Page 52 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
Winding through the trees, Liam’s paddling turned erratic as he pretended to be an amateur on the water. When they emerged from the swamp into open water, he let out a loud, forced laugh to draw Emmett’s attention.
“Hey!” Jamison waved enthusiastically at Emmett, feeling like an absolute moron as she spoke in a country accent. “Excuse me, sir! Can you help us?”
“Nice acting,” Liam whispered. “But give it more of a twang.”
She would not roll her eyes.
Continuing to wave, she gave a toothy grin and hoped to hell the hot pink lipstick wasn’t covering a random tooth here or there. Whatever she looked like, Emmett Watson seemed to like it. Quirking an eyebrow, he meandered down the dock as Liam brought them alongside the structure.
“Off.” Behind her, Liam gave the hem of her shirt a tug. “Quick.”
He could not be serious.
“I’m going to kill you,” she said, slipping the T-shirt over her head. For good measure, she shook her hair back and forth, fanning herself as if it were too hot. “Your days are numbered, William.”
“Hey, can you give us directions?” Liam shifted his tone to sound younger, a trick that never failed to amaze her. “We’re looking for a rainbow swamp.”
“A what now?” Emmett called out as he neared. “Hold up. I can’t hear you.”
Reaching the edge of the dock, Emmett Watson stood above them, and Jamison felt Liam’s toe nudge her thigh, meaning he wanted her to take the lead.
Wonderful.
“Hi! I’m McKenzie, and this is my boyfriend, Rick,” she chirped. “We’re lookin’ for the rainbow swamps I saw online?” She tossed her shoulders in a casual shrug that conveniently jiggled her breasts. “And, like… we’re totally lost.”
Emmett took his time to answer, enjoying the show she was putting on. “Don’t think I’ve ever heard of a rainbow swamp.”
“We read about them before coming down here on vacation,” Liam said, pulling her back into his lap so she was stretched out against his chest. It was a calculated move—one that displayed her torso and bikini top in full glory. Emmett visibly paled, his tongue darting out to swipe the corner of his mouth.
“They’re really pretty,” Jamison purred. “At least in the pictures.”
“She’s been dying to see one,” Liam added. “And what this woman wants, she always gets.”
On cue, Jamison giggled like a moron. While they inflated the kayak, Liam had explained that Emmett was big into porn and loved to watch it all day long.
And the guy was definitely watching now. Playing into the moment, she opened her legs a little while Liam’s hand stroked her stomach, his fingers dipping dangerously low. “Don’t you, baby?”
Jamison let out another sugar-coated giggle. “Always.”
“Mother of God,” Emmett exhaled, his chest rising and falling a little too fast, his eyes locked on the popped top button of her denim shorts. “I might,uh, have some maps in the house. Miss, you can come inside and take a look while your friend waits in this here,uh… floatie thing.”
There was no way in hell she was walking into the Little Shack of Probable Horrors. Judging by the way Emmett was hard-eye-fucking her from ten feet up, Jamison would’ve bet her left ovary that fish weren’t the only thing he filleted in there. The guy had unhinged written all over him in Comic Sans, and her gaze swept the yard, half expecting to spot fresh mounds of dirt from where he buried his victims.
“We’d love to, but we only have a few minutes to explore.” Jamison bit down on her bottom lip. “Our guide boat is parked just around the bend.”
“It won’t take but a minute.” Emmett adjusted himself—right there in her face—and she tried not to gag. “You look like you’ve been cooped up in that little dingy for too long and need a good stretch.”
Calling on every ounce of acting ability she had, Jamison held Emmett’s stare. “Is it just you back here?” she asked, dialing her accent up to an eleven and adding a sultry back arch for good measure. “In this little slice of quiet paradise?”
“Yeah, just me.” Emmett puffed his chest with pride. “Ain’tnobody else out here for miles.”
“You mean you’re the only one with a spot on the water?” She gestured west toward Port Michaelson with an exaggerated flourish. “All the way to that city over yonder? Nobody else has a house and a dock like this?”
“That’s right. Ain’t another dock ‘til the marina in Port Michaelson.”
Jamison batted her lashes like a Disney princess. Simone had taught her years ago that appealing to a man’s ego would get you almost anything. She had called them simple creatures with simple needs, who would roll over and tell you all their secrets, but only if you discovered exactly which part of their self-confidence to stroke.
“Oh, my.” She sat up off Liam’s chest with a breathy gasp. “Secluded waterfront property? I can’tevenimagine. We live in a boring ol’ apartment up in Tennessee. It’s so cold this time of year, and there’s not much to do.”
