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“Let me know if you need me,” I say.
She nods. “’Night. Good night, Conner.”
He’s still in the pool, his thick arms crossed atop the tiled deck as he watches us with a thoughtful expression. “I’ll try to be a more worthy water polo opponent tomorrow.”
She snorts with laughter before retreating into the house. I watch her until she makes a left at the end of the hall and disappears into her bedroom.
I forgot I was still hugging the beach ball. I toss it back into the pool.
“Missed you,” Conner says. His chin is propped on his mighty arms. His wide shoulders drip with water beads. He’s scandalously sexy.
“I missed you too.” Kneeling on the deck, my intention is to swoop in for a kiss but Conner has another idea. A split second before our lips meet he seizes me at the waist and drags me into the pool, clothes and all.
“Conner!” I sputter as my waterlogged shoes become dead weights. Then I laugh because the water feels good and I like being surprised by him.
He grins and pushes my arms up to hook around his neck. “Hold onto me, baby. I won’t let you sink.”
“I wouldn’t sink very far. The water is only five feet deep.”
“Hold onto me anyway,” he whispers. His tongue darts out to tease my lips.
Lust slices sharply through my belly. Our kiss goes from playful to hungry. A thick groan rumbles in his throat. His knee parts my thighs and I wrap my legs around his waist.
Conner breaks the kiss and peers down at me with the vivid blue eyes that always have the power to leave me hypnotized and weak. “I’m glad you’re home.”
My arms tighten around him. “And I’m glad my home is with you.”
He smiles and brushes a tender kiss over the tip of my nose. “We got takeout for dinner. Your favorite chicken strips are in the fridge. Ahoy There said to tell you hello.”
“Nice to know that Ahoy There remembers me.” My stomach rumbles at the thought of food. At the same time, warm happiness blooms in my chest because I’m in love with a man who remembers my favorite foods and misses me when I’m not in his arms.
Conner’s hands roam my body but his expression is serious. “I worry when you go to the east side alone. I was tempted to bring Lita across the street to stay with Micah and Tess and follow you anyway.”
“Your concern is noted but I can handle myself. Anyway, Jared and Talon haven’t collected the nerve to even breathe in my direction lately. You know that.”
His frown only deepens. “There’s something Gage is always saying.”
“What’s that?”
“Snakes tend to wait for the right moment to strike.”
“Speaking of your formidable cousin, is he still sending his minions to spy on me these days?”
“Not spying. Protecting. And only because I asked him to. I just worry about you.”
“No need. I’m fairly formidable myself.” To prove this, I unwrap my legs from his waist and promptly dunk him underwater.
Conner could have stopped me with ease. Instead, he plays along and rises to spit a stream of water from his mouth.
I’ve already jumped out of the pool and kicked off my shoes. “I’m starving. And I’m stealing your towel.”
Conner stays where he is while I wrestle out of my soaked jeans and haul the sodden shirt over my head. Then, because he’s watching, I slowly remove my bra and panties, draping them carefully over a chair before wrapping my body in a fluffy blue towel.
“Killing me,” he groans and rubs a hand over his jaw.
I have no doubt. He’s practically panting. But a different kind of hunger wins right now so I retreat to the kitchen, find the food waiting in the fridge and take a seat at the quartz-topped island.
Within a minute Conner wanders inside, dripping water everywhere. He looks pleased at the sight of me eating in the kitchen and whistles his way down the hall. He’s gone for less than thirty seconds before re-emerging in a dry pair of shorts. I’m glad he wears nothing else. The view of his hot body is always appreciated.
