Page 52 of Kissing Games
She froze and even her teeth stopped vibrating for a second.
‘I won’t look. I promise. I’ll have one hand under your legs and the other on your back.’
By now, she was so cold she’d do anything to feel some warmth. Her brain was clearly reaching the delusional state of hypothermia as it screamed at herYes! Do it!She moved in front of him and looked up. His eyes were tightly closed as he reached down and lifted her into his arms. The relief of being out of the water was outmatched by the feeling of being held by him. He was so big and strong she didn’t even need to hold around his neck for support. If she died now, it had all been worth it. She tucked her arms into her body and snuggled into his chest.
‘Better now?’
‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Excellent. Now let’s get a little deeper, shall we?’ He strode forward and the ice-cold water lapped at her bottom.
She grabbed around the back of his neck, clinging to him.
‘I promise I won’t drop you,’ he reassured, but she held on even tighter as the water crept up to her stomach.
‘That’s enough!’ she cried, and he stopped. She stared at his upper chest, his neck, his face. He was the most incredible-looking man she’d ever laid eyes on. Suddenly she wasn’t cold at all. All she felt was an overwhelming heat, a need to be closer to him.
‘Valentina.’
‘Mmm?’
‘Skinny-dipping usually involves swimming around. Would you like to try that?’
She held on tighter. ‘No, I’m not moving.’ She hesitated. ‘Do you want to swim?’
He pulled a face. ‘You’re giving me the choice of swimming on my own in a freezing loch or holding a naked you in a freezing loch. Which one doyouthink I’d rather do?’
She smiled. He was so lovely. He hadn’t tried to peek once. She moved closer, blinking next to his cheek, brushing it with a butterfly kiss.
He jerked. ‘Valentina?’
She gently held the sides of his face, the rasp of his stubble under her fingertips. He inhaled sharply. She kissed each closed eyelid, peppered kisses down his cheek, then pressed her lips to his. He groaned. She took that as encouragement and parted her lips, angling her head and kissing him harder. The tip of his tongue darted into her mouth and the second it touched hers, light exploded, electrifying every nerve. She opened further, allowing him in. He pulled her closer, his hot tongue caressing hers as pleasure rushed through her, coalescing in her core. She could feel the strain of his muscles as he tried to hold back. She wanted to take in everything he had to give.
Suddenly, she felt something in the water. They were not alone.
She pulled away from him and screamed, climbing up his body to get away.
His eyes snapped open. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’
‘Close your eyes!’
He closed them. ‘What’s going on? Are you okay?’
‘There’s something in the water!’ she yelled as she panicked. ‘It touched my bottom!’ By now she’d pushed herself over his shoulder, her legs kicking out of his grip. ‘Oh my god! It’s still there! Charlie! I stood on it!’
She lifted her legs up behind her so she was now completely out of the water, balancing across his shoulder. She was shaking with fright and veering into tears.
‘Oh my god, Charlie, you have to get us out of here!’
He was shaking beneath her. Had he been bitten? Hurt?
‘Charlie? Are you okay?’
He gulped in a breath, then guffaws of laughter fell out.
‘What is it?’
He continued to laugh uncontrollably.
