various parts of the boat and how to anchor it. “We’ll drift a little, but not enough to take us too close to the shore.”
She eyed his chest. “Are you, um, going to put on a life jacket or anything?”
“I can swim, but if it’ll make you feel better—”
“Yes, please.” She lifted her chin. “If you drown, what would I do?”
“Drive the boat for help?”
Already shaking her head, she said, “I couldn’t. I’ve never driven a boat.”
“After my swim, I’ll teach you.” They could go slow until she got comfortable. With any luck, she’d enjoy boating enough that they could go out more often.
Her lashes lifted and her dark blue gaze locked on his. “Okay, but before you jump in...” She inched nearer. “Would you mind giving me another kiss?”
Lang groaned, but again, he didn’t want her to change her mind so he lightly took her shoulders in his hands and drew her closer. “I will do anything you want, okay? You only need to tell me.”
“Thank you. I want—”
He put his mouth to hers, a little more firmly this time, a little more leisurely. Her shoulders felt small, her skin satiny, warm from the sun. She held herself still but breathed faster.
Just as he was lifting his head, her small hand flattened against his chest. Keeping a tight rein on his expanding lust, he teased his mouth against hers.
Still she didn’t move away. Ever so lightly, he touched his tongue to her bottom lip.
Drawing a deep breath, Hope whispered with wonder, “I like kissing you.”
“Probably not as much as I like kissing you.” Which meant he needed to get a grip before he pushed too fast. “I think I should take that dip now, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
Snagging up a swim belt and buckling it around his waist, Lang stepped to the swim platform and jumped in. Cold water closed over his head, but thanks to the belt, he popped right back up. Refreshed but still turned on, he folded his arms over the platform and smiled up at her. “Come on. Sit and talk to me.”
Gingerly, she stepped onto the platform and lowered herself to sit, but kept her feet tucked to the side. “You’re sure there aren’t any snakes or big turtles or anything?”
“If there were, I scared them away with my splash.”
She smiled, peeked over the side and finally, with a load of caution, dipped her feet into the water. “It’s cold.”
His elbow touched her knee. At thirty years old, he shouldn’t even have noticed that, but he noticed everything about Hope, down to the smallest detail. “It’s not too bad. By mid-July it’ll be like bath water.”
“You’re used to lakes, aren’t you?”
“We were always around water. Corbin and I learned to swim when we learned to walk. We could spend all day in the water, but Mom wouldn’t let us be there by ourselves.” He grinned. “She likes to hover.”
Hope looked up at the sun. “Did she swim, too?”
“Occasionally.” He shrugged. “More often than not, she’d bring a book to read in the shade, only looking up to yell at us for something.”
“Who got in trouble more?”
“In the water? That’d be me, but only because I was always hot-dogging. You know, doing backflips off the dock, or climbing too high in a tree.”
Hope laughed. “It’s a wonder you survived.”
“Being around Justin now, I see it all differently. I’m surprised my mom didn’t go nuts.”
“He’s a great kid.”
“Yeah, he is.” Lang saw how the heat had flushed her face. “You sure you don’t want to get in?”
“Not this time. I’ll have to work up to it.”
“Then I should probably climb back in.” He didn’t bother with the little drop-down ladder, and instead hoisted himself up with his arms and plopped down heavily beside her. Lake water sprayed over her legs and arms, and a puddle beneath him snaked over to soak her bottom.
She laughed.
And he had to kiss her again. This time, he had her full participation. As if she’d been anticipating that reaction from him, her arms came up around his neck.
Scorched. That’s how he felt. And a little lost.
Why hadn’t he known a kiss could be like this?
Things had advanced quicker than he’d dared to hope, and he was pondering the best way to enjoy her interest without taking advantage of her lack of experience, when suddenly she jerked away with a screech.
His heart sank as she jerked her feet up and out of the water.
“Something bit me!”
Wait...what? That was so far from what he’d