Nothing heavy or serious, just general chit-chat you undertook on any date.
Their first date had been a success, even if he said so himself, and he was sure she would agree if asked.
Not that he planned to.
He didn’t want to disrupt the peace between them.
She’d opened up and told him about her house. He listened, but got most of his pleasure from sitting with her. Watching her as she spoke.
Her skin glowed where the sun kissed it. A sprinkling of freckles stood out across the bridge of her nose and he wanted to play join-the-dots with his lips.
Heat pooled in his groin, his pants growing snug over the erection forming.
He needed to cool down and take his mind off kissing her or he’d be in trouble. Again.
“I think a dip is in order.” His voice sounded rougher—deeper—than normal.
“But we’ve not long eaten. You’ll get a cramp.”
“That’s an old wives’ tale.” And even if it wasn’t, he didn’t care right now.
He pushed his chair back and twisted to the side to hide the evidence of his arousal. He wasted no time stripping off his shirt and diving into the cold water.
Swimming underwater until he reached the deep end, he surfaced to find her sitting on the pool edge, her feet swirling in the water.
She’d removed her sundress to reveal a minuscule bikini. Any relief he’d received from his dip was instantly reversed.
Her breasts were on display, the tiny triangles covering them barely hiding her nipples. The buds he remembered as dusty-brown stood taut against the silky green top, tempting him beyond reason.
When had she turned into a seductress?
She’d been hot ten years ago, but now there was an added layer of confidence. Maturity and comfort within her own skin gave her an unmistakable aura of assuredness that was mesmerizing.
He’d seen it at work on others and it certainly worked on him. No one, it seemed, could resist the charm that was Valentine Johnson.
She brought her arms up and crossed them over her chest. “Why are you staring like that?”
He swallowed over the lump in his throat. “You know why, Vee.” He flopped back and let the water’s buoyancy keep him afloat.
Closing his eyes against the sun, he contemplated how on-display his body’s reaction to her was in this position.
If she looked in his direction she wouldn’t miss his hard-on, but he didn’t care. They were past ignoring the attraction between them.
And he was past hiding how he felt from her.
A yank on his ankle pulled him under.
Unprepared, he sucked in a mouthful of water before he kicked free and came up for air. He hadn’t heard her move, but she’d slipped into the water and delivered a sneak attack.
It reminded him of when they were younger and they’d played in the pool for hours. A smile tugged at his lips. Memories of long ago summers, days when Vee and Wade’s parents had been alive, and he’d just about lived at the Johnsons.
She surfaced down in the shallow end. The full length of the pool separating them and he eyed her carefully, debating his retaliation.
She’d caught him off guard, but now the element of surprise was gone. For both of them. He’d have to rely on his superior speed and strength to get the better of her.
Then again, she moved like a fish in water so being faster might not help him in here. One second he was contemplating his plan and the next he was watching her climb the steps and sprint across the paving toward the stairs.
Dammit. She’d surprised him again.
