“I can put the dress back on,” she offered, her voice too playful for me to take the suggestion seriously.
“No,” I groused. “I can behave. Besides, you look hot as hell, and I like it.” I tugged my shirt off, seeing her mouth drop before she slammed it closed. “It’s the other eyes on you I don’t like.”
I tossed the shirt where she’d put her dress and met her azure eyes. Hunger sat in them, and it matched what was stalking through me. Maybe it was time to give in to my need to take this slow. It had been six weeks. I strolled over to her and threaded my fingers through her hair, yanking her against me. Skin to skin. Fire flaring, I smashed my lips to hers, letting my desire burn through the kiss and feeling her go limp in my hold.
“Payback, luna mia,” I said, dragging her bottom lip with my teeth before walking away and dropping onto the blanket with my book. Yeah, there was no way I could continue to keep my hands to myself. It surprised me that she hadn’t pushed for more yet.
She planted herself next to me, crossing her legs and putting her hands under her chin while her elbows rested on her knees. Piercing blue eyes met mine when I looked up.
“What?” I asked, doing a crappy job of containing my smile at how cute she looked.
She jerked her head toward the ocean, her eyes large with expectation. I flicked my gaze to the rolling waves. Lowering my book, I scratched my head.
“Are you trying to ask me something?”
Not answering, she continued to stare me down, excitement flickering in her features as she fought to keep her frown in place. I stood quickly and, before she could join me, bent and scooped her into my arms.
“Gabe!” Her legs kicked as I walked her to the water, but her giggle lit every shadowed crevice in my chest.
She was clinging to my neck while I walked us in waist deep and dropped her legs. She let out a happy shriek when she hit the water, dragging my neck down with her.
“You wanted to go in the water,” I told her, holding onto her as a wave hit us, pushing us back a few steps. “Or did I read those puppy dog eyes wrong?”
“I did,” she admitted, pulling my head down further to kiss me.
A mistake because I couldn’t just kiss her. Our kisses were like an exchange of souls, an experience that lingered long after the kiss ended.
Disentangling her from me, I stopped the kiss. “None of that, Tori, or I’ll take you back to shore and put you in time-out.”
“You can’t put me in time-out,” she pouted, crossing her arms, something that only accentuated the curve of her breasts. “I’m not a child.”
“Never said you were.” Pushing my hand through the water, I splashed her.
The pout morphed to surprise before it became a determined fury of revenge. A battle of splashes ensued until we were both soaked and laughing.
“I crown myself victor of that fight,” she said between laughs.
“I don’t think so. I crushed you. You’re drenched.”
“Because your hands are bigger. I still won.”
Just as competitive as I was. I should have known from how determined she was to ace each of her practice exams and pace ahead of her classmates with studying.
“And what do I get if I let you win?”
Movement behind her caught my attention, and I reached out to pull her away. Creased brows questioned me.
“Jellyfish,” I explained.
My hands fumbled to catch her as she jumped into my arms, her hands so tight around my neck that it pulled my posture down.
“What are you doing, Tori?” I scooped up her legs as she curled into a fetal position.
“You didn’t tell me there were jellyfish in here.”
“It’s the ocean. I thought it was a given. Just avoid them; they won’t hurt you.”
Her eyes darted around, her expression pinched in fear.
