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Cassie’s carefree mood faded.
“And then there’s Uncle John. He’d kill me.”
She cringed at the mention of Colton’s uncle. She didn’t want to think about John McLean, nor of the affair he’d had with her mother. That time, so long ago, still caused a horrid aching in her heart—an aching she didn’t want to experience. Not today. She’d heard the rumors—knew that her mother had abandoned her long before because of John McLean. “Because I’m Vanessa’s daughter?” she asked, thrusting out her chin.
“Because you’re Ivan’s.”
Bravely, for she’d never dared mention the feud to him before, she said, “What happened between your uncle and my mother is in the past.” A love affair that had soured. A love affair that had cost Cassie her mother and her father his pride.
“Tell that to your dad.”
“I have.”
His head jerked up, and his gaze, bright and seductive, drilled into hers. “And what did ‘Ivan the Terrible’ have to say?”
“Nothing.” She hated it when Colton referred to her father as if he were a monster; and yet she understood why. Ivan had never gotten over his wife’s betrayal, and he’d blamed John and anyone else cursed with the surname of McLean for ruining his life. That curse included Colton.
“You’re lying. Ivan’s made no bones about the fact that he blamed John and everyone related to him. Vanessa never came back, did she? She just left your dad to take care of himself and you. You really can’t blame the man for being bitter!”
Cassie’s throat constricted as painful memories clouded the otherwise perfect day. “I—I don’t want to talk about Mom.”
“Do you ever hear from her?”
“Of course,” she lied, avoiding Colton’s eyes.
“Sure.”
“Besid
es, it doesn’t matter. You and me—that’s what’s between us. What we have doesn’t have anything to do with Dad or Mom.”
“Cassie,” he whispered. He was so close she noticed the shadows of suspicion clouding his gaze. He touched her shoulder and lifted the tiny strap that was knotted behind her neck. “It does matter.”
She swallowed hard. “Dad lives in the past, Colton. There’s nothing we can do or say to change that. We can’t worry about it.”
His lips curved sardonically. “And when he finds out?”
“He won’t,” she said mutinously, thrusting out her chin. “I’m seventeen and I’ve already graduated from high school! I can make my own decisions.”
He sucked in a swift breath and let his hand fall to his side.
She wanted to kick herself for bringing up her age. For some reason, he thought her a child, though he was only four years older than she.
“Come on,” he said hoarsely, “I’ll take you home.”
“But we’ve got all night.” Never before had she been so forward, but she’d never been with Colton before—not alone.
He swore violently, his gaze sweeping the swell of her breasts peeking from beneath her halter, to her flat, tanned abdomen and the curve of her hips. “We do not have all night.”
He wrapped strong fingers around her wrist as he started back for the shore, dragging her through the water quickly.
“You just think I’m a kid,” she pouted as she tried to negotiate the slippery bottom.
“You are.”
“Colton, I love you!”
“Oh, Cass, no!” He stopped then, and she ran into him, her legs giving way. She started to fall, but he caught her and lost his balance. They plunged into the ice-cold depths. Water swirled over them both, and she sputtered as he hauled her to her feet. “Love?” he repeated, his chest heaving. Drops of water clung to the dark hair from his chest to the waistband of his wet cutoffs. “What do you know about love?”
