Page 55 of Rude Boss 2

“You live in Florida. It’s a rite of passage.”

“I guess it is, but I’m not feeling it today.”

“Okay. I won’t make youthistime. Be right back.”

Fully clothed, he dives and goes under momentarily. Then I see his arms stroking the water while his legs propel him along. Then he heads back over to me and asks, “Are you sure you don’t want to go under with me?”

“Positive.”

“All right. Your loss.” He goes under again.

Meanwhile, I stand here, surrounded by water, thinking how serene this is. I walk further and go deeper until the water is past my waist and up to my breasts. Essex is still swimming like a dolphin just let out of captivity. I gather water in my hands and toss it up over my head so that it rains down on me. I do it again and think about how nature always has a way of calming the soul. Of healing. Standing here, I’m not anxious about anything. It’s just me, the ocean and this man who’s awakened my soul.

He swims back over to me and says, “You’re loosening up. I like it. You’ll be ready to swim with me soon?”

“Aren’t you tired by now? You just swam to the Bahamas and back.”

He smiles as beads of water drop from his curly hair. “No, I’m not tired. Come on. Get on my back.”

“You can’t swim with a hundred and forty pounds on your back.”

“Just get on, girl,” he says, turning around.

Using the water for leverage, I hop on his back and he walks further and further until we sink deeper. When he’s neck deep, he stops, lowers me, then turns around to face me. I hold on with my arms around his neck and say, “I’m not as tall as you. You can’t put me down like that.”

“Who says I was going to?”

I wrap my legs around his torso as I hold on to him.

“Are you comfortable?”

“As comfortable as I can be now that you’ve got me out here.”

I turn around briefly to see how far we’ve drifted from the shore. If I had to guess, we’re about two hundred meters out. Wow. What did I let him talk me into?

I look at him again, my arms still snug around his neck as the water wrestles around us. I look into his eyes. Trace his nose. Marvel at his lips because I know what they’re capable of. I find myself in disbelief that I’m with him and that hewantsto be with me. Of all the women who must be seeking his attention every day, he wants mine. What did I do to become the object of his affection? For the most part, I thought I was an annoyance to him. Judging by the way his eyes are set on me, I know otherwise.

“Tessie.”

“Yes?”

“Kiss me,” he requests, his gaze falling to my mouth.

“No,” I reply softly, then lick my lips.

He smiles – that gorgeous, beautiful smile that makes my heart skip a beat every time he does it…

And I lower my mouth to his, releasing soft moans into the atmosphere, feeling the fire of every powerful stroke of his tongue. His arms constrict around me. The water wrestles continually. The seagulls squawk. And I…

I drown in his kiss. My body goes weak as he takes over, kissing me like he can’t get enough. Like this is the last time he’ll ever kiss me. It’s primal, raw and passionate. As our tongues duel, my stomach quivers, and I feel a pull to my gut when he pulls my lips, then releases them, nipping at them and pulling them some more before leaving a trail of wet kisses on my neck and shoulder. He meets me in the middle, kisses me briefly again. I taste salt on his lips before he moves to the other side of my neck, leaving kisses on my left shoulder this time. The water amplifies my moans but I could scream and no one would hear me out here. It’s just us – lost between clouds, water and passion.

He presses his lips to mine briefly, then pulls away. His lips part, but he doesn’t say anything. He just looks at me. Reading and analyzing me.

Overcome with the pressure of this attraction, I’m thinking it’s a good time to retreat. I say, “Maybe we should head back.”

“Why? You don’t like it out here with me?”

“I do.”

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