Page 36 of Explosive Vengeance

His chuckle warmed her from the inside out. “Okay, then I’m both.”

They lapsed into quiet after that, and it was just as nice as the conversation had been. Most people felt the need to fill silence with talk. Heath knew who he was, and was totally comfortable with himself.

But she hadn’t been kidding when she’d told him she was a wild child. Her entire life she’d had to work at suppressing that chaotic side of herself, although right now, she didn’t have to.

She decided to shake him up a little and see how he handled it.

They walked for another fifteen minutes or so, until they came to a spot where the footpath split, one side continuing down the lake and the other heading back in a loop to town. She stayed on the lakeside path, and chose her spot a few hundred yards up. This area was deserted, and no longer lit by streetlamps. A quarter moon gave just enough light for her to make out his features as he walked beside her.

“Let’s stop here,” she said, leaving the path and heading for the edge of the lake. She crossed the grass and stopped on the pebbles, mere feet from water, taking in the way the moonlight shimmered on the surface. “Wonder how cold it is?”

“Cold.”

“Hmm.” She took off her jacket, toed off her boots.

“What are you doing?” he asked, shock in his voice.

“Seeing how cold it is.”

“What? It’s freezing.”

Ignoring him, she reached for the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head, then undid her jeans and shimmied out of them, immediately followed by her underwear.

“Holy shit…” He stepped toward her, glancing around them, as if afraid someone might see her.

Not worried in the least, she wound her hair into a knot at the top of her head, braced herself, then took the plunge. She yelped as she ran into the water up to her hips, then bent at the waist and dove the rest of the way in, keeping her head above water.

Laughing, she spun around to face him. “Yep, it’s cold.” She cocked her head. He was still standing at the edge, gaping at her like she’d lost her mind. “You coming in, or what?”

“No.”

Chloe grinned and arched a taunting eyebrow. “What’s the matter, you shy? You don’t have anything I haven’t seen before.”

She’d been counting on his ego kicking in, and he didn’t disappoint her.

With a grudging half-smile, he pulled off his boots and jacket, then yanked off his shirt, giving her a lovely view of his powerfully built chest, arms, and shoulders in the pale moonlight. Then it got even better when he stripped out of his jeans, leaving him in a pair of snug, black boxer briefs that hugged his muscled thighs.

He ran into the water, dove and a second later, surfaced right in front of her. “Jesus Christ, it’s freezing,” he gasped out, giving her an accusing glare.

Grinning, she wound her legs around his waist and slid her arms around his neck. “Don’t worry, I’ll help warm you up.” She kissed him, swore she started to melt when he reached one hand around to cup her ass, the other holding the back of her head, a low sound rumbling up from his chest.

Most guys would have plundered now, taking as much as they could get. Heath didn’t. Instead he seemed determined to drive her out of her skin with need. He took his time, kissing her like a man bent on giving her pleasure, stroking, caressing, not rushing her despite the cold temperature of the water.

A minute in, he lifted his head to gaze down at her, a sardonic smile playing around the edges of his mouth. “I think I’m numb from the neck down. You?”

“Uh oh, shrinkage?” She reached a hand between them to cup his groin, making him choke out a laugh. “Hmm, if this is you without any circulation, I’m looking forward to seeing you naked when you’re warmer.”

With that she darted away and dashed out of the water. His splashing footsteps gave her a few seconds’ warning as she raced up the slight bank toward her clothes, then she was spun around and pinned to a tall, hard male body. This time his mouth came down on hers with single-minded intent. A man staking a claim.

Chloe sighed and allowed her body to relax into his, those strong, solid arms banded around her, chasing away the chill of the cold air on her wet skin.

On a low groan, Heath broke the kiss and gathered her to him, tucking her head into the curve of his shoulder. “If I wasn’t so worried about your core temp and public indecency charges, I’d get on my knees right here and warm you up from the inside with my tongue,” he muttered against the side of her neck.

Chloe shivered, and not just from the cold, totally on board with that plan. In spite of her chilled skin, her insides were raging hot. Arousal raced through her, settling in a relentless ache between her legs as she imagined his lips and tongue stroking her aroused flesh.

The shrill ringing of her phone pierced the quiet. Damn. Only three people had the number, so it must be important. And he was right, they needed to get dressed and warmed up. “Ah, hell. I’d better check that.”

She pulled away and fished her phone from her jacket pocket as she began getting dressed. “It’s Megan. Probably wondering what happened to us.”

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