THE PURE JOY on Emily’s face brightens my mood and creates a surge of pride. I’ve put a ton of hours into this place. I helped Dad hang the rope from the old oak tree, nailed in over half of the shingles on the small cabin and stood waist deep in the water as we sank in the posts for the dock. The property belongs to Cyrus, but it’s a part of me.
Emily walks onto the dock and shields her eyes from the glare of the sun hitting the water. “It’s really pretty.”
“I like it,” I respond. With her back to me, I unfasten the holster holding the gun Eli gave me and hide it in the saddlebag, then join her on the dock.
“What you did for Olivia today...her nails. Thanks for that. She has diminished strength in that side and it’s hard for her...” To accept the repercussions of the stroke that started this nightmare. The ache in my chest steals my breath.
Emily’s gaze flickers in my direction then it jumps to the water. “It was no problem.”
“Did you fix her coffee for her?” Because Olivia is left-handed and doing things with her right side has been challenging.
“Ponds are large holes,” she says. “This is a small lake.”
That’d be a yes, but as Emily suggested before, she won’t lie. My respect for her grows.
Now would be the traditional moment when we strip. Emily does slip off her boots, but remains clothed as she settles on the end of the dock. Fuck it. I peel off my shirt and toss it behind Emily. “You know it’s a million degrees, right?”
Emily looks up at me and her focus wanders down. Crimson races across her cheeks and she immediately redirects her attention to the water. “Um...yeah.”
“Are you coming in?”
I flick the button of my jeans and undo the zipper. My lips twitch when Emily’s head lifts with the sound. Is she also remembering that kiss a few weeks back? Because I am. Standing behind Emily as she sits painfully straight, I reposition a part of myself and then slide off my jeans.
Three steps and I cannonball it in. The rush of cold water is exactly what’s called for and when I kick up from the bottom, I tie my swim trunks. Emerging naked in front of Emily isn’t what either of us need. I surface and shake the water out of my hair.
Emily throws her arm up as the droplets land on her. “Oh my God, you’re half dog.”
I chuckle. “If you only knew the truth. Jump in.”
A bead of sweat rolls down her neck from her hairline. Wearing jeans is required when riding with me and she’s suffering for it. Jeans won’t protect her from everything, but they can help keep her legs safe from burns, road debris or if I screw up and we take a fall.
“What does that mean?” she asks. “About the truth?”
It means she’s not the first girl I’ve kissed. “Nothing. Come in or I’m coming out to throw you in. You’re not going to die of heatstroke on my watch.”
Emily’s legs nervously swing. “This isn’t my swimsuit.”
“So?”
“So...it’s not mine...and...this...shows a lot more...than I’m used to.”
I cough to cover the laugh. Even with the Nashville shopping trip, she’s been rocking Violet’s clothes and there’s a part of me that’s considered writing Violet a thank-you note. Especially for those cut-offs from yesterday. Jesus, Emily’s sweet ass was practically hanging out.
“It’s just us and if you’re scared I’m going to cop a second-base feel, don’t worry. What happened at the Lanesville clubhouse was a onetime deal.”
With a dramatic sigh, Emily sheds her shirt then shimmies out of the jeans to expose the blue bikini. She frees her hair from its bun and it spills like water around her shoulders. My lungs constrict so damn tight I have to force in air.
Emily’s beautiful. Gorgeous. She’s got curves a guy could spend hours worshipping. Swimming was a bad idea. An evil one and I’m wondering what the hell Olivia was thinking. Emily wraps her arms around her bare stomach. She’s uncomfortable and I’m horny as hell.
“I’ll race you,” I suggest quickly.
“Where to?” she asks.
Chevy, Razor and I have swum across the pond easily enough, but it wore our asses out and that’s what I need—to be so damn tired that I tumble into a coma tonight and keep my hands off her body. “If you’re a good enough swimmer then let’s race to the other side.”
Emily’s lips slant up. “I swim in the ocean with my dad. This could be very bad for you.”
Competitive. Gotta say I like it. “I don’t listen to talk. Only action. Jump in and quit running your mouth.”
With her arms stretched over her head, Emily dives in.
Emily
MY MUSCLES MELT into the wood of the warm dock. With my eyes closed, I flip over onto my stomach. Even with the sunscreen and the afternoon shade of the oak tree, odds are I’ll burn. Oz and I have spent too much time here, but swimming and being lazy has been fun.
Won’t lie—I also enjoy having won the race.
A huge breeze slams across the water and little waves lap against the dock. I pop up onto my elbows when the dock gently drifts with the current. Lying a foot from me, Oz opens his eyes. “We should get going. A severe storm is supposed to come through this evening.”
Not a fan of storms, I snag my shirt. “Then let’s go. It’s gotta be, what? Five o’clock?”