Page 69 of Places I've Never Been

Was she really doing this?

She stepped back into the next wave and gasped as the water rushed over her stomach and between her thighs. “This is great. I’m sorry Cooper and Tina didn’t get to see it.”

“I’m not. If they were here, we wouldn’t be, and I wouldn’t want to miss this.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Desire welled up inside, hard to ignore.

A wave hit Mattie in the back and shoved her forward. She shrieked and splashed to catch her footing.

Adam laughed. “Got a little distracted, did you?”

He flexed his chest muscles, obviously proud of his effect on her.

“Think you’re funny, do you?” On impulse she scooped up water with both hands and flung it at him.

“Oh, it’s like that?” Adam laughed, then picked her up in his arms and fell backward into the water with her, dunking them both.

They tangled arms and legs, each trying to get the upper hand. Adam had the advantage of height and found his footing first. He hauled Mattie up out of the water and steadied her. She clung to his arms for support while the salt water stung her eyes and drained out of her nose.

“Not fair!” Mattie sputtered.

“I got you.” Adam’s hands were firm and secure on her upper arms. He looked concerned, as if he thought he’d gone too far.

He had a brother. Surely, he knew better than that.

As a woman with three sisters, she’d had plenty of practice dunking people. She jumped up with the next wave and used it as leverage to kick Adam’s legs out from under him.

“Whoa!” Adam shouted.

They both went under and tumbled toward the shore. Mattie found her footing, dragged her hair out of her eyes and smirked at Adam. “Bet you didn’t see that coming.”

“Nice moves.” It was Adam’s turn to sputter. “Thanks for that gallon of seawater that just went up my nose.”

They both laughed. Spending time with Adam over the past weeks made her feel so happy she never wanted to leave this pocket of paradise.

She glanced at the large boulder that marked the edge of the bay. “Race you.”

“What do I get if I win?” Sexual suggestion laced the question.

Not yet.

Too soon.

She wanted this joy to linger just a little longer before anything else intruded. “Bragging rights.”

A flash of disappointment flickered through his eyes, but it was replaced by a glint of determination. “You’re on.”

Adam dove, his powerful arms moving him forward before she even managed to get turned in the right direction.

“Cheater!” she shouted, then swam after him.

Adam beat her to the boulder. He grinned at her with smug satisfaction when her palm finally slapped the stone.

“You cheated.” She struggled to catch her breath. It had been a long time since she’d gone swimming.

Adam blinked at her with mock innocence. “You said race. I raced.”

Mattie clung to the boulder and looked back at the beach. Between the dark, craggy rocks, the lush, green line of trees above, and the white cabana below, it was a postcard-perfect scene. The sun was low in the horizon now, and the golden light had shifted to darker blues and purples. The last rays glinted off the top of the cliff to the right.

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