“C’mon. What are you waiting for?”
“You want me to jump?” I spluttered. “You’re crazy.”
“Says the girl who adopted the cat from Hell.”
“Correction, that cat bulldozed his way into my life,” I retorted, eyeing the precarious plunge. “Much like you.”
He snorted. I wanted to smile. Then Jack unzipped and removed his jeans, revealing his sexy, muscular, and very naked body, startling me into silence. The guy was so at ease with his nudity. Heck, with that kind of physique, why wouldn’t he be?
He bunched up his clothes and tossed them onto the rock near the steps.
“Jack, we have to pick up Wilbur, or he’ll be all alone,” I reminded him.
“We’ll get him tomorrow. C’mon, get down here.”
Warily, I glanced around me. With only the looming rocks as spectators, I relented. Exhilaration surging, I kicked off my sandals, removed my jeans, and wearing only my bikini panties and my cotton top, I stepped to the edge. I eyed the long drop, then glanced at the excavated steps leading down to the beach.
“I won’t let you fall.” Jack held up his arms.
“Crazy man.” Christ help me, I took a leap of faith and jumped.“Eeep!”I squealed.
Strong arms caught me a second later as if I weighed nothing more than a palmful of sea sand. Shit, I bit back a grimace at the pull in my wound. He laughed and hugged me close, the sound a much happier one.
“Yes, I am crazy. For you,” he said softly before lowering me to my feet.
I forgot my soreness as my breath caught at the intensity of his expression. His warm lips pressed briefly to mine as he stroked my bare hips. A shiver of desire trickled through me. His hands drifted up to my waist, then he eased back and lifted my top. Gently, he traced the edges of the fresh gauze I’d taped over my wound, his brow creasing.
“I’m not swimming, not with this wound, but I do want to wade in the water.”
His frown remained. “I don’t think you should chance it.”
“You’re worse than my parents.” I rolled my eyes. He cocked a stern brow, not impressed by my grumbles. Too bad. I was at the beach, and I definitely wasn’t sitting this out.
“The cove might be a protected one, but the water’s icy, Ray. I’m used to it since I’ve been swimming here from a young age.”
“Last one in is a duck’s behind,” I yelled and raced past him. I hit the mind-numbingly cold water first and yelped in shock, and then I chortled at my win as goosebumps rushed over my skin. Arms slid around my waist from behind, and his warmth surrounded me once more.
“Duck’s behind?” Jack growled, nipping my shoulder.
Laughing, I turned to him, the chilly waters sweeping around my calves. Jack’s hands settled on my bottom. I kissed him. And, for the first time in forever, I felt free. Maybe because I had a better job, or perhaps because of Jack. But I didn’t want to overthink things like I usually did.
His mouth came down on mine. It was as if an electric spark had buzzed through me, and my breath caught in my throat. His tongue slid into my mouth, sucking on mine with a need that shattered whatever control I had left. It was not like we hadn’t kissed, but Jack had this way of making me lose all inhibition, forgetting everything around me.
My fingers coasted over the hard play of muscles on his back, stroking him. He slid his hands to my panty-clad bottom and squeezed, and the ache in my core grew. I ran my hands down his spine, then lower and squeezed that tempting backside.
A grunt left him. He sucked my lip, deepening the kiss once more. Desire hiked. I slipped one hand between us to where his hard, hot cock pressed against my stomach and worked his length in my fist.
“Ray…” he groaned, breaking the kiss, his eyes burning with hunger. “We don’t have a damn condom. Are you on the pill?” he asked, hope in his voice.
I blinked, trying to focus, then shook my head. “No.”
“Didn’t think so—” He moved away. “Guess I should be damn grateful this water is frigid enough to freeze my balls.” He waded farther into the undulating sea then dove beneath the icy water.
A few gulls squawked in the distance, and on the far right, the trusses of the Golden Gate Bridge appeared submerged by mist. I remained where I was, the chilly water coasting over my thighs while the breeze caressed my face in a cold kiss. My body cooled quite fast, and I started shivering. Ugh.
I headed back to shore where our clothes lay and hastily put on my jeans, then I sat down on the rock and waited for Jack.
He surged out of the water a half-hour later as dusk descended and strode across the wet sand, looking like some naked pinup with his mouthwateringly muscled torso and legs.
