I nod, stroking her arm gently. “You set the pace, Maddie. Talk to us. You’re in control. We just want you to feel good. We want you to be comfortable.”
“I like that.”
I like you.
“I like that too,” I whisper.
Her eyes drift to my mouth before she looks away. “The weather is pretty fantastic today.”
She’s changing the topic. Maybe she needs a bit more time to think everything through. “That it is.”
“Wanna go for a night swim?” she asks.
I huff a laugh. “Right now?”
She grins, already pulling off her tank top. “Come on, Ash. You afraid of getting wet?”
No. I’m not afraid of getting wet.
I grab the hem of my shirt and yank it over my head.
Madeline takes off running into the waves, laughter spilling from her lips, her hair flying behind her. She glances back over her shoulder, eyes flashing with challenge.
Then she drops her shorts.
And my brain just—short-circuits.
The firelight barely touched her, but the moon? The moon lays her bare. Smooth skin, curves that make my mouth dry, that deep dip of her waist leading to hips I alreadyknowwould fit perfectly in my hands.
And that bikini—fuck. It’s red, barely there, tied at her hips with thin strings, the top holding her full, perfect tits like an invitation.
I roll my shoulders, pushing away the urge to cross the distance between us and ruin her in the sand. There’s time for that.Plentyof time.
I follow, slower, watching the way the water licks up her thighs as she wades deeper. When I finally reach her, she splashes me, laughing when I grunt.
“Oh, it’s like that?” I lunge.
She shrieks as I grab her waist, hauling her against me. The water swirls around us, her body pressed against my chest,warm despite the chill of the waves. She looks up, lips parted, and I want to kiss heragain.
We swim under the moon, laughing like we aren’t two people tangled in something inevitable. The beach fades behind us, the bonfire shrinking to a distant glow, until we finally stop, breathing hard, floating on our backs.
Madeline tilts her head, watching the dunes in the distance. “Did you know sand dunes can sing?”
I chuckle. “That so?”
She nods, pushing wet hair from her face. “Yeah. They make this low, vibrating sound when the wind shifts the sand just right.”
I laugh. “You always drop fun facts in the middle of the ocean?”
She grins. “Only for guys who kiss me unexpectedly.”
I watch her for a moment, then tilt my head toward the shore. “I know a dune you might like.”
She raises a brow. “Oh?”
“Come on.”
We swim back, waves rolling around us, the heat between us building with every stolen glance, every brush of skin.