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My eyes dart to the dock that is closest, and then…I meet a set of blue eyes as Liam walks out onto the dock, grinning as he carries a bundle of rope. Why is he shirtless?
Why is his body so perfect?
“Need help?” he chirps.
I look around, noting that I am definitely on the Vincent side of the lake. Still.
“No. I love being on a mattress that is slowly sinking in the middle of a lake that never warms up enough for swimming,” I tell him.
He laughs before winding up then tosses the rope to me.
It misses, landing wide, and he quickly tugs it back in, hand-over-hand, until the rope returns to his grip. Then he tosses it once more…and misses wider.
“Do you need help?” I ask, smirking as he mutters something.
“It’s not like I grew up on a ranch,” he quips, winking at me as he gets the rope in again.
This time, when he tosses it, it lands on the mattress, and I grab it before it can fall off.
“Pull gently and slowly, or the mattress will dip. Then I’ll have to kill you when I get thawed,” I instruct.
He grins like I didn’t just make an actual threat, and he starts slowly tugging me to shore.
“How are all those people good at waterskiing and stuff? I didn’t think this lake was for watersports.”
“Only the Wild Ones are good at it,” I say absently, wincing when I shiver against the breeze. My dress is soaked, damn it. “Falling in is great incentive to learn to stay upright when skiing and such. Negative reinforcement and all. You get really good, or you don’t do it much at all.”
He smiles broader, still slowly tugging me in, as I lean back, trying to put most of my weight on the rear to prevent the deflating mattress from capsizing. Those muscles of his are very distracting.
He winks when he catches me gawking.
“Terrible shame the way you’ve let yourself go,” I state wryly.
He doesn’t even try to hide his cocky grin, and he tightens those ab muscles just to toy with me, most likely.
“Did you see them do this?” I ask, seeing the dock grow closer and closer and tracking each inch of progress with relief.
“No. I stalked you until you disappeared about fifteen til’ two this morning. I figured you went home.”
My lips twitch.
“Are you telling me you knew where I was all night long?” I ask, trying to sound amused instead of acknowledging the butterflies in my stomach.
He arches an eyebrow.
“Now that I’ve finally run into you, my stalking game is about to get strong. I’ve been holding back.”
I can’t help it. I smile. “You realize stalking is not bragging rights.”
The mattress bumps the dock, and he reaches out a hand for me. I clasp his wrist, and he clasps mine, then actually lifts my entire body up until my knees are on the dock. His hands go to my waist, lifting me the rest of the way.
I shiver harder, partially from the chill of my wet clothes. Partially because he’s not wearing a shirt and all that firm, tempting skin is under my cold fingertips as my hands rest on his chest.
He grins down at me.
“So far I’ve noticed my stalking doesn’t bother you. It’s you thinking I might leave that seems to be the hang up.”
I start to push him away, but he tugs me closer, tipping my head back with a finger under my chin.
“I have no problem stalking you wherever you go. The only thing I can’t do is go another year without doing all I can to have you. All of you, this time. I’m tired of being fake. Tired of feeling fake. Tired of fake people. Tired of everything superficial. I want my life to be real, and that means I have to be just as real.”
My breath comes out shaky, and my gaze flicks to his lips before I shiver even more.
“Shit,” he says, dropping my chin. “Let’s get inside. You can use the shower to warm up and I’ll get you some dry clothes.”
“I need my boots,” I say as he lifts me, causing my breath to catch in my throat. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying you to the house. Got some grass that likes to cut up feet. Killian and Hale are going to help me get rid of it, but for now, you’re barefoot and the grass is still there.”
How is it that this tech-geek has somehow seamlessly fit himself in on the Vincent corner of crazy, and he doesn’t even bat an eye? It’s all I’ve ever known, but during my travels, I’ve realized most people…would call the law. Hence the reason we have to deal with the troopers every summer when some vacationers stumble upon something…crazy.
He carries me effortlessly, and I lean against his warmth.
