The water is freezing, making me yelp as it hits my warm skin. He never lets go of my hand and pulls me to the surface.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Holy crap, it’s cold.”
“Hasn’t warmed up for the summer yet.”
He reaches for me but I swim out of his arms, heading back to the boat. There’s a small aluminum ladder and I reach for it, hoisting myself up. I’m halfway out when I feel hands on my feet and I shout again, constantly spooked by the water. I glance back and see Nick’s adorable face. “Not funny, dude.”
“I couldn’t resist.”
I get out and he follows and we both stand in the middle of the boat, dripping wet. The water glides down his hard chest and sculpted abs toward the line of dark fuzzy hair below his belly button.
“Aren’t you cold?” I shiver and run my hands down my arms. He pulls a towel out of a compartment and closes the small distance between us.
“I’m warm-natured.” He opens the towel and wraps it over my shoulders while pressing his body against mine. “Especially when I’m around you.”
Slowly, he dries me off, taking time with every inch of my body. I’m definitely warmer when he finishes. He wraps a second towel around his waist and pulls me into his lap. I settle into him and let the sun warm my legs.
“Let me see your phone,” he says. I take it from my bag and pass it back.
He opens the camera and holds out his arm and flips the screen to selfie mode. “Oh my god,” I say
, holding up my hand. “I look like a drowned rat.”
“You look gorgeous,” he says, using his other hand to contain my arms. I’m pressed against his chest, squirming to get away while he laughs and kisses my neck. “Summer, it’s just a picture.”
“I know,” I say trying to settle down and push past the anxiety. A photo tying us together makes this real—us real. “I guess I’m still not used to this. The whole time I was with Mason it was such a secret, and then even with you guys…it’s hard to explain, ‘I’ve got four boyfriends,’ to people. Having concrete evidence feels weird.”
“I can understand that,” he says. “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t tell my teammates or friends about you at school. Not specifically. I think they all thought I had some online catfish situation going on.”
“What? That’s crazy?”
“We texted and called and I had a few photos, but not much. They wanted to see you.”
“I came to your game, but I know that wasn’t enough.”
“It was. Shit, I was so busy at school I didn’t have time for a girlfriend. Just knowing you were out there meant a lot.” He kisses my jaw. “It may feel like a secret, but really it’s none of their damn business.”
He nuzzles my neck and I relax into him, overwhelmed by the butterflies in my stomach. With my guard dropped he snaps a picture, and I grab the camera to look at it. He caught me in a moment where there’s no panic, just a small smile at him being so close.
“Not bad, right?” he asks.
“How do you do that?”
“Practice.” He shrugs. “I may not be a genius like Pete or a businessman like Justin, but I’m patient and don’t mind taking the time to get something right.”
It’s a stunning statement and proves why he’s good at the things he does. Football, photography, and everything else. Nick was the one that talked me into coming back here and giving the guys a chance.
“They say patience is a virtue.”
His eyes flick to my lips and the boat rocks on the waves of the waterway. He kisses me long and sweet before asking, “Can you be patient while I take these photos?”
I nod. “And if I am?”
“I’ll make it worth your while.”
The promise sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine, but I have no problem waiting on him. I love watching him work, listening to him explain what he’s doing. An idea bubbles in my mind for me to tell Anita.