Page 89 of Just One Season
“Stay close to me. Like a couple would do.”
“Like this?” I say, my gaze locked with his. “Because we’re pretty close.”
He nods.
“Okay,” I breathe out. “What else?”
“Couples touch each other.” Kellen takes my hands—hanging uselessly by my side—and pulls them to his chest. “Like this.” He slides his hands to my waist. “And this.”
The feel of his bare skin under my hands is so unlike the brief brushes as I buttoned his shirt at the photo shoot. Our bodies almost touch from the waist down, and I move an imperceptible bit forward to get him to be flush against me. He intakes a sharp breath, and that reminds me to breathe. All the blood rushes between my legs and the heat from the steamy pool is melting me.
“Is she watching us?” Kellen asks.
“Who?” As soon as I say it, I realize. “Oh, right, Savannah.” I glance over Kellen’s shoulder, and he moves his hands a few inches along my skin toward my back. “Yes. She’s watching. Sort of.”
Across the pool, Savannah glances our way and raises her eyebrows, but she goes back to chatting with Lachlan and the women from the hotel, who are sitting on the side with their legs dangling like I was a minute ago.
“Good.”
Atticus jumps out of the pool and helps one of the women stand. I hear him suggest his superior pool to her. My brother makes eye contact with me and shakes his head in disgust, then stifles a fake gag. I huff a laugh as he disappears down the pathway with the woman. The other one hops to her feet.
“They’re getting out. Atticus is gone, thank god.”
Kellen slides his hands fully around to my back, slowly moving them up until his fingers sweep the bottom of my bikini top. I suck in a breath and hold it. His fingers feel like rods of fire against my skin.
“I hope I’m not making you uncomfortable.” Kellen’s hands move back down to the top hem of my bikini bottom. I wish he’d push all his weight against me.
“No, of course not,” I squeak. I try to contain a moan and don’t look at him, keeping my eyes on the departing group. “Savannah is now out of the pool.” There are still two hockeyplayers in the water, Lachlan stands at the edge, and the remaining hotel woman lingers by the pathway.
“Oy, on to Atter’s.” Lachlan stops on the path and waits for the last guys to exit the water and walk ahead of him. He stands patiently while Savannah casts a last glance at us. She literally shrugs and turns to Lachlan, linking her arm in his and laughing about something as they walk away.
And then they’re all gone, their voices fading to nothing.
Kellen moves a step back from me, breaking contact.
My eyes dart to his.
“Was that too much?” His brow is furrowed. I’m almost cold in the hot pool without him touching me.
He was acting. Of course he was.My stomach drops.
“No.” What’s my move here? He’s ready to walk away. I rejected him last night. He doesn’t know about my conversation with Raleigh. He doesn’t know that I want to do this with him. My hands—no longer on his chest—shake at my sides. Do I have the nerve to make it happen?
Kellen looks over his shoulder, and I just know he’s about to walk away.
So I reach out my hands and pull him to me by his waist. He looks back at me with sharp surprise etched in his raised eyebrows and lets me close the gap between us, but doesn’t touch me. His hands clench and unclench at his sides.
“Last night…” I start.
“It’s okay. It was too much.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I want this to happen.”
Kellen blinks at me, then moves a hand to the side of my neck, moving it up until he’s cupping my jaw. I lean into him with my eyes shut.
“Lucy. Look at me.”
Our eyes meet, and it’s fire. I’m not going to hold back with this man right now. I deserve this. I need this.
