Page 131 of Hot Knot Summer
“Wait, what? Now?” I sputter as River jumps to his feet with far too much enthusiasm.
“Perfect night for it,” Levi says. “Warm air, secluded spot...”
“Are you guys insane?” I protest as they start hauling me toward the stairs. “You just told me about bears! Literal bears that crashed your party!”
“The fireworks will keep them away,” River assures me, though he’s grinning like a maniac. “They don’t like loud noises.”
“This is madness,” I laugh, but I’m not really fighting as Levi guides me down the stairs with his hands on my waist. “Complete and utter madness.”
“The best kind,” Atlas agrees, already grabbing keys and towels.
Twenty minutes later, we’re at our secret spot by the river, and I’m having serious second thoughts as I watch all three of them strip out of their clothes with zero hesitation or modesty.
“Holy shit,” I breathe. Even after all these weeks together, seeing them naked in the moonlight never gets old. Atlas’s broad shoulders and powerful chest, River’s lean muscle and golden skin, Levi’s tall frame and those abs, they’re like something out of a fantasy.
“Your turn, gorgeous,” River calls from where he’s already waist-deep in the water. “Don’t leave us hanging.”
“The water’s perfect,” Atlas adds, though the way his gaze is devouring me suggests the water temperature is the last thing on his mind.
“Come on,” Levi coaxes, though he hasn’t movedfrom where he’s standing on the shore, clearly content to watch the show.
With a deep breath and a muttered prayer to any deity who might be listening, I reach for the hem of my sundress.
The wolf whistles and appreciative sounds that follow as I strip make my cheeks burn but also send heat shooting straight through me. There’s something incredibly powerful about being looked at the way these three men check me out, as though I’m the most beautiful thing they’ve ever seen.
“Fucking gorgeous,” River groans from the water.
“Perfect,” Atlas agrees, his voice rough with want.
“Get in here,” Levi calls.
The water is shockingly cold against my feet, but I force myself to wade in quickly, knowing that hesitation will only make it worse. The moment I’m deep enough, I dive under completely, letting the cool water envelop me.
When I surface, gasping and laughing, all three of them are surrounding me like sharks who’ve scented blood.
“Better?” Atlas asks, his hands sliding around my waist.
“Much,” I gasp. I’m very aware of how close they all are, how the water makes everything more intimate somehow.
River moves behind me, his chest pressed against my back, while Levi positions himself at my side. I can feel all of them, hard and wanting cocks.
“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” I accuse, though I’m laughing. “Get me naked and defenseless.”
“Defenseless?” River murmurs against my ear, his hands skimming over my sides underwater. “Baby, you’re the most dangerous thing in this river.”
“Definitely,” Levi agrees, his lips finding my shoulder. “You have no idea what you do to us.”
Suddenly, Atlas leans in and kisses me. I melt into him completely. When we break apart, I’m breathless and wanting and completely surrounded by everything I never knew I needed.
“I love my life,” I whisper against Atlas’s lips.
“Our life,” Levi says, and the words sound like a vow.
I find myself glancing up at the stars with a smile I can’t contain. The fireworks are over, but the magic of the night lingers, wrapping around us like a warm blanket.
“Thank you,” I whisper to the night sky. I know my parents and grandmother would be so happy to see me loved, protected, and completely, utterly home.
As they begin kissing me all over, hands exploring my body, I curl against my three Alphas and think about how, sometimes, the best things in life happen when you’re not looking for them.
