Page 16 of Never Gonna Lie
“You okay there, pretty boy?” I purr, sitting up and leaning my arm against the chair, cleavage on full display. “You look a little… flushed.”
A growl sounds deep in James’s chest, and I know I’ve hit my mark. Maybe Icando this?
A muscle works in his jaw as he rubs a hand across his face before raking it through his hair. “Raven.” He drags my name out in warning, yet his pupils are blown wide. He sits up as he continues to watch me, lust swirling in his eyes.
I smirk. “I’m going for a swim.” Pushing myself up, I start walking away, swinging my hips before calling over my shoulder, “Coming?”
Fuck, fuck! What am I doing? Of course, he’s not going to follow me. I’m so stupid. There’s no way he’d foll?—
James runs past me, throwing his T-shirt at me, and dives into the water in just his shorts.
My mouth gapes open, his shirt scrunched up in my hands, as my brain short-circuits from the scene in front of me.
Huh.
I watch as James’s head pops out from beneath the blue water. He pushes the hair back off his face, and I stand there with my mouth still wide open.
“I’d close that mouth of yours, pretty girl, before I put something in it.”
I slam my jaw shut, not because I don’t like the idea of it, but because I’m now wondering if I’m in way over my head and this little game I’m trying to play is going to get me burnt… badly.
James wades toward me in the water, coming to lean on the side of the pool. “You coming in or what?” He raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Itwasyour idea.”
Fuck!
Nodding my head, suddenly feeling extremely shy, I throw his T-shirt onto the deckchair behind me and walk to the steps, gently easing myself in. My gaze never leaves his once, though, too busy caught up in his captivating eyes.
I glide around the water, enjoying the feel of being submerged. I’ve always loved the water, spending way too much time as a kid in baths pretending I was Ariel fromTheLittle Mermaid.
Maybe that’s why I have such an obsession with James? He reminds me of Prince Eric.
Suddenly, a hand wraps around my foot, and I go under. My arms start flailing around before my head rises from the water. I laugh through the coughing and spluttering. “Ooooh, you’re in for it now, Smith,” I tease, swimming toward him.
James grins. “I’d like to see you try, pretty girl.”
I splash water at his face, and while he’s distracted, I jump onto his back, dunking his head under the water. I try not to think of how hot his body feels against mine as I wrap my legs tighter. Strong hands grab my waist and haul me round to his front, bringing me under the waterwith him. My legs and arms automatically wrap around his hard body as we push to the surface, laughing.
Wiping the water from my eyes, I place my hands around his neck. The blues of his eyes are brighter as the water reflects off them, drowning me in them. Every part of my body hums at the closeness of him. His intoxicating leather and smoke smell makes me want to bottle it up to use as my own fragrance.
James wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me closer, my breasts squished against his chest as he treads water. We’re both smiling and breathing heavily. He brings a hand up to brush a hair from my face. “Ra?—”
“Raven. James,” I hear called. My eyes go wide, and I let go of James, falling into the water and swimming away as fast as I can.
“We’re by the pool,” James hollers back, more composed than I am.
Getting out of the water, I grab my towel, wrapping it around me. My heart’s pounding as I realizemy dad could've caught us. But… fuck, he also just ruined what could have been an epic encounter. I groan inwardly at his bad timing and curse the universe for taking the opportunity away from me.
Dad strolls round the corner, none the wiser that his best friend and business partner was, not two minutes ago, getting up, close and personal with his daughter.
“There you two are,” he chuckles. “You’ve been gone nearly an hour, James. I thought something had happened to you when you didn’t come back.” Dad stops by the side of the pool, looking down at him.
James clears his throat. “Yeah, I got hot while making something to eat, so I thought I’d go for a swim. Raven was just keeping me company.”
Dad shakes his head as he laughs. “Leave me with all the work while you play, why don’t you?”
“Drew, you know I’m the face of the company, while you’re the brains. You don’t need me,” James chuckles, still making no move to leave the pool.
One thing I’ve always loved about my dad and James is their relationship. They have such an easy-going friendship; they never argue and usually agree on most things. That’s why my heart begins to ache in my chest. I can’t do this to him. If something were to happen with me and James, my dad would never forgive either of us. I was stupid for even trying to get James to look at me.
