Page 5 of Forbidden Flame

My heart clenched painfully. “I’m not sure.” Not wanting to talk more about my wants and desires, I lifted the map. “Let’s keep going. I think we’re close.”

Her hand fell away, and we resumed our walk. This time, I didn’t take her hand. In just a few minutes, she’d seen a part of me I hadn’t shown anyone.

“I think I see lights up ahead,” Daphne said.

We came to a clearing, and the hot tub was visible. It looked surreal in the middle of the woods. Lights hung around the perimeter.

“This was bigger than I was envisioning.”

The tub itself was the size of a small pool, green lights illuminated the water. Someone had brought blankets, pillows, and even a chaise to sit on.

“This is amazing,” Daphne said as she sat on the cushion.

Guess we won’t need these.” I tossed the extra blankets aside. “Do you want to eat first or get in the water?”

Daphne looked at the water and then at me. “Let’s get in.”

She was the one who’d asked for this date. She wanted to get in the hot tub. Teddy’s threat seemed far away. “Do you need a bathing suit? I think Marley mentioned providing a few.”

“I guess we should.” She stood and began rummaging around in the things that were left for us, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d meant. Was she planning on going in naked?

“Found one.” Daphne held up a red scrap of material with strings hanging from it.

I swallowed hard. It wouldn’t cover much. Why did that excite me? “You can find a place to get dressed. I’ll stay here and look for some trunks.”

Daphne flashed me a smile before she disappeared behind the trees on the other side of the hot tub.

I had to get it together. I’d promised her brother I wouldn’t hurt her. I was sure he wouldn’t want me to be alone with her in a hot tub. There was no way he’d believe it was her idea. What was I doing here?

Daphne appeared, wearing the bottoms tied at the hips, but holding the top over her breasts. “Can you help?”

The blood rushed to my dick, and all thoughts of her brother and my family disappeared.

She turned, looking over her shoulder. “Can you tie this?”

If she was any other woman, I would think she was teasing me on purpose. But Daphne wasn’t like that.

I cleared my throat, taking in the expanse of her bare back. “Sure.”

I moved closer, everything in me strung tight. My fingers itched to touch her skin, to see if it was as soft as it looked in the glow of the lights.

She was perfection.

I closed my eyes briefly before taking the strings from her and doing my best to tie them with my hands shaking.

I wanted her. I didn’t care about the feud. That I needed to prove my loyalty to the Monroes or that she was a single mother. Nothing mattered except tonight, and I wanted to make the most of it.

I’d show her a good time and forget about everything else.

Chapter 2

Daphne

His fingers brushed over my back as he tied the straps of my bikini top, sending tingles down my spine. I wanted to step back until his front touched my back. I wanted to feel if he was as affected by me as I was by him.

He double knotted the straps. “That should do it.”

I turned, catching the quick drop of his eyes to my breasts before slowly lifting them. My mouth was suddenly dry. “Thank you.”

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