuckles. “Thatta’ girl. Now strip.” Mercer steps away, placing his hands on his hips. Crickets are squawking loudly as I strip off my jeans and socks. “Let me help a bit because you didn’t let me last night.” Confidently, he grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it up and over my head and tosses it on the blanket. He sighs dreamily. “That felt just as good as I thought it would.”

I laugh. “Taking off my shirt?”

He nods. “Yes. Do you know how many boys dreamed of doing that and never got the chance? If I had a dollar for each one, I’d never have to work another day in my life.” He presses his lips together. “Now taking off your bra? That’s worth two dollars.”

I tilt my head back, letting true happiness spark. “Better beat all of those boys then, right? Take it off. I wouldn’t dare let your dreams slip away.”

He reaches behind my back with both hands, cradling me. I feel when his fingers land on the clasp. “This,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. “Is for every boy who dreamed of doing it and couldn’t.”

I lean up to twine my arms around his neck. My bra unsnaps and Mercer slides the straps down my shoulders and steps away, holding it in his hand. “Living the dream,” he says, smirking. “Joking aside, I’ve never seen a more magnificent sight.”

“You’ve been to places around the world and you’re telling me—” I say, he cuts me off with a look.

He nods. “I’m telling you that Clover Wellsley standing nearly naked by this pond, is the most spectacular sight in the entire world.” He shakes his head. “Highlight reel of my life type of stuff.”

A strange feeling blooms in my chest and tears prick my eyes. He’s living life to the fullest right now and if I pause for a second to understand why, I’ll lose it completely. He has to. Tomorrow isn’t promised for a man like Mercer Ballentine. It’s infuriatingly haunting. His honesty is on display every single second we’re together.

“Would me standing here without my panties make the highlight reel, too?” I ask, tilting my head to watch him as he appraises me, thumb and forefinger cradling his chin.

“Trick question?” he asks, blue eyes meeting mine.

I pinch my lips together with my teeth and cross my feet at my ankles. “I hate to mar your highlight reel, but if we’re going in that water, I’m leaving my panties on.”

He laughs, a big hearty laugh. “Why?” Mercer furrows his brow.

“Okay, I’m sure this is unladylike to say, but you’ve said the next few hours are kind of canceled out, so I’m just going to be honest.”

“Always the right thing to do,” he adds, scratching his stubble.

I blow out a breath. “I don’t want little fish to swim into my lady parts.”

He laughs. I put my hands on my hips. He notices I’m not laughing. “You’re serious. Oh.” He collects himself. “Fish aren’t going to swim inside you, Clover.”

“How do you know? Haven’t you ever watched those medical shows?”

He chuckles and takes me into his arms. He presses a kiss on my bare shoulder. “There is a better chance of something else finding its way inside you than fish, ma’am.”

My skin prickles and wetness floods my panties. “I admit. That was a good line.”

He drags his lips against my neck, a languid soft touch that sends fire to my belly and below. “I’ll be here all day. And a few after that if you want a repeat show.”

I roll my head to the side to give him better access. Closing my eyes, I say, “Haven’t had the first show yet.” His tongue licks a trail up to my ear and a moan escapes my lips.

“We’ll fix that. I want all of you,” Mercer rasps against the rim of my ear. “Patience.”

I’m so consumed with the longing and lust, I don’t see what he’s planned next. Mercer picks me up, hands tight, and runs into the water. It smells a little bit like mud and God knows what, but that doesn’t stop me from laughing. I clutch his neck and try to capture his waist with my legs to keep away from the murk. He carries me easily into the water that ends up being up to his chest. The tip of my ponytail dips into the lake.

“This is how I die. This is it. Alligator,” I shout. “Come and get me. Take down the man first. He has more meat!” I realize the double entendre the second I speak.

Mercer tightens his grip on me as he laughs, a bright smile lighting up my world. I wonder if he’s always this happy. Do I have anything to do with it? Is that even possible? Do I have this power over a man who seems to own everything surrounding him? “Alligator,” he says, calling out in the same direction I just did, mocking. “My meat is no good here.”

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