Page 40 of Mess With Me
“Sea creature!” she hollered, swiping at it. “Get it off!”
“Relax. It’s just some dead eel grass.”
“Eel!” Her blue eyes widened, her fingers frantic as she tried to untangle it from her hair.
“It’s just a plant.” He swam up closer and carefully extricated the offending grass. “There.” He tossed it away.
She gazed at him, her lips parting.
That was the sign he needed. That look in her eyes. The attraction electric, a force all its own, drawing him in because he knew with absolute certainty it went both ways. He lifted a hand, gently pushing her bangs out of her eyes. And then forced himself to turn away. He’d end up drowning them both the way he wanted her.
“Got to get to shore,” he muttered.
He hauled himself into the canoe, careful to stay low and centered, turned and offered her a hand.
“Won’t I pull you in?” she asked.
“Nope. I’ve got you.”
She placed her hand in his and he pulled her up. She flopped ungracefully into the canoe and stayed low, like she was afraid to tip it again. He guided her over to the bench seat and took the one across from her.
She shivered. “I didn’t even bring a change of clothes.”
“Me either. We’ll dry. I’ll hang up our stuff, get a fire going.”
“Oh, really? And in the meantime we just run around in our birthday suits?”
He smirked.
She jutted out her chin, and he stared at it instead of her lush mouth. God, she was sexy. He wanted her naked so bad he could taste it, though he’d planned on being a gentleman and giving her a hoodie from his Jeep to cover up while their clothes dried.
He lowered his voice to a husky tone. “I’ll warm you up once we get to shore.”
She stared at his mouth, her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips. Kill him now. “Oh,” she said in a breathy voice.
He grabbed the paddles and paddled to shore with powerful strokes.
A few moments later, she crossed her arms, hugging herself. “Damn, I’m seriously cold.”
“I have a towel and a hoodie in the Jeep. You can dry off and wear the hoodie. It’ll probably fit you like a dress.”
She eyed him. “What are you, a park ranger? No. Take me back to my apartment, where I will shower the dead eel germs off me, remoisturize, and redress.”
He grinned. “So now I’m a park ranger?”
She nodded once. “If the brown felt hat with the drawstring chin strap fits.”
He laughed out loud. “Come on, city girl, stay with me on this. Back to your apartment is the wimpy way to go.”
“You take that back, tough guy. I hear an implied weenie in there.”
“The guys’ll be here soon. They’re going to show up to an empty party.”
“Then you stay here while I drive your Jeep back to my apartment and change.”
“With your lead foot?”
She scowled and then her scowl faded as she watched him paddle. She dug the display of strength, he could tell by the flush of pink in her cheeks. She lifted her head, her expression pure desire. “Did you, uh, want me to help paddle?”
