Page 67 of Swept for Forever
An ex-lawyer making that face? Please. I was just about to give him my otter-style bite-back when he lunged, caught me by the waist, and yanked me under.
My shriek was lost in the splash as I hit the water.
When I surfaced, Dom was right there, his arms bracketing me in the river, his chest brushing mine. And suddenly, the playful edge between us took a turn.
There was something in his eyes. He had me, and he knew it. But even with that power, he didn’t seem sure he’d get to keep what he’d barely begun to hold.
It floored me.
He looked like a man with the whole universe within reach. Yet, he already believed I would slip away.
His hand pressed lightly to my back, barely there, just enough to keep us from being pulled apart. But it scorched straight through the fabric of my tank top.
The water rippled around us as we emerged. Droplets clung to his hair, and his wet fringe covered half of his face. Vulnerability had no business being that beautiful.
Then his gaze dropped to my mouth.
And just like that, I forgot about paint colors, bets, and who had won.
17
DOM
She was still catching her breath when I closed the last inch between us.
Water lapped at our shoulders, a current swirling around us, but all I felt was her—small in my hands and warm despite the cool river.
I slid a hand up her spine just to feel the way she responded to me.
Autumn had no idea how well I knew her by now. The way her pulse fluttered when I got close, the way her breath hitched just before my lips brushed hers, and the way her fingers curled like she wanted to grab hold of me but wasn’t sure if she should.
She was still figuring herself out around me.
I had her figured out already, and I simply wanted her closer.
Her breasts, visible beneath her soaked singlet, pressed against my chest. I gulped just from the contact, my head buzzing with wants. My gaze traced the line of muscle that told me she was a swimmer. Her beauty was rare and young, and never meant for someone like me to hold.
I caught the edge of her jaw with my thumb, tilting her chin just enough to meet my gaze.
Her eyes, hell, those eyes…she wasn’t used to feeling this much.
Neither was I.
“So, no one’s waiting for you back in Cheyenne?” I asked, nudging her nose with mine. “A college swimmer with shoulders like boulders? Traps you could use for storage?”
“And you don’t qualify?” Otter snorted, then slid her hand up and pressed her fingers into the exact muscle I’d mentioned. The pressure was light, but it traveled deeper than it should’ve. Meanwhile, she appraised me closely. “Hmm.”
“Great,” I said. “So now my traps are officially objectified.”
“They earned it,” she whispered. “Hero tax.”
The river lapped between us. I dipped my head, brushing my mouth along her jaw. “Seriously, though. He must be young, full of promise.”
She snorted. “On that matter, I must say, you’re not qualified.”
“Ouch.” I guided her hand to my chest. “That’s my pride, right there.”
She looped her arms around my neck, pressing close until her body floated into mine. “If I did have someone,” she said, her breath catching on my ear, “he’d be close to a seal, right?”
