Page 90 of Raise Hell

Something tickles the bottom of my foot, and I let out a shriek. Then a hand wraps around my ankle and pulls me under the water.

I break the surface again with a splutter. “What the hell?”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist,” Drake laughs. He dodges away when I try to splash him in the face. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I splash him again. “For all I know there are alligators in this water, you know.”

“Nope, the only animal out here is me.” He swims closer so his legs brush against mine as he moves. “I’m the one you should be worried about.”

“Maybe I liked you better when you were refusing to speak to me.”

“Liar. You’re just not used to being knocked off balance, for once.” He turns onto his back and floats beside me, water lapping around him in gentle waves. “And you’re lucky I didn’t push you in when we were standing on the rocks, because I really wanted to.”

“You are such an ass.”

“I’ve been told that before.”

He swims around me like a shark circling its prey.

“We should head back in,” I say as he drifts closer. “I’m getting a little tired just treading water. You didn’t tell me how deep this was.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll hold you up.”

His hands move over my waist, lifting me higher in the water without upsetting his own balance. Drake moves his legs leisurely as he treads the water.

“I can’t stop thinking about how good you taste.” The seductive words whisper along my skin as he bends his head closer to mine. “Ever since the last time, all I’ve wanted to do is taste your lips again. Then I want to find out if other parts of you are just as good. Maybe they’re even better.”

His mouth crashes against mine with punishing force. The grip he has on my waist is the only thing that keeps me from sinking into the water as he pulls me flush against him. My hands clutch at his shoulders, and not just because I’m afraid of drowning.

Shivers course down my body, hot and cold until I’m covered in goosebumps. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire, from my head to the tips of my toes as I press my body against his.

My legs come up to wrap around his waist. The only thing separating us is the fabric of my panties that feels like it might melt away at any second.

The frantic writhing of my hips seems to slow him down. His kiss softens and turns teasing as his lips tangle with mine. My hips grind against his, and he shifts away just enough that a rush of cold water moves over my heated flesh.

I make a plaintive sound in my throat.

“Relax,” he whispers against my lips. “We have all night.”

The thought of all night just ratchets the desire up higher. “Please…”

His hand grips the hair at the base of my skull, keeping my head still. “Say that again.”

I know what he wants, even if the still logical part of me wants to refuse. The desire overwhelming me isn’t enough to make me into something I’m not.

“I won’t beg.”

“You will.” His voice fills with dark promise. “I already told you we have all night.”

Instead of kissing me again, his mouth moves to the sensitive skin at the bend of my neck just below my ear. He nuzzles there with gentle intent, kissing and licking, but he holds my hips far enough away from his that it’s impossible to make contact.

His mouth moves slowly back to mine, so gentle I want to scream in frustration. Nothing about Drake Van Koch is gentle. But that’s what he gives to me, because he knows how much I want precisely the opposite.

I worm one of my hands between our bodies to grip the silken steel of his hardened cock. He grabs my wrist and forces that arm behind my back. Then he does the same with my other arm until he has me trapped.

He uses the leverage to lift my upper body out of the water. His lips close over my left nipple. Even through the fabric of my shirt, his mouth feels hotter than a furnace. I moan when he sucks hard, using just the finest edge of his teeth.

“Jesus.”