Page 145 of Till The Sun Dies (Checkmate 2)

“Yeah. Every time he drives up to the house, she lets the dog out, which sends a clear message that she wants him to back the fuck up. But now she held the dog back, so I bet he’s gonna run inside and plow her like a field now.”

“Plow her like a… Plow…” I stifle my giggles when he sits back and shakes his head. “Plow her like a field? What the fuck, Laine?” He leans down and snatches up the worn book in a sunscreen slicked hand, turning it over to scan the back cover. “What kinda books do you read? I thought there was just kissing?”

I turn over and snatch at my book, and when my loose bikini top shifts, I slam my arm across my chest to shield children from any incidental side boob. “These books have all the good stuff, Ang. He’s gonna bone her till she limps before the last page. You watch.”

“Till she limps?” He whips his sunglasses off and yanks the book back. “What the fuck? How can men possibly live up to this shit?”

“They can’t. That’s why they tried to ban books a hundred years ago. Men should fear a woman that reads, because she knows all the good moves, and if he doesn’t measure up, she won’t be shy about teaching him.”

“No way!” He tosses the book all the way across to Jess’ empty lounge.

Lunging forward, I attempt to chase it, but two strong hands drop to my hips, pinning me down on my sizzling back, with my arm covering my boobs and my breath frozen in my lungs. When his silver eyes pin me, I squirm, and when he licks his lips, my eyes drop to the movement.

“Umm…”Kiss me! Don’t kiss me. Do something!

“Your sunscreen is done.”

“Thanks…”

“You need help tying your top?”

“Ah…”

Instead of waiting for my answer, he rolls me over and begins tying the loose straps.

Minutes ago, he was massaging with all ten fingers and two palms and I was fine, but now, he slides a single finger along my spine, feather soft and only for a second, and I become a tingling mess.

“All done.”

“Thanks.”

Cold breeze hits my leg and draws me back to reality. Where Ang sat a moment ago is now empty, and when I turn over, I catch sight of the muscles on his broad back rippling as he walks over the hot sand. Hat on, boardshorts framing strong thighs, he walks right to the edge of the water.

I don’t know what I expect exactly – perhaps he’s just going to dip his toes, maybe Jess called out and I didn’t hear – but without stopping, Ang steamrolls right in until the water laps at his knees, then his waist.

Jess and Kane stop fooling around and watch him walk shoulder deep, and then without looking back, he simply disappears under water and doesn’t reemerge.

I flop back on my lounger and groan at my failure, but the wind and waves aren’t enough to drown out Kane’s mocking laughter.

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