Page 15 of Just Between Us

“True.” I concede. She has a point. Maybe I took her fear too lightly. “If I were, I’d probably be a lot less smug about it.” That almost earns me a smile. “But hey, I’m on your side here. This list we made? It’s not about throwing you off bluffs. It’s about proving to yourself you’re braver than you think.”

“Well, I still think you’re being pushy.”

I tilt my head side to side. “That’s fair. How about I work on patience and leave it up to you.”

Cassie looks to the clearing for several seconds and then back to me. “You promise we can leave if I hate it?”

“Pinky promise.” I hold up my finger and her eyes narrow.

“Fine.” And she hooks hers with mine. The brush of her touch lingers longer than it should, but I tell myself it’s nothing and let go first.

Cassie turns and heads back to the clearing. I’ve been coming here since I could swim, so this is familiar territory to me. It’s a low bluff surrounded by an outcropping of trees that everyone in town has jumped from at least once in their life. The water is partially shaded, so it’s perfect on days like today when you feel yourself melting under the August sun.

I follow her up the path until we’re back at the clearing. But before I can do anything else, Mutt needs some water. He’s an old man and this heat gets to him. Digging in my backpack, I find Mutt’s travel bowl, fill it up, and cluck my tongue at him. He hobbles over, lapping at the cool liquid, and I join Cassie where she stands, closer to the edge than I expected.

“How deep do you think the water is?” She cranes her neck to peer out at the river below.

“Pretty deep. I’ve never touched the bottom.” I point to the rock jutting up from the surface of the water. “All you gotta do is jump to your left so you don’t hit that rock, there.”

“Easy peasy. Jump twenty feet from a bluff. Oh, but while you’re at it, aim your body just right so you’re not impaled by a large boulder.”

I chuckle, and she elbows me in the rib. Despite her unease, though, she still gives me a small smile.

“You’ll jump with me?” she asks. Her eyes hold mine, drawing in the August sunlight, changing from amber to whiskey depending on how she tilts her head.

“Of course I’ll jump with you. I agreed to doing this withyou, didn’t I? I’ll even stay on your right side, so if anyone is impaled by a boulder it’ll be me.”

“Right.” Cassie looks to where Mutt now lounges in the sun and back to me. “I can do this.”

We begin peeling off our clothes, tossing them on the grass, and holy shit, I did not think this through.

Cassie in a bikini is a sight to behold.

I allow myself exactly five seconds to look my fill while her back is turned. Shiny dark hair gathered into a high ponytail, exposing the curve of her neck that shouldn’t be as distracting as it is. There’s a small birthmark right below her left shoulder blade, barely there, like someone pressed a thumb to her skin and left the imprint behind.

But when she turns around? Fucking hell.

My eyes land right on tanned skin spilling from the tops of her red bikini top, causing my dick to swell. What can I say? I’ve always been a boob guy. I can’t help it. And Cassie’s are a spectacular pair.

Her throat clears, and my eyes leap to her face, where a smirk now dances along the edges of pretty pink lips.

She snaps her fingers in my face. “Eyes up here, sir. And you might should do something about that.” Cassie points to the hard ridge of my cock now visible against my swim trunks.

I puff a laugh through my nose. “Well, I’m gonna need a minute.” Turning my back, I work to get myself under control thinking up the worst things possible.

The Red Wedding episode ofGame of Thrones. Cleaning bathrooms at the bar. My sixth-grade teacher who had the worst breath.

Dammit to hell, this woman has an effect on me. I haven’t even known her a full day and it’s like I’m under some sort of spell. She’s all I’ve thought about since I dropped her off at Penny’s last night. I was even tempted to sniff inside the helmet to see if I’d get traces of her shampoo.

I refuse to get in my head about this or question it.

Finally, after mostly wrestling my dick under control, I spin around.

“You ready?”

Arms crossed over her chest, she looks past me at the bluff and sighs. “No. But I’m doing it anyway.”

Cassie steps around me until she’s standing right at the edge and, after assuring Mutt I’ll be right back, I join her. Her breaths come in shaky bursts, so I reach for her hand, lacing our fingers together.