Page 137 of Dove
My eyes fluttered open, noticing the sun was nearly set, the sky still holding on to its blend of colors before night fell completely.
Josh hummed, getting my attention, and I lifted my head. He inclined his head toward the lake questioningly. “With how hot this summer’s been, the water will be plenty warm. Care for a swim?”
My eyes darted between him and the water, eyebrows raised. “Unless you’ve really thought of everything, I’m not exactlypreparedfor a swim.”
Josh’s lips ticked up into a grin, like he knew something I didn’t. Comprehension dawned on me as Josh left the little bubble we’d created, his hand slipping from mine, my lower back instantly growing cold without his touch, so he could toe off his boots and reach back to tug off his shirt.
Skinny dippingwas part of Josh’s agenda this evening?
My body grew hot as I watched his toned chest come into view. He cast the shirt aside, letting it flutter to the ground. A memory broke through the fog of lust I was currently in just from seeing him shirtless, and just to be a brat, I snarked, “I thought I wasn’t allowed.”
His gaze darkened, remembering just what I was referring to. “You weren’t allowed when other boys were watching.” His hands sought the hem of my dress, fingertips teasing along the back of my thighs. “Now it’s just me here, and you’re all mine.” He gathered the fabric of my skirt in his hands then eased it up and over my head. It was a weird feeling, to be so exposed out in the open, even if there was only one pair of eyes on me.
The night was far from cold, but chills erupted over my skin as I stood in just my bra and underwear. Thank God I’d heeded Reverie’s advice, deciding to go with a lacy combo I'd never worn before. There hadn’t really been much of an occasion in the past, not anyone I really wanted to wear themfor,and there was no need to wear something dainty and pretty when I was just getting sweaty and dirty around the farm.
The nervousness of being so exposed, so vulnerable, had my hands drifting to the front of his pants to even the playing field. Far more of me was on display than him, and I wanted, noneeded,to change that. His tongue came out to wet his bottom lip as I thumbed open the button of his fly. My fingers flirted over the zipper, teasing, applying just enough pressure to have him twitching under my hand, a soft groan escaping him. The quiet whisper of his zipper was lost over the sound of our heaving breathing, both of us suspended in this tension-filled moment.
Said tension seemed to heighten as my fingers curled over the waistband of both his jeans and boxer briefs. I hesitated only a moment before pushing them down until they pooled aroundhis ankles. When he stepped out of them my breath caught, captivated by all of him on display in the fading sunlight.
We may have been up close and personal in the shower before, but I hadn’t gotten a chance to look my fill then, too worried about my own insecurities. But I was looking now, and Josh was a work of art. Whatever gym routine he’d been doing had clearly been effective, and the farm work he’d tackled in his time back had only helped. He was a bronzed statue carved from a girl’s wet dream, and every solid, cut part of him had me drooling.
It also had me painfully aware of how opposite we were. How every firm part of him was rounded and soft on me. Our differences were highlighted in every curve and dip of my body, every stretch mark, every ugly, new scar I’d acquired from working a physical, manual job by myself these past few years, where his had faded while away. But this time instead of that wave of embarrassment I’d grown accustomed to experiencing, the fevered heat in Josh’s eyes as he watched me had me feeling… powerful.Sexy. As if I’d taken a lethal dose of courage, my hands wandered over my body until they found their way to the top of my underwear. His eyes homed in, but just before I could take them off, he stopped me.
“Wait.” He surprised me by sinking down to his knees. “Let me.”
My insides liquified into a molten heat at the sight of him kneeling before me.
The skim of his lips to the curve of my stomach just below my belly button had my answer dying in my throat. My permission came in the form of my hands in his hair, directing him lower until his kisses hit the edge of my underwear. He worked his way from one hip bone to the next in a meticulous line, leaving no skin un-kissed. Each one had my breath punching out of me until I was a panting mess. My legs longed to press togetherto ease the ache between them and my nipples were hard and sensitive inside my bra, begging for the same attention.
When Josh finally eased the fabric down my legs, the evening air was a cold kiss on my wet center. He guided one of my hands to his shoulder to keep me steady as he helped me step out of them before unbuckling and removing my sandals. When he rose, my panties were still fisted in his hand and as if in slow motion I watched as he brought them to his nose, inhaling deeply, his eyes closing in ecstasy.
Desire hit me like a strike of lightning, burning through me, leaving me reeling with a want that damn near hurt, and had me growing slicker between my thighs.
“You smell so fucking good, baby.” His voice was deep and raspy andraw.
Embarrassment and desire collided head-on like two freight trains as I realized how wet my underwear must be, how obvious my arousal for him was, enough to leave a visible wet mark on the fabric he held to his face. When his eyes met mine there was a something primal raging within them that threatened to consume me in the best ways. Every iota within mescreamedat me to grip his hair and pull him forward, to let him bury himself in the real thing, and not some flimsy piece of lace.
