Page 102 of Simon Says

The water level reached just to her nipples, and the shirt quickly became transparent. With her panties and his boxers soaked, they barely existed. Her belly rested against his abdomen. His hands naturally went to her backside.

“Comfortable?”

She nodded—and stared at his mouth.

Ruthlessly controlling himself, Simon asked, “No bad feelings?”

She shook her head, and leaned forward to kiss him. He let her do that without taking over; he just accepted her kiss, opening his mouth when she nudged at his lips, touching his tongue to hers as it licked into his mouth.

“Simon?”

“What do you want, Dakota?”

Her nose bumped his. Her breath fanned his mouth. “I’m not sure.”

He should be sainted. “Will you trust me?”

“To do what?”

She didn’t sound wary so much as keenly excited. “Turn around.”

That confused her.

She lifted her head and stared at him, and Simon explained. “I’m not about to come in my hot tub, babe. It’s not cool.”

“Then…”

“I want to play with you a little. That’d make me a really happy man.”

“Play with me?” Her slim brows pinched over her nose. “That sounds sort of frustrating.”

“For me, yeah.” But he hoped not for her. “I’d like to get more familiar with your body, and let you get familiar with me touching you.”

She squirmed, and suggested, “We could just go back to your bed—”

“Shhh. No, not yet.”

“Why?”

How did he tell her that he didn’t want to be a quick conquest? He didn’t want to have sex with her once, just to prove to them both that he could. What he did want, Simon couldn’t say. Not in the long run.

But for right now, here, this moment, he wanted to hear her groaning with a climax. He wanted to feel her shivering with release, wanted to hold her as she went soft and limp and spent.

So he lied. “I’m in training, remember?”

Suspicion firmed her mouth. “Yeah, so?”

“Sex is a no-no.”

She straight-armed away from him and glared. “You’re a tease, aren’t you? If you had no intention of—”

“Dakota.” He brought her to him for a quick, hard kiss. “I asked you to trust me. Do you think you can do that?” Playing dirty, knowing she hated to admit to any weakness, Simon added, “Or will your fear get in the way?”

Through her teeth, she asked, “Tell me what you want me to do.”

So much pride. Simon kept his grin contained and helped her to stand. “Just turn around, and then sit back down.”

Water splashed as Dakota gave him her back, then dropped onto his knees. Silly woman. She was so adorable to him. Hands at her waist, Simon said, “Ease back. Careful, because I’ve got a boner that I’d just as soon leave in one piece.”

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