Sink or Swim (Beach Kingdom 3)

Looking pained, but turned on like nobody’s business, he nodded. “Okay.”

There was an exchange of banter at the top of the stairs and footsteps heading in both directions from the bathroom. Jamie, Marcus, Rory, Olive. In a matter of minutes, they’d be piling down the stairs looking for breakfast. Jiya rose on her tip toes and rubbed her lips against Andrew’s ear. “Get the morning off.”

His eyes were hot as they broke apart and took their usual places at the counter. Jiya grating ginger and Andrew taking the lentils out of the pressure cooker where they had been soaking. At one point, he went to his bedroom and came back with a shirt on to cover the situation in his pants, poking her in the ribs when she smirked. “I fucking missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to have you, Jiya.”

“I know.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Going to Jiya’s house was a bad idea.

Her parents were at Spice, meaning they would be alone. His erection still hadn’t subsided, not since hearing the word torture in her breathy, beautiful voice. And he had a pretty good idea that Jiya found his no sex vow ridiculous and was in no way committed to helping him keep it. So he really shouldn’t have asked Jamie to run point at the lifeguard hut that morning. He really shouldn’t have showered and put on aftershave.

But here he was. Standing at her door with a hard cock and his tongue practically hanging out of his mouth. What he wouldn’t give for the freedom to plant one on her the second she opened this door. He’d do it right with Jiya this time around, though. She deserved a man who could keep it in his pants for one afternoon.

Andrew had almost started believing that was possible when she opened the door, still wearing that dress from breakfast. Except she’d made a few not so minor alterations.

He stepped over the threshold. “You lose your bra somewhere?”

“My what?” She patted down the bodice of her dress. “Oh my bra.” She shrugged a sexy shoulder. “I can’t seem to keep track of that slippery thing.”

“God. Don’t say slippery.”

A laugh bubbled out of her. “Is there a list of words I should avoid today?” She numbered them off on her fingers. “Thick. Hard. Dripping…”

“Tight. Wet.” His gaze ticked down to the juncture of her thighs. “Smooth.”

Her cheeks darkened. “We’ve come a long way from dick jokes.”

“Isn’t that the truth?” He tore his lusty attention off her and scanned the entryway and the parts of the house he could see from his position. Eagerness licked at his veins at the chance to do something for her. His favorite pastime was being given a job to complete from this girl. Doing it, pleasing her, making her smile. Hell, if she’d invited him over just to torture him sexually, he’d let her. Whatever she needed. But he hoped like hell she’d make him work. Working for her pleasure fulfilled him in a way nothing else did. “You said you need some things done around the house?”

“Yes.” She hedged. “You’re not hurt anywhere besides your face, are you? No sore muscles or anything?”

“No, sweetheart,” he assured her quietly.

“Oh good,” she breathed, her throat working. “My father wants the stone plantar fixed around the tree in the backyard. It’s kind of lost its structure over the years, with all the rain and snow. Having it organized would make him happy—”

“And that will make you happy. Done.”

Her color deepened. “I was thinking we could stack them up again.”

Anticipation lowered the pitch of his voice. “I’ll stack them up again.”

“I don’t mind helping.”

“I don’t mind that, either, but…” The foyer seemed to lock up around Andrew and Jiya, push them closer together. “Don’t punch me in the face for this, but I’d love you to sit somewhere—where I can see you—while I handle what you need done.”

Her lack of bra gave him an up close view of her nipples turning into little points. “Why do you love doing things for me?”

“Because I love you.” They both look a long breath. “But it’s even more than that. Something you own. In here.” He patted his abdomen. “You asked me to put sunscreen on your beautiful back at the community pool when you were a freshman. I was a sophomore. You remember that? I can still feel that…twist inside me. I wanted doing anything you asked to be my purpose. Even when I’m working hard in the bar or on the beach, it’s for Jiya.”

“I admire you,” she whispered, expression dreamy. “I have pride in you.”

He had to clench his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her.

“The way you put me in charge when we touch gives me courage. I don’t know, I—if it had this particular effect because I flew for the first time soon after, but…”