I surged toward him like a feral thing, only one thing on my mind, completely unaware of my surroundings, of where we were, of how close Josh was to the edge of the dock.
“Wa—"
Whatever he was about to say was muffled by my mouth on his, the frenzy in my mind calming the minute our lips touched, the slide of his skin against mine like a soothing balm to a nasty burn. But in my haste to touch him, I propelled forward with too much force, my momentum causing Josh to take a step back as he caught me in his arms. In the process he lost his footing, making an alarmed noise against my mouth as we pitchedbackwards and tipped over the edge, toppling ungracefully into the water with a giant splash. The water instantly doused my fiery thoughts. Kicking my legs, I resurfaced with a gasp, flipping my soaked hair out of my face, swiping at the water running into my eyes. Thank God I’d opted to use waterproof mascara. Another one of Rev’s ideas. I should have known something was up with all her “suggestions”. I scanned the rippling water for Josh. He popped up beside me a moment later, shooting water he’d collected in his mouth at me.
“Josh,” I shrieked with laughter, shielding my face. “Gross!” I skipped my hand across the lake’s surface in retaliation, sending an arc of water his way. He dodged out of its spray, but I was determined now, my competitive side kicking in. I swam closer, propelling water with both hands now as a giddy rush filled my chest. I couldn’t remember the last time I had that feeling; like I was just a girl with no worries, instead of a woman forced to grow up way too quick, bogged down with too many responsibilities.
“You had your tongue in my mouth two seconds ago,” he teasingly reminded me, a water droplet snaking from his hairline down the side of his face as he floated away from me unhurriedly. My eyes followed its descent to his neck. “Quite enthusiastically, might I add.” A deeply satisfied look spread across his handsome face. Heat bloomed to life along my cheeks, but I wasn’t sure if it was from his words or the fact that all I wanted to do was lick the beads of water off his skin, to taste the sweet mix of lake water and Josh. “Yet a little bit of spit and water is gross?” He arched an eyebrow questioningly.
I couldn’t argue because he had a point. Plus, I was finding myself too distracted to chastise Josh for his childish antics. All I could do was smile, mostly because I couldn’tstopsmiling. My cheek muscles would be sore by the end of the night at this rate. I couldn’t help it, though. You know those momentswhen you get lost in a daydream, knowing that’s all it’ll ever be, but somewhere in the back of your mind you always keep hope that maybeone dayit might come true? This was thatone dayfor me.Everything about this moment was plucked from my deepest, most yearned for imaginations. Things I’d literally gone to bed wishing for coming true.
His smile only fueled the warmth in my chest, spreading until it wrapped around my heart and squeezed. There was a part of me that experienced guilt, too, because I couldn’t help but wonder... would Josh and I have reconciled if our parents hadn’t been in that accident? I was almost ashamed that something so amazing had come from something so tragic. It seemed wrong. I’d never tell Josh that, though. Instead, I kept those thoughts locked up tight until late at night, when I was in the sanctuary of his arms with the darkness wrapped around us like a comforting blanket.
I kept the smile plastered on my face, even as my chest constricted with a flood of grief. It came and went in waves lately, instead of the ever-present numbing throb it’d been those first few weeks. Josh was none the wiser as he sent another small strike of water my way. It barely hit me, and I’d been much more forceful with my splashes to him, but he still hooted victoriously. Seeing him so happy helped push my melancholy away. It didn’t belong here in this moment.
In the blink of an eye, he disappeared beneath the water. I spun around, readying myself for a sneak attack. Seconds ticked by and I began to worry, wondering how long Josh could hold his breath when I let out a startled squeal as his fingers ran across the bottom of my foot. He reemerged in front of me, grinning wildly, shaking water from his hair as his hands reached for me, snaking around my waist to pull me closer. My own skimmed over his shoulders to wrap around his neck. Ishivered as our bodies slid together beneath the water, our legs knocking together leisurely as we kicked to keep afloat.
Everything melted away as our gazes met; the breeze rustling the leaves settled, and the wildlife waking in the woods hushed. There was nothing but the small cluster of honey flecks embedded in his irises, reminding me nothing mattered except this man pressed against me. Deep in the earthy shade of his eyes, I found the answer to my hesitation and realized that if the town found out about us, I’d deal with it. If I had to leave everything behind to keep Josh, I’d do it in a heartbeat, becausehewas my home. He always had been and always would be. I may have had a roof over my head while he was gone, but I was homeless without him. I couldn’t do it again. Suspended in that moment I took a silent vow that if he ever left again, I’d follow him.
We floated quietly as the starry night unraveled like a blanket across the sky, tucking the sun to bed.
