My hands moved lower, skimming the small of her back, fingers trailing the curve just above where her bikini bottoms hugged her ass, the fabric damp from sweat or the lake mist. My fingertips brushed the dimples there, dipping in lightly, and she shivered again, harder this time, her hips shifting forward like she was pressing into my touch. The scent of her arousal hit me faint but sharp, mixing with the coconut oil, making my wolf claw at my insides.
“That’s probably enough,” she said, but she didn’t move away.
“Probably.”
Neither of us moved.
Then Riley turned back around, and her cheeks were flushed deep pink, lips parted as she licked them unconsciously. She opened her mouth to say something-
“Hey there.”
My head snapped toward the voice, a snarl building in my throat. A guy, mid-twenties, tan, confident, muscles flexing under his shirt as he sauntered over. My wolf snarled louder, fur bristling inside me. The man had wandered from another group and was eyeing Riley like he wanted to bend her over right there, his gaze raking over her tits and down to her hips.
I wanted to knock out every single fucking tooth he had, feel his jaw crack under my fist, taste his blood.
“I’m Tyler,” the guy said, completely ignoring my existence, stepping closer to her. “Couldn’t help but notice you from over there. You come here often?”
Fuckingplease.
The line was terrible. The delivery was worse. But Tyler was smiling at Riley with intention, leaning in, and my vision tunneled red at the edges, blood roaring in my veins, cock deflating from rage but jealousy twisting like a knife in my gut.
“She’s with me,” I said, stepping forward so I was between Riley and the intruder, my body blocking his view, shoulders squared, ready to shove him into the dirt.
Tyler’s eyebrows rose, smirk faltering as he sized me up. “Oh yeah? Didn’t see a ring.”
“You won’t see anything if you don’t walk the fuck away.”
“Caelan,” Riley said from behind me, a note of warning in her voice.
Tyler held up his hands, backing off with a smirk that I wanted to wipe off with my knuckles. “Easy, man. Just being friendly.” He retreated to his group, glancing back once, and I watched him go with murder in my eyes, every muscle coiled tight.
“That was unnecessary,” Riley said when I turned back around, her green eyes searching mine.
“He was bothering you.”
“He wastalkingto me.”
“Same thing.” I stepped closer without thinking, invading her space, the warmth of her body pulling me in.
She stared at me for a long moment and this time I couldn’t read her expression.
“You’re very protective,” she said finally. “For a friend.”
The word “friend” landed between us like a challenge. I didn’t know how to respond, and didn’t really trust myself to do it correctly. So I went for something else entirely before I did something stupid like pin her down on that blanket.
“Let’s swim,” I said, and headed for the water, stripping off my shirt in one motion, the fabric peeling away from my sweat-slick skin.
“Race you,” Riley said, running past me before I could respond, her ass bouncing with each step, bikini strings swaying like an invitation.
She dove into the water with a splash that sent droplets flying, cool mist hitting my bare chest. I stood there, watching her surface with her hair slicked back, water streaming down her face, over her collarbone, trickling between her tits. She shook her head, laughing, nipples hardening from the chill, poking against the wet fabric.
This was torture.
She grinned at me, eyes sparkling. “Loser.”
I totally was. But I hated the distance between us, the water separating her from my hands, so I kicked off my shoes and walked closer, the cold from the water against my feet shocking my overheated skin. Stripping off my shirt earlier had been an impulse, but now, fully exposed from the waist up, I felt her gaze burn into me as I moved deeper.
Riley’s grin faltered. Her eyes tracked down my chest, lingering on the ridges of muscle, over my stomach where abs tensed, across the tattoos that wound over my skin, dark lines of ink curling like vines, symbols of my house, my achievements, battles won and losses mourned, the wolf snarling along my side. She was staring, wasn’t even trying to hide it, lips parting as her tongue darted out, and it felt fucking amazing.
