Gone with the Wolf - By Kristin Miller Page 0,51
Washington, and peered into the dark water.
“It proves that you’re a man of your word. You lost that game fair and square.”
Kneeling on the slated wood, Drake untied his shoes, slipped them off, then pushed them aside. “You could’ve mentioned that you were a ringer.”
Emelia laughed. “You could’ve asked.”
“I think you cheated.” Moving as slow as molasses, Drake took off his coat, folded it, and draped it over his shoes. “Nobody gets three bull’s-eyes from their first three shots.”
“Nobody but a woman who has played in dart tournaments since she was sixteen.” Emelia looked back down the long stretch of pier to where Drake’s mansion perched on the raised bank, its warm lights beckoning them in from the cold. His home looked different than it did the night of the Halloween party. It looked warm. Homey and inviting. She wished she’d grabbed a blanket before heading down to the lake. Her raincoat and jeans did little to block the wind. “Come on, fishy-fishy, get swimming. It’s freezing out here.”
“My coat’s right there. If you’re cold, put it on.” He stripped out of his shirt, robbing the breath from Emelia’s lungs. The bright light of the nearly full moon gave Drake’s chiseled body a glow that rivaled bronze statues. His muscles twitched and flexed as he unzipped his pants and yanked them down, then stepped out of them. “This is madness. I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“It’ll be over before you know it.” Emelia brushed her hands over her arms and jumped up and down for warmth. “You can’t think, you’ve just gotta jump.”
Thunder rumbled overhead as drizzles of rain seeped from the night sky.
“Oh, sure, add some rain to the mix.” Drake stepped out of his underwear and chucked them onto his pile of clothes, then stood at the end of the pier, hesitating. “You and Mother Nature must be in cahoots.”
Emelia would’ve laughed at how big of a chicken Drake was being, but she couldn’t clamp her mouth shut. His shoulders were wet, dripping with rain. Shadows played over his body, accenting the hard lines of his back, his rear. He was the most gorgeous guy she’d ever seen, a man who radiated power and dominance…yet he was scared of a little rain and a lot of water. He curled his toes over the edge of the pier and peered into the lake.
“Go,” she whispered, losing her voice. Oh, how she wanted to sneak up behind him and rub her hands over the slick, pulsing muscles on his back. Okay, okay, so she wanted to shove him in. “Go!”
As lightning split the sky, Drake blew out a few quick breaths of air and jumped. He landed in the water with a giant splash and disappeared into the lake’s murk.
Surprised he actually did it, Emelia ran to the edge. Drake popped out of the water like a rocket, his eyes as wide and bright as silver dollars. “It’s fucking cold!”
“It’s November! Of course it’s cold!”
“Ah shit, it’s cold, it’s cold, it’s fucking cold!” He swam frantically for the ladder, his arms and legs flailing like he couldn’t gain control of them.
She’d never seen his wall of composure crumble like this. It tickled Emelia down to her toes. She laughed, then felt bad, and met him at the ladder.
“Here, give me a hand,” Drake said, stopping at the bottom. “Some of these steps are broken.”
“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” She teased, extending her hand.
Drake snatched her arm and yanked her into the water behind him, then toppled over with her. Emelia screamed as the water cocooned around her, sucking the air from her lungs. The frigid water burned on contact, prickling her skin with thousands of needles. Drake’s legs tangled in hers, his arms lifted her up, and moments later they both emerged from the water gasping for air.
“You sucker!” she screamed, splashing Drake. “The water’s freezing!”
He laughed. Really laughed. Then splashed her back.
Every muscle in Emelia’s body went numb as something in her middle came to life. She buzzed with excitement and her heart swelled as she cowered from Drake’s splashing assault. She swam away and kicked hard, drenching him with the force of her flapping feet. For the first time, Drake wasn’t a shrewd businessman, her boss, or even a werewolf. She wasn’t a bartender, or a secretary. Drake was her equal. A man who made her feel like no other could. Emelia was freezing, her extremities going numb, her mind screaming at her to get out