“Sounds divine,” Aubrey purred.
“Sure, why not?” Gunner said, stretching his arms above his head. “A soak under the stars sounds like a perfect end to the day.”
Eli remained silent, but the corner of his mouth quirked upward in approval. Willow caught his gaze again, a tingle running down her spine. The thought of seeing exactly what Eli looked like underneath all those clothes was difficult to resist.
“All right then, it’s settled!” Charly clapped her hands together, the sound sharp and decisive. “Hot tub under the Montana sky, here we come.”
Willow’s heartbeat quickened, but her excitement cooled when she remembered a crucial detail. “I didn’t bring a suit,” she murmured to Aubrey.
“Me neither,” Aubrey replied, her forehead creasing in disappointment. “Guess we’ll have to take a rain check.”
Charly waved away their concerns with a warm smile. “Don’t you worry about that.” She sauntered toward her bedroom and called over her shoulder, “I’ve got plenty to spare!”
Moments later, Charly returned, an array of colorful fabrics dangling from her hands. She presented bathing suits, a one-piece to Aubrey and a bikini to Willow. “Here, these will fit.”
Aubrey’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she dashed off to change. Willow, however, hesitated, eyeing the skimpy black bikini Charly had selected for her. It was a sliver of fabric held together by strings, more revealing than anything she’d dared to wear since...well, ever.
“You really have nothing else?” she grumbled.
“Sorry, no,” Charly said gently with a scrunch of her nose. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll look amazing. And besides, it’s just us here.”
Taking a deep breath, Willow accepted the bikini. The fabric felt light and insubstantial in her hands. Retreat would have been easy, safe, but something in Charly’s encouraging gaze nudged her forward.
In the privacy of the guest bathroom, Willow slipped into the bikini. Her reflection in the mirror was foreign. She turned from side to side...Dear God!There was nothing to it.
“Okay,” she whispered to her reflection. “You’ve faced worse than a piece of string and survived.”
Steeling herself with thoughts of healing and the desire to reclaim parts of herself long buried, she opened the door and stepped out. The low murmur of conversation in the living room stilled as she walked in.
Eli, shirtless, wearing black board shorts slung low on his hips and leaning against the stone mantel of the fireplace, turned at the sound of her approach. His gaze latched onto her with an intensity that made the air between them sizzle. She was acutely aware of the heat radiating from his eyes, traveling down the expanse of her exposed skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.
His body, a sculpted testament to years of physical mastery in the bull riding arena and hard ranch work, was a sight that stole her breath. His muscles rippled beneath taut bronze skin, each curve and angle a silent story of strength and control. The rugged lines of his jaw tightened subtly as he took her in, and Willow felt a surge of desire she hadn’t experienced in a long time...ifever.It was raw and fierce, clawing through the remnants of her defenses with a hunger that matched the one she saw reflected in Eli’s potent stare.
Eli cleared his throat.
Across the room, Charly and Aubrey shared a glance that didn’t require words. Their grins were triumphant. They had orchestrated this, and in the moment, Willow didn’t care. Even if, she reminded herself, this relationship was not real, she liked that look on him. Heck, she suddenly wanted more of it.
“Looks like we’ve been outdone, Charly,” Aubrey quipped.
“Seems so,” Charly agreed with a smirk.
Willow quickly followed Charly and Aubrey out into the backyard, feeling the heat of Eli’s gaze behind her. She refused to look back, not sure she’d hold it together if he stared at her with any more heat.
With a breath that was more a gasp than anything, Willow stepped into the swirling warmth of the hot tub. The water enveloped her, a soothing contrast to the biting chill of the mountain air, but it did nothing to cool the heat that Eli’s gaze had ignited within her. She settled onto one of the molded seats, the bubbles caressing her skin as she stole another fleeting glance at Eli.
He joined her in the steaming water, his body moving with a grace that belied the power she’d glimpsed moments before. The space between them was filled with nothing more tangible than steam and the scents of winter and chlorine, yet it felt charged, electric. Each time their eyes met, a current jolted through her, setting every nerve ending on fire.
“All right,” Jaxon’s voice sliced through the tension, his tone playful and teasing. “Who’s game for a little dare?”
Charly let out a small laugh. “What kind of dare are we talking about here, cowboy?”
“Simple,” Jaxon said, rubbing his hands together with an impish grin. “You get out, take a snow angel break, and then jump back in.”
“Absolutely not,” Charly retorted without missing a beat, splashing him lightly on the chest. “After that ride earlier, I’m only just thawing out. I’m staying right here, thank you very much.”
“Ah, come on,” Jaxon coaxed, nudging her shoulder with his. “It’ll be exhilarating.”
“Exhilarating is one word for it.” Charly snorted. “Hypothermia is another.”
