do. “My loved ones.” I swiped at her tears escaping her eyes. “Don’t be afraid … I’m here. And I’ll make sure everything is okay.”
Our eyes locked, and something passed between us. I didn’t know when she’d decided to trust me. All I knew was that she did because a moment later, her arms went around my neck in a tight vise, her soft body crushing against my hard one.
I held her in the silence, knowing I’d never let anything happen to her. I made that promise to her tonight, but I also made a promise to myself. I couldn’t help what had happened to Nat, though I’d blamed myself for years. In the end, there was nothing I could do.
With Becky, I would use all my resources to keep her safe. This I was capable of.
I eventually adjusted us, laying her head on my chest, brushing my fingers through her damp hair.
“Thank you for telling me.”
I knew how much she had given of herself tonight, and she had to know she was in safe hands.
Her fingers made tiny circles on my chest. “I wanted to tell you. For the first time … I want to let someone in. I want to be happy.”
My lips made it to her forehead. “I’m glad. Everyone deserves to be happy.” Myself included.
Sleep took us both eventually, but when I woke up hours later, it was late in the evening. My gaze traveled to the clock on the far wall, noting that it was two in the morning. The worry and concern from earlier disappeared and was replaced with something utterly different.
Desire.
There was no way I couldn’t be aroused. I tried to think of anything else because now was not the moment to get horny.
But it was hard not to when her body was pressed firmly against mine, her soft breasts against my hard chest. Her swimsuit had dried, but it was like Saran Wrap against her body, and I could feel every inch of her body against mine.
If I slipped her swimsuit to the side, I could feel if she was wet.
She lifted her chin the moment the thought filtered through, her eyes fluttering open from her heavy slumber.
And now, I was hard.
I was sure she could feel my bulging erection against her stomach. It pulsed and prodded and wanted to be released.
My eyes flickered to her lips and then back to meet her eyes.
I gritted my teeth, grinding my molars. Not now, asshole. Now was not the time to think about how her body fit perfectly against mine. How we were in a right position to …
“I’m sorry,” she said, her face falling again.
For what? Making me hard? She couldn’t control how my body reacted to her.
She added, “I don’t know how to swim.”
Ah, okay.
“It was stupid of me to let the girls be in the pool, but Mary was so happy and excited, and Sarah said it would be fine, but I’m the adult—”
I pinched her chin. “Stop crying.” My voice was whisper soft against her skin.
She kept on, so disappointed in herself, “If you want to fire me, I understand. I take full responsibility.”
What absurdity is this woman talking about? Fire her? Not likely.
“The girls are fine,” I insisted. “You’re fine.”
“No …” She shook her head, her eyes pained.
And then I kissed her to shut her up but mostly because I wanted to.
There was a shift in the air. A shift in the mood. My lips froze against hers, tentatively asking permission. I was shocked that I’d even made the move. I breathed through the next seconds, and when her lips moved against mine, I took that as an invitation.
If anything, she hit the accelerator. My body followed her direction, though my mind told me to slow down, but I couldn’t. She was too soft in my arms, too pliable, too warm, too sexy. One of my hands moved to cup her ass while the other threaded fingers through her hair, and I tugged lightly, exposing her neck.
My lips dragged a path up the creamy span of skin to her mouth.
I devoured her lips, flicking my tongue to taste and savor her mouth. Becky tasted exquisite, and I wanted to taste all of her, every inch of her body.
She rubbed against me, riding my length behind my clothes, our lips never breaking contact. I groaned. My breathing quickened, but so did hers.
My fingers slipped under her suit to the bare skin of her ass, pushing it against my hardness.
Becky let