Page 33 of Clock Strikes Paradise

Clay waded over, stopping to face me. “Diving, paddling, and now swimming. I didn’t know you were so athletic.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I said, laughing lightly. “But I guess we’re both full of surprises today.”

“Indeed,” he agreed, his eyes dropping to my breasts before rising to my face again.

I rested my elbow on the pool deck and relaxed. “Has Calypso Key changed since you were here last?”

“God, yes. Back then it was a lot more rustic.” His grin sent another hot jolt through me. “Just perfect for two young boys wanting to explore. But I prefer it more as it is now. As a man, I’ve developed a taste for thefiner things in life.” Those pale eyes held mine as he said those words, and I inhaled deeply, suddenly finding the air starved of oxygen.

“Just don’t forget about the simple pleasures too,” I told him. “Like spending a morning on the water, surrounded by nature.”

“True,” he agreed, taking a step closer. “Some moments are worth savoring, even if they’re fleeting.”

As I stared at him, my pulse quickened, and the water around us seemed to become electric. Fire burned in his pale blue gaze, a heat that mirrored the desire welling within me. My insides turned to molten liquid as I became aware of the throbbing sensation between my legs. My eyes dropped to his full, inviting lips, and I reached out the tip of my tongue to touch my bottom lip without thinking about it.

Clay’s rough, strained voice broke through the silence. “Oh, to hell with responsibility.”

In an instant, he grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me in, crushing his mouth against mine. We fell together, standing in the pool, our passion igniting. I matched his intensity, our kiss lengthening and deepening with every passing second. Everywhere he touched left me scorching, and every stroke of his fingers made me yearn for more.

My hands roamed over his broad, slick back, the muscles rippling beneath my fingertips as I groaned against his mouth. He murmured into the kiss, telling me how much he wanted me. I reached down and palmed him over his board shorts, feeling his hardness, the undeniable proof of his desire for me. His hand found my breast and cupped it, sending shivers down my spine.

“Clay,” I gasped, pulling back from his mouth to stare at him. “I don’t want to stop. Let’s forget who we are. Right now, we’re just a woman and a man who want each other.”

His eyes flicked away from mine for a moment, scanning the beach in front of the pool as if suddenly aware of our surroundings. “Let’s go inside where it’s private.”

Without another word, he kissed me again—a hard, raking kiss that seared through me and made my legs wobble—before scooping me up into his arms and carrying me out of the pool and into the cottage.

Chapter Sixteen

Clay

I carriedElise into my bedroom as she laid a trail of kisses across my neck. Every one shot straight through me. Once inside, I set her down. My eyes locked onto hers, and I was helpless to resist the electric connection racing between us.

Without speaking, I grabbed her face with both hands, pulling her into a scorching kiss that sent shockwaves throughout my entire body. I claimed her mouth, completely unable to think of anything else but having her right there and then.

“Oh, Clay.” Elise panted when we broke apart for a brief moment, her wet hair tousled around her head, making her look utterly gorgeous and wild in a way I’d never seen before.

“You have no idea how much you turn me on,” I breathed, my voice barely audible as I pushed her against the wall, my hands roaming her body as I deepened the kiss.The feel of her soft skin under my fingertips only fueled my need for her. “You’re driving me absolutely insane.”

“Good,” she replied breathlessly, “because I can’t get enough of you either.”

My heart pounded as I trapped her against the wall with my body, our mouths locked together in a fiery dance. “Elise,” I murmured against her lips, my voice deep and husky. “I want to explore every inch of you, to learn all your secrets. I want to make youmine.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Her eyes were dark and full of invitation.

And with those words, any last shred of self-control I had left vanished.

Elise responded hungrily to my touch. Her hands gripped my shoulders as she matched my intensity, her tongue plunging into my mouth.

“Since the moment I saw you in that bikini last night,” I told her, my voice rough and strained, “I’ve wanted to rip it off.”

And without hesitation, I did just that, untying her bikini top and ripping it off, exposing her beautiful breasts to my gaze. My hands immediately found them, squeezing hard, and she responded with a breathy moan.

“Your turn,” she said, her voice sultry, and before I knew it, she had torn my shirt off. Our bare torsos came together, the sensation of her soft skin against my chest sending wave after wave of heat through me.

Her warm hands slid my board shorts off my hips, and she sank to her knees. She opened her soft lips to take me in, sucking gently. I groaned as I watched her movements, her lips drawing me in and out.

“You’re so beautiful like that.” My voice was thick with desire as I gathered her hair in one hand to see her better.