My hands are on his shoulders, and my heart is flying. He’s a strong swimmer, even with me at his side doing my best to swim along, and he continues toward the shore until we reach a place where he can stand. The water is still a little over my head.
He stops to catch his breath, anger burning in his eyes. “Are you okay? That fucking moron. You could’ve been killed.”
I’m directly in front of him with my hands on his shoulders. My body is pressed against his, and he’s holding me securely. I’m intensely aware of his warm skin touching mine. Bare legs against bare legs, his hand on my waist.
Blinking up, I squint into his dark eyes, so full of concern. “Thank you.”
His brow quirks as he studies my face. “Why did you jump out of the boat?”
I drop my chin, trying to think of an excuse. I don’t want to get into what happened with Jerry, especially not while I’m clutched in his arms like this. But we’re too close for me to lie. He’ll see it in my eyes.
“Tell me.” His voice lowers, and when I glance up, his expression has changed.
“I felt kind of seasick, I guess.”
“You guess?”
We’re so close. It’s like that moment in the elevator, intimate. My heart is beating wildly, and I slide my hand over his bare shoulder. It’s broad and strong. His touch is nothing like Jerry’s. It’s sparkling, delicious heat, and I want more of it.
“I feel better now.”
“Good.”
Water laps around us, and I’m very aware he’s still holding me close. His perfect hand is on my lower back, holding me steady…
“Did you just save me?”
The slightest flinch, and I see the struggle in his eyes. The fight against what’s happening between us, this impossible attraction we shouldn’t have. I ought to fight it, but I seem to have lost my will to resist.
“You could’ve been hurt. But you’re pretty good at handling yourself.”
My lips press together as my eyes linger on his mouth. “I don’t think I can handle you.”
I should pull away, but it’s impossible. I move closer, my fingers curling on his shoulders, my chin lifting, straining for him. I blink up to his dark eyes, and it’s a blaze of want and need and barely hidden lust.
“Fuck it,” he groans, meeting me in the middle.
His mouth covers mine, and it instantly turns desperate. My hands move to his neck, holding him closer. I kiss him fast, my lips moving in time with his, grasping and pulling.
His hands move from my back, roughly down to cup my ass. He pulls me hard to him, and my nipples tighten. I want his mouth on them. I lift my legs and wrap them around his waist, and the heat of our skin sliding together burns in my core. God, I want him so much.
His tongue curls with mine in a sensual dance that circulates fire through my bloodstream. I feel his hard cock against my thigh, and a moan escapes my throat. So little stands in the way of us being together. I could slide my bottoms aside and he could push right in… The thought makes my insides clench, and I lift my chin to gasp for air.
“Raquel…” His voice is strained, and his hands go to my waist then to my upper arms, moving me back.
He sounds as devastated as I feel by what just happened.
“Patton, I—”
“We have to get back to land.”
I’m at a place where I can stand, and he takes my hand, leading me to the shallow water. Once we’re close enough to walk onto shore, he lets me go and continues on ahead.
“I’ll get you a towel.”
“Thanks.” My insides are trembly from the intensity of his kiss, from the overwhelming desire he provokes.
I watch him move, allowing my eyes to drink in his bare back, to trace the lines down to his tight ass. I admire the shape of his arms, muscular and tanned, the black ink extending up his right arm to his shoulder.