Boonechangedintoapair of board shorts, grabbed a couple of towels from the closet, and headed out to the hot tub. He lifted the cover off, plucked the floating thermometer from the water and checked the temp. It was a futile attempt at distracting himself from thinking about Luna inside, stripping down to change into her suit.
The level of anticipation coursing through him at the prospect of seeing her in a bathing suit made him feel like a randy teenage boy hoping for his first look at a boob.
At the sound of the door opening, he glanced up, did a double take, and his mouth dropped open. All of her subtle curves were silhouetted by the bathroom light behind her. She flipped off the light, shut the door, and strolled toward him, completely comfortable in a skimpy bikini. As she stepped closer, the golden light from the tiki torches around the patio cast a flickering golden glow over her flawless skin.
Her shoulders were straight and toned, her waist flat and only slightly narrower than her hips, and her legs … Holy fuck. The high-cut design of her bikini showed off her long, lean legs, toned from miles of swimming.
Luna was a walking wet dream.Hiswalking wet dream. The idea of another man seeing her like this sent a fiery possessiveness coursing through his bloodstream. He’d dated plenty of women in his time, but never once had he experienced such a primal desire to destroy any man who dared to even so much as glance her way.
“I like the way you look at me.” She stared at him, and the sexual tension crackling between them across the bubbling water was so thick and powerful, it was nearly tangible.
“That’s good, because I enjoy looking at you.” He slowly circled around the hot tub, closing the distance between them, and stood in front of her. “You are sexy as hell, Luna.”
Her suit was made up of tiny, perfectly sized triangles held together by skinny straps. In the slightly chilly air, her perky nipples were like tight little beads pressing against her bikini top. Years of disciplined military service had taught him self-control, and he was drawing on every ounce of it now to keep from reaching out and caressing them.
“When you say it, I almost believe it.” Her voice was low, in keeping with the intimacy of the moment.
“I will never lie to you.” Boone was deadly serious about that. “If you believe anything, believe that.”
And that I love you.But that would become clear soon enough.
She placed her hand on the center of his chest. “I believe you.”
He lifted her hand, kissed her knuckles, and held her steady while she stepped up and into the hot tub.
She moved to the other side and hummed with satisfaction as she slowly lowered herself into the churning waters up to her shoulders.
“Mmm, it feels incredible.” She shifted to settle herself onto one of the built-in seats.
He set the towels on a small table next to the steps, followed her in, and sat across from her.
“Why are you sitting way over there?” The disappointment in her words nearly sliced him in half.
“I’m trying to take things slow, and I can’t guarantee that will happen if I’m close to you.”
“Oh.” The little tease gave a slow, sexy smile, lifted her feet, and rested them on his knees. “So, tell me more about your mom and dad.”
“Changing the subject, huh?” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Actually, that’ll help.”
She let loose the most adorable giggle.
“I want to know everything about you.” She spread her arms wide and rested them along the edge of the hot tub. He was certain she hadn’t meant it to be alluring, which wasexactlywhy it was.
Luna didn’t seem to realize just how fucking hot she really was, and he wanted to be the one to help her recognize and embrace her sensuality. The first and only one.
“My folks are kind, hardworking, salt-of-the-earth people.” And he hated that Udall managed to get so close to them. “They’ve worked for everything they have and are generous with others. And they never shy away from showing their love for each other.” Like a typical kid, he used to get embarrassedwhen they would kiss each other in front of him. “But if you lose their trust, are disloyal or dishonest, they won’t have anything to do with you.”
“Sounds like Michaleen and Molly.” She lowered her arms back into the water. “Can I ask you a personal question?”
“You can ask me anything you want.” He twisted the knob to turn off the jets. The hum of the motor quieted, and the bubbles stopped.
“What was it like being adopted?” She quickly added, “I only ask because, when I thought they were going to separate Dawn and I, the idea of being taken away by a bunch of strangers terrified me.”
Boone was sad for the scared little girl she used to be but so fucking proud of the woman she’d become.
“You were what, ten, eleven years old?” He lifted one of her feet and began to rub the arch with his thumb. “You had every right to be scared.” For a lot of reasons. “It was very different for me—I was only two weeks old when I was adopted.”
Boone moved to her other foot and started working on that one.
