Page 34 of Hothead

“I promise.” It was his turn to capture her mouth now. He needed one more kiss before he began practicing the art of conversation.

***

Luke’s gaze went backto Bella. This was not how he usually spent his days off. Or any day really.

When Bella had said she wanted to go back to the creek that ran through the Evans ranch, he’d obliged. Mostly because they needed to get out of the house. There were too many surfaces tempting him. Not to mention, going out meant she had to put on actual clothes. Something else that had been threatening his self-control.

The only thing keeping his resolve was his determination to prove to her that he wasn’t a complete and utter dickhead. The look on her face when she asked him not to treat her like a hook-up was still burning a hole in his heart.

“You ready?” Bella asked as she bent to slide off her shoes.

“For what?”

“To take a dip?” She shot him a look insinuating his stupidity.

She’d lost her mind. He was in jeans. And she was still wearing last night’s little black dress.

“No, clearly, I’m not. I didn’t exactly bring my swimming trunks.” He gestured down to his outfit as if to make his point.

She was laughing now. At him. “Wow, who knew you were such a square, Luke Cappelli?”

“Asquare?Seriously? What decade are you living in, sweetheart?”

Her giggles dissolved, and he was left with the sight of her blazing smile. He’d like to say, he kept his eyes on her face. But that would be a lie. Especially when she began pulling up her dress.

Sweet Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

Black panties filled his vision. Immediately redirecting his blood flow. As the material lifted, he was treated to more smooth skin and that familiar rose tattoo. He was staring. Gawking really. And he knew it. But that didn’t mean he could stop himself. A matching black bra was the next thing to make him throb.

God-fucking-damnit. How am I supposed to control myself now?

She knew what she was doing to him, that was made clear as her dress was cast aside, and his gaze finally drifted back up to playful eyes.

“You coming?” She smirked.

Evidently.

He didn’t answer. His mouth felt too dry. His silence was just met with a shrug as she gave him her back and walked toward the creek. That was about the time he had to stifle a groan. There was no back to her panties. She was wearing a freaking thong.

The universe was playing a joke on him. What the hell was he supposed to do now? Make small talk with a raging hard-on? Was that even possible?

“Fuck it.” His shirt came off and hit the grass.

If you can’t beat them, join them.

Next, his hands went to his buckle. Once he’d unzipped his jeans, they were unceremoniously pulled down. There was no hiding the bulge in his boxers, but that didn’t matter, because he was a grown-ass man. And it’s not like she wasn’t aware of the effect she had on him.

“You pitching a tent in there, Cappelli?” she joked as her head bobbed above the water.

Why he was smiling, he didn’t know, but he was. And it only grew bigger as he caught Bella’s eyes roam over his chest while licking her lips.

“Trying to, angel. I could do with a hand though ... if you’re interested?” He sauntered toward her, cool water splashing against his bare feet.

“That line normally work?”

He wasn’t going to tell her that he didn’t usually need lines. That would only make him look more like an asshole. And that was the exact opposite of what he was trying to do.

“You tell me, sweetheart, it’s my first time using it.” That earned him a scoff.

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