“Breezy.” Just her name. That said it all. There was no way she could beat him.
Her soft laughter teased his senses, made his heart just a little lighter. “You could give me a head start. To the halfway marker.”
“That might be cheating just a little too much.” He knew it wasn’t. “I win, I get to fuck you anyway I want.”
“I win, I get to do the same.”
He lifted an eyebrow.
She tilted her head back, her arm sliding around his neck. The action lifted her breasts, drawing his immediate attention. “Don’t be such a baby.”
Steele bent his head and took her offering. She tasted like heaven. Paradise. Sin and temptation. He indulged himself, kissing her over and over because he needed to. Then he wanted to and then he just lost himself. The moment he lifted his head, she swam away, kicking strong, heading for the other end of the pool. He obliged her by waiting until she was at the halfway mark before he swam after her.
He won of course, because he wasn’t missing out and he wanted to make slow love to her and make her crazy. He loved taking his time and driving her out of her mind. The little hitches in her breathing as well as her moans and soft cries were so perfect. He could listen to them all night. He kept at it until she gave him that pleading demand, his name so breathy it lit up his world. Only then did he allow her release and go with her, so that it roared through him, taking him like a tsunami might.
She looked back at him, hands and knees on the wide lounger, a smile on her face. “Who won?”
“Both of us,” he conceded and rolled her over, wrapping her in a towel when he felt her shiver. “I’m wide awake.”
“Go for a ride, Steele. Get on your bike and go for a ride. You need it.”
“Only if you come with me.” He rubbed her hip, needing to touch her. Needing that connection when his past was still too close.
“Zane.” One word, but there was a hint of regret. She wanted to go.
“Keys and Maestro can watch Zane,” Steele said. “It was your idea. This can be our first ride together.” He brushed a kiss on top of her head. “I need you with me, baby. Come ride with me.”
She glanced up toward the windows above them and then a smile lit her face. “Give me five minutes. I’ll be ready.”
“I’ll need that same five minutes. I’m not riding naked.” He stood up and pulled her up with him.
“I thought you did everything naked and I’d have something to hang on to.” Her laughter was a little wicked as she ran from him.
Steele followed at a more leisurely pace, once more texting Maestro and Keys. He was lucky to have his brothers helping him watch over his family. He was more than lucky to have a son. There was a part of him that he had to fight off, the one that wanted to panic because he was actually going to leave his son with someone else, but it was an opportunity to be different and he had to take it.
Mostly, he felt he had hit the jackpot with Breezy. His woman. She was so laid-back about everything, not accusing of him being too controlling. Listening and trying to understand. Yeah, he was a lucky man and he knew it. He silently vowed to double his efforts to make her happy and see anything and everything that might be upsetting to her. He needed to give her as much as she gave him because he wasn’t fucking up his relationship with her.
TWENTY
“We’ve got a major dilemma we want you to weigh in on, Blythe,” Maestro said, reaching around Breezy to nab a handful of chips. He stuffed several in his mouth.
Ice elbowed him out of the way. Between Ice and Storm, Breezy nearly was smashed into the counter, but Ice gallantly saved her by catching her around the waist and moving her out of the way. “Jackass,” he muttered. “You could have hurt her.”
“Don’t pretend you moved her to save her.” Storm glared at him, managing to scoop more than a handful of chips from the bowl before Blythe snatched it away from them.
“Hey,” Ice protested. “Is that any way to treat a hero? Breezy, tell her how my brother was squishing you into the counter.”