Busted (Promise Harbor Wedding) - By Sydney Somers Page 0,53

volts into him without blinking.

“Tell me the truth, Hayls.”

She glanced down at the water. “I will. Just put me down first.”

“So that you can bolt?” Or end up shoving him in the lake? “I don’t think so.”

“I won’t run.”

She sounded so convincing that he couldn’t help but play along. “Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

He started to pull her back, then dropped her even lower. “Tell me.”

Her eyes widened. “Jackson. Don’t—”

Chapter Eight

He released her, laughing at the splash she made hitting the water.

Three seconds later she came up sputtering. “Ass.” She swam the couple strokes to reach the dock and held up a hand.

How stupid did he look? Jackson backed up, well out of reach should she try—emphasis on try—to get ahold of him.

She pushed her wet hair back from her face and hoisted herself onto the docks. He might have laughed if his attention hadn’t been snagged by the way her yellow T-shirt was plastered to her chest. The outlines of her nipples were clearly visible through her equally drenched bra.

So help him, that’s all it took and he was hard for her. He didn’t even need to be within touching distance to feel his blood punch through his veins, all the way to his cock.

Jackson spun around and strode for the house. He didn’t stop when she called out his name or when she told him to get his ass back there. He didn’t stop until he reached the porch and yanked the door open.

The short walk didn’t cool him off, not even a little bit. He tried to convince himself to walk straight on through to the kitchen and out the back door. A whole lot less complicated that way.

But he didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay right where he was.

The front door opened and closed behind Hayley, the sound of her bare feet barely noticeable coming down the hall.

“I suppose now you’re ready to call it a night?” She ducked into the half bath next to the stairs and grabbed a towel. Despite the water running down her legs—legs that would look best wrapped around his waist—she focused on wringing out the ends of her hair with the towel.

“You might not want to know the answer to that.”

Something in his voice must have alerted her to what was going through his head. Or maybe it was the undeniable arousal he was sporting, and it wasn’t getting any better with only a see-through T-shirt and skimpy shorts between her and the hands clenched at his side.

“Throwing me into the lake once tonight wasn’t enough for you?”

“That’s the problem. I can’t seem to get enough of anything where you’re concerned.” He paused. “Except maybe the tasing.” Once was plenty.

He crowded her against the wall and took the towel, letting it drop to the floor.

Her voice lowered, like she might not be getting enough air with him pressing up against her. “What about the handcuffs?”

“I’m not ready to rule them out entirely.”

She planted her hands on his chest but didn’t push him away. “I’m going to get you wet.”

“Christ, I hope so.”

Hayley sucked in a breath, the catch in her voice dragging his attention right to her mouth.

Tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, he gave himself a second to absorb the charged current drawing them closer, his mouth a whisper from sweeping across hers. And then he kissed her, slowly. He took his time sinking into the kiss, savoring the faint taste of beer and fresh water on her skin.

Her tongue stroked across his, slick and warm, and he groaned into her mouth. He broke from her lips to explore her throat. She tipped her head, giving him complete access.

Jackson gripped her hips, slipping his fingers beneath the edge of her shirt. Her skin was soft and warm, and he needed to see more of it. Keeping his hands off her until this point had been almost impossible, and he couldn’t stop himself now. He tugged her shirt over her head, letting it drop next to the towel.

Dark nipples showed through the simple white cotton bra she wore. He traced the thin line of lace that decorated the trim. Hayley shivered, her lips parting as if she might say something, but it only made him need to kiss her again, to steal any words that would remind either of them that this was a bad idea in a lot of ways.

He half expected her to find a reason to stop, but he couldn’t bring himself to rush a second