Page 10 of Lake Hollow Curses

Grady looks at her, tapping his knee his voice sarcastic, “So… what are younothiding then?”

In true Remi form, she bites her lower lip, sways my way ditching her underwear as her steps bring her inches from me. “It’s hot in here, dontcha think? You need to lose some clothing.” Maybe she’s able to sidetrack Grady, Charlie, or Cal this way, but she needs to learn that I’ve got more self-control than all three of them put together.

“Nice try. Now that I know you’re keeping secrets, I’m more interested inthat.” Backing away from her to lean on the kitchen counter, I almost miss the disappointed look pass over her face. “Just tell me, you’ll feel better.” Her anxiety over Cal asking about her was palpable. The thing is, Remington James may beeven more stubborn than me, I don’t hold out much hope that she’ll give in.

“Right.” She looks over her shoulder at Grady who has sat forward watching where things go between us. “It has to be eighty degrees in here…” She tugs lightly at the leg of my shorts. “You’ll feel better…,” she says in a sing-song voice. “We’ll make you feel so much better.”

Grady can’t stay away, joining us in the kitchen, he grabs Remi’s shirt handing it to her. “There’s a boat a few feet from the shore, they have a clear view into the cabin through the picture window.”

She takes the shirt, tying the front up. “I thought I’d heard a boat motor. Hardly anyone fishes near The Bends. That’s weird, right? The guy that cuts the grass around here said the fishing is the best on the north end near the bend in the channel.” The rumors keep the locals from this area of the lake, a lot of the tourists keep near the south end where they stay, but the darker, weedy waters near The Bends are home to the trophy fish.

“Occasionally, someone comes along, like that guy we saw pull up that big thirty-inch Northern Pike.”

She hums to herself, eyes closed while she leans back into Grady’s chest. Her voice is relaxed and hushed sounding, “It’s so peaceful around here, I like the fact we don’t have to listen to motors all the time.” He kisses her shoulder, making eye contact with me.

Every cell of my body wants to reach out for them, but I’ll take my control where I can exercise it. When he moves around her, grazing his side across the front of me, my dick strains inside my shorts. The fucker is trying to provoke me. I’m not playing into this. “Yeah, not a lot of people fishing in row boats.” My laugh is halfhearted.

Row boats. Why is it that making my mind grasp for something… something I should remember.

Not a boat with a motor… a rowboat.

Fuck me. Goddamnit, why didn’t I remember this when Hemminger asked about Susanna Ross?

Looks like I need to reach out to the detective. The boat that was seen in front of The Bends was a rowboat from what I’d been told. At the time it didn’t even dawn on me how strange that was, I hadn’t been here when it happened. Whoever told me about it, said specifically that it was a rowboat. The thing about a rowboat is that you wouldn’t accidentally strike someone in the water and do much damage. In a boat with a motor of any kind you certainly can. If a rowboat was seen here, no struggle in the water was heard… a sensation grabs hold tightly. I know I’m on the right track because that dread and creeping darkness seeps in.

Could she have been killed elsewhere and dumped here… could the others have been? By someone using a rowboat to deposit them in front of The Bends.

Chapter Seven

Remington James

The urge to chase after Wilder, is only beat by the fact Grady’s hands know just where to touch me. “He’s only acting like he has a secret now, because of me… right?” If I could guarantee that they wouldn’t go after Cal or Charlie, I’d tell them. Would I blame them for their increased suspicion? Not at all. The distance I’ve put between us is making me analyze everything. Possibly finding fault with little things that mean nothing. Charlie is being his understanding self, thinking my problems with Uncle Skip have me upset. Cal is acting slightly frantic. Which one is being disingenuous? In my very soul I want to believe neither of them are.

Pulling Grady behind me, the mugginess of the cabin is causing sweat to bead on my upper lip, a swipe of my tongue over the salty spritz is taken by him as teasing. So be it. “Go for a swim with me?” Not once have I seen him go near the lake, much like Cal and Charlie he seems to pretend like it doesn’t exist.Wilder has no problem being on his dock, or for that matter, tossing things that don’t belong to him into the lake.

He slows behind me bringing us to a stop. “Ehh, Rem…”

These superstitious hang-ups have to be overcome. What does he think will happen to him taking a dip in the lake in broad daylight with me by his side? “I’ll protect you.”

His smile cocks to the side. “Protect me, huh?”

Without warning he scoops me up taking long strides towards the dock in front of his cabin. Not slowing as he picks up speed until we sail off the end of the dock into the sun glistening ripples of the lake. The cool water feels refreshing as we’re submerged. His strong arms tug me back towards the surface, where coughing, we drag the hair out of our faces.

On tippy toes, I hold my head above the water, a laugh bubbling out of me. “I think we scared the person fishing away.” The boat moves further north past a cluster of rocks sticking out of a weedy section of lake, moving out of sight the putter of his motor grows distant.

Grady’s smile lights my insides up. “If that didn’t do it, this would’ve.” Encircling my waist, he pulls me tight, lavishing a kiss on me that steals my breath away.

Moving a couple feet closer to the shore where I can stand flat footed, Grady still holding me tight, we’re submerged to midchest level. He goes in for another kiss, his breath labored. “There is absolutely no one else that could’ve compelled me to get in this lake again.” I run my hand down his jaw, staring into his brilliant blue eyes. My thumb toying with his lower lip, I lean in to gently kiss it.

“I dare you to make love to me right here… right now. In the big, bad, scary lake.” We’re essentially out in the open, but the cabins that are currently rented are quiet. He’s been stringing me along since I came to his cabin. We’d make out until I waswrithing, then he’d get occupied writing his music. I’m taking this chance; I need this release.

I need my songbird.

I slide a hand into his underwear, instead of stopping me, he does the same, cupping my ass. The action causes me to grind against him. Fevered words pass between us that melt into mere noises. Wrapping my legs around his waist, my pussy rubs the length of him. “Mmmm, I need to feel you inside me. Don’t keep making me wait.” We don’t have protection, but I don’t want to go get any. Could be a bad call, but I’m too worked up.

Our kisses don’t break, as I tug down his underwear freeing his dick. Working him inside me, gasping against his mouth, our movements small and jerky. “Oh... oh, tha-that’s it… that’s it…,” my voice is higher pitched as I cling to him.

He whispers in my ear, “Remi, I’m drowning in you. Completely drowning.”

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