Page 62 of Three to Fall

He glanced back over his shoulder with a grin. “Not if I can help it.”

I just shook my head and called ahead to Kara, who was now leading. “Take the trail to your right. It turns inland a bit, so you lose your view of the ocean, but it’s worth it. Trust me.”

Kara raised her arms above her head in a thumbs-up and followed the path I’d indicated.

A few minutes later, they both saw why I’d wanted to come this way.

A waterfall trickled from the rock face high above our heads before opening into a freshwater pool with sand at the edges and then a grassy embankment, perfect for picnics. If you followed the pool far enough, it eventually narrowed into a stream, finding its way downhill to the ocean below, but this pool was the real highlight of the walk.

“This is amazing,” Kara breathed, taking in the pretty sight.

Hawk interlaced his fingers at the back of his head and breathed deeply, catching his breath. His T-shirt was plastered to his back with sweat. “I didn’t even know this was here.”

“A lot of people don’t. But it gets busy on the weekend. Not so much during the week. As you can see.” We had the entire place to ourselves.

Hawk took off his shirt, tossing it to the grassy bank beside the backpacks we’d discarded. His boots followed, until he was barefoot at the edge of the natural pool. “My feet are killing me. This feels like bliss.” He dug his toes into the rocky sand, letting the gentle water sit around his ankles. The ragged hem of hisjeans darkened with the water kissing it, but if Hawk noticed, he didn’t care.

Kara was still bright pink, flushed either from the unusually warm day, the exercise, or maybe a combo of Hawk mumbling dirty things behind her for the entire trek. Or it could have been the fact he was now standing shirtless at the edge of the water.

She busied herself, spreading the blanket out and pulling textbooks from her backpack, setting everything up to study.

But every time she bent over, I wanted to grab her ass. Press my lips to the pink of her skin and taste the salty sweat beading there. “Hot?”

She glanced up. “Very.”

“Want to swim?”

“I didn’t bring my suit. And it will suck to walk back in wet clothes.” She shuddered. “So much chafing.”

I laughed and pulled my shirt off. “So swim naked.”

She paused. “Uh. No. It’s the middle of the day, and anyone could come by at any minute.”

Hawk caught wind of our conversation and gave me a grin that was full of mischief. “Is Mr. Straighty One-eighty stepping outside his comfort zone?”

“I had a foursome in a sex club. Not sure how you thought that wasinmy comfort zone.”

Hawk shrugged. “You got a little inner kink beneath your doctor’s scrubs. You know you do.”

Didn’t everyone?

I didn’t think public sex was mine, but there was no denying that water looked good, and I was hot, sweaty, and maybe some part of me wanted to show Hawk that just because I was a doctor, didn’t mean I was uptight.

I could be spontaneous.

Hawk hollered from the water’s edge, “Take it off!”

I kicked off my sneakers and socks, and then gave Kara a wink before pushing my shorts and underwear off my legs.

This was a completely different experience than getting naked with them in a sex club, when alcohol had been flowing, the lights were dim, and the music was sultry. There was nowhere to hide here. It was the bright light of day, and there was a tiny voice in the back of my head reminding me random hikers could appear and catch my dick just swinging in the breeze.

But the water was so damn inviting, and I felt gross after walking for the last hour.

I strolled past Hawk, who chuckled at me, but I ignored him and waded into the water.

“How is it?” Hawk asked when I was hip-deep.

“Cold,” I admitted honestly. But it didn’t stop me from dunking my head under and enjoying the cool rush of water across my entire body.

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