Page 28 of Hockey Nanny

My feet stalled.

He glanced up like he’d felt my stare, and the smirk deepened.

I was still there, still frozen, when he slid off the edge and sank into the water just as I reached the lip of the tub. It climbed up his torso, swallowing muscle inch by inch until it lapped at his chest. He sighed, long and indulgent, and dragged his hands through his hair, slicking it back before giving his head a quick shake that sent cool droplets arcing through the steam.

They hit my skin and I sucked in a breath.

Boone looked up at me then, hair sticking out in every direction, water beading along his shoulders, eyes bright and intent.

“You just gonna stand there all night?”

The way his gaze traveled made my fingers tighten on the robe without me meaning to. Slow. Thorough. Unapologetic. Heat pooled low in my belly and I didn’t move, didn’t trust my voice.

A beat passed. Maybe two.

“Come on, McCabe,” he said lightly. “If you get to ogle me, it’s only fair I get to ogle right back.”

A small laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it, breathy and a little frayed. “You’re not helping.”

His expression shifted. The humor didn’t leave, but something sharper slid underneath it.

“Oh, you want my help?”

He stood in one smooth motion and suddenly he was right there, close enough that the steam between us felt charged. My brain barely had time to register movement before his hands were at my waist, fingers finding the flimsy tie of my robe. His eyes never left mine as he worked the knot loose, quick and practiced, until it came apart under his touch.

The robe parted.

He nudged it from my shoulders, slow, deliberate, letting it slide down my arms and fall in a soft heap at my feet. The night air kissed my skin everywhere it hadn’t a second ago, cool and startling and electric. I sucked in a breath, chest lifting, and his eyes followed the motion without shame, without restraint.

Hunger darkened his gaze as it traced over me, lingering at my chest. His tongue slipped out to wet his lips like he wasn’t even trying to hide it, like he wanted me to see exactly what I was doing to him. My throat worked as I swallowed, heat racing through me in a way that had nothing to do with the steam rising around us.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then Boone blinked, a faint huff of laughter escaping him like he was reining himself in. “Now for the easy part.”

He took my hand, warm and solid, and guided me into the hot tub after him. The water wrapped around my calves, my thighs, my hips, heat sinking deep into muscles I hadn’t realized were aching until they started to loosen. I sank lower, a quiet sound leaving me as the warmth spread, soothing and heavy.

Somehow, despite it, my nipples tightened instantly, painfully aware of the cool air above the waterline and the man beside me.

I angled instinctively to sit across from him, to put some space between us, but his arm slid around my waist and tugged mesideways before I could settle. My body bumped into his, hip to thigh, skin to skin beneath the water. I went still, breath catching, acutely aware of how close he was, how easily his arm fit there like it belonged.

Boone didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.

The water lapped quietly around us, steam curling into the night, and my pulse thudded loud enough I was sure he could feel it where his arm rested against my skin.

“Fancy a little late-night indulgence?”

I tilted my head, caught off-guard. “Indulgence?”

“Caviar,” he said, voice low enough to make the steam feel like it was charging between us. “And only the good stuff. Beluga. Had to pull a few strings, but I said my name a few times and here we are. Midnight room service, just for us.”

My brows shot up. “You— really?”

“Really,” he confirmed, just as a waiter appeared with a tray that gleamed under the terrace lights.

“I’ve never had caviar.” The confession came out quieter than I meant, tinged with curiosity and something more. Boone’s grin widened.

“Then tonight is the night,” he said, gesturing toward the spoon. The heat from his gaze pressed into me harder than the steam rising around us. “See that? A tiny dollop, right there.”