Harper’s eyes went wide, and her flush deepened.
With a quick wink to her, he launched himself at his friend and took him down on the sand.
“Oh my God, you are such boys!”Lia shrieked, shaking sand from inside her paperback.
They continued to wrestle, rolling over the blankets.
Cujo finally gave up.“Uncle.”
Harper pulled some papers out of her bag.He loved the way she bit her lip when she was concentrating and how energized and excited she sounded when she talked about helping her friend, Joanie.
As he walked toward the water to wash off the sand, he wished he could just drag Harper with him, but her tattoo was not even close to being healed.It would be close to the end of the summer by the time all the appointments would be done and the two-to-three-week healing stage passed.
It was great to see her in a tiny tank top with the top of the tattoo just showing above it.She was always so buttoned up in long sleeves.She looked younger today, more carefree.He couldn’t wait for her tattoo to be healed enough that she could show it off.
He should buy her the black-and-white polka-dot bikini she wanted.It would look great with her tattoo and the new tan she was developing.More beach days were required.Or time on his condo balcony, perfect for a little afternoon delight.
Diving into the water helped cool his desire, and get rid of the hard-on that had been growing at the thought of her in a two-piece.
Going slowly was killing him, but there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in his mind that the clever and quick-witted woman wrapped up in that sexy body was worth it.The truth was, he was enjoying having to work for it.
He turned in the water to look at her.Harper put the papers down and flipped onto her stomach, shorts off, her pert ass visible to everyone.He could only hope the wait would be over soon.
***
Abercrombie boys had nothing on these men.All of them were cut.Cujo with his tall, muscular frame, bald head, and piercing blue eyes.Eric with his athletic runner’s build and dirty blond hair.And Trent.
The brief flash she’d had of him that first night at the studio had been nothing but a teaser.
He had a goodness-knows-how-many pack and those crazy V-things that led down to the places that currently seemed to be occupying her dreams.In board shorts that hung low on his hips, he was every girl’s fantasy.Watching him walk up the beach, dripping wet and smoothing his dark hair back with both hands so his biceps and pecs flexed, made her tingle all over.
He flopped down on his towel in front of her and rested his head on her stomach.She ran her fingers through his incredibly dark hair as the sun dried it back to soft, messy waves.
Harper had never felt more alive.It was perfect—the sound of gulls flying over the crystal blue water, the hot sun on her skin, Trent’s soft seductive touches as they lazed together.
“As much as I don’t want to interrupt this,” he said, his voice low, “can you put some sunscreen on me?”
She poured some into her hands and rubbed them together.
Trent sat up, and Harper knelt behind him, her thighs tight against his hips.
His skin was warm as she smeared the cream across his shoulders, taking more than a moment to admire his muscles before dropping lower.She hadn’t had the chance to check out the rest of his tattoos up close before.They were spectacular.
“Tell me more about your tattoo.”
“What do you want to know?”Trent asked lazily, stroking his fingers down the top of one of her thighs.
“What they mean.Like what does the one on your back stand for?”Her hands made slow and steady progress, rubbing the cream in lower and lower.It looked a bit like a mountainous landscape with angels leading humans up to the summit.
“Purgatory.”
“And this”—she stroked her hands over a beautiful couple embracing—“looks, well, incredible.”
“My mom used to tell me the reasonThe Divine Comedyis interesting is because it shows how love is connected to everything.The seven terraces on the Mountain of Purgatory reflect each of the seven sins.People end up there because of their love of something considered unholy.”
She leaned forward and kissed his shoulder.
Trent quickly turned his head and captured her lips, laughing as he caught her off guard.
