I gripped the handle tight and picked up my feet. Before I could take another breath, the rope went taut and I was flying down the zip line, the wind whipping my hair back. I went so fast, it felt like flying. The ground fell away beneath me as the beach sloped down, and I screamed—both in fear and exhilaration.
The water sparkled below me, and I heard Jameson yell, “Now!” And I let go.
Mostly by instinct, I straightened my legs, pointed my toes, and held my arms tight against my sides. I sliced through the warm water, taking a quick breath before my head went under.
I kicked up until my face broke the surface, coming up laughing. I raised my arms, like a gymnast who’d just stuck her landing, and the girls all held up both their hands, giving me three perfect tens.
Jameson swam out to meet me. He pulled me close and I wrapped my arms around his neck. My body pressed against his—nothing between us except my little pink and blue bikini.
We kissed like crazy in that bathwater-warm lake. Kissed like no one was watching, until Gibson yelled at us to get out of the way so someone else could have a turn.
Jameson just laughed and told his brother to shut his face.
After we swam back to shore, we laid out on our beach towels to dry off. My hair was tangled, the bit of makeup I’d been wearing had washed off, and the sun was probably giving me the smattering of freckles I’d always hated across my nose and cheeks.
But no one was going to complain that my photos would need retouching because of my freckles. Or care that there was sand in my messy hair. There was just Jameson, lying next to me, his blue eyes taking me in like I was the best thing he’d ever seen.
We ate lunch and drank a few beers and lay in the sun. Got back in the water when we needed to cool off. There was more zip lining, and the guys wound up playing a game of king of the mountain on the rusty reef that had the rest of us laughing until our stomachs hurt.
By the time the sun started to go down, I was warm, tired, and about the happiest I’d ever been in my entire life.
21
JAMESON
L eah Mae smiled at me from the passenger’s seat of my truck. It was a tired, lazy smile—drenched in sunshine and lake water. Her shirt draped off her shoulder, showing the thin strap of her bikini, and her insanely long legs were crossed at the ankles. I couldn’t stop looking at her, taking in her sun-kissed skin, her full lips. I wanted to nibble on that soft spot where her neck and shoulder met. Feel her nipples harden against my palms.
We’d spent the day half-naked and wet, and I’d enjoyed every minute. My biggest struggle had been hiding my constant hard-on when my sister was looking.
Not that Scarlett hid anything from her brothers. We had to deal with her making out with Devlin in front of us. The guy was damn lucky we liked him. Of course, that didn’t stop us from chucking him off the rusty reef a few times for good measure. King of the mountain wasn’t just a game. It was a reminder.
I parked in front of Leah Mae’s cabin and got out to walk her to the door. We paused on the porch.
“I had so much fun today,” she said, those beautiful green eyes sparkling at me.
“So did I.”
Although I wasn’t always good at making the first move, there was so much pent up energy inside me, I couldn’t help myself. I slipped a hand around her waist and drew her tight against me—didn’t bother to shift so she wouldn’t feel my erection. I let it press up against her, solid and wanting.
A breathy moan escaped her lips as I kissed her. She turned the doorknob and opened it, dragging me inside with her. If that wasn’t an invitation, I didn’t know what was.
I kicked the door shut and pushed her up against it, my mouth capturing hers. Her hands slid up my chest, around my neck, and into my hair. I kissed her differently this time—like this was just an appetizer. Like neither of us meant for tonight to stop at kissing. I sucked on her lower lip and licked into her mouth—wet and a little sloppy. But I’d been wanting this all damn day.
Kissing down her neck, I found the hollow at the base of her throat. I lapped my tongue against her sweet skin while she tilted her head to the side and moaned. My hand slid beneath her shirt, seeking more skin, more contact.