Ro presses his palm into my chest, his entire body stilling behind me.
“I can’t feel it,” he says, dejection lining his tone.
The corners of my lips tip up in a sad smile. “No,” I murmur, “I can’t imagine you’d be able to.”
Ro grumbles an incoherent noise, and my lips tilt further. I turn my face to press my nose into his neck again, taking a long inhale of his bonfire scent. He sees my smile and squeezes me once before letting go. I’m glad he doesn’t make a big deal of it. Of me opening up, or the unbelievable things I’ve shared.
“How about a distraction?” he says.
My face drops and I eye him warily. “What kind of distraction?”
His grin turns wicked, flushing my skin until it’s hot.
“The fun kind, of course.”
Ro urges me up, standing and pulling me with him. Then he starts stripping off his clothes. He reaches one hand back to grab the collar of his shirt and pull it over his head, biceps flexing, and then the shirt drops to the sand. His piercings blink in the faint glimmer of night, catching my attention. My mouth waters when his hands drop to his pants, unbuttoning them and shoving them down as he kicks his boots off.
Before I know it, he’s butt naked, standing proud in front of me with his hands on his hips and cock jutting out like it’s reaching for me. He bounces his eyebrows, then turns toward the water. My gaze drops to his ass, firm round muscles rippling as he strides away.
“I dare you to skinny dip with me, Starfire,” he says, throwing the words at me over his shoulder as he walks away.
My jaw clenches. Does he know I hate turning down a dare? I can’t let a challenge go without meeting it. I reluctantly agree—in my own head, of course—that it does sound like a great way to get my mind off everything that’s been plaguing me.
I roll my eyes with a sigh, then strip out of my clothes, dropping them on the sand next to Ro’s as I stomp after him.
Is he still keeping score between us? Because if so, I’m pretty sure I’m losing.
Badly.
19
A DISTRACTION OF THE NAKED VARIETY
Ro
I can practically feel her stomping behind me toward the water and I grin. She can pretend she’s grumpy about it, but I know perfectly well that Lor doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do.
My demon urges have taken a sharp turn in the last few hours, shifting from general chaos and destruction to a singular focus of protecting Lor. From others, from herself, from anything that might hurt her body, mind, or soul.
It’s killing me that I can’t help with her star-chaser gift, but I’m trying to meet her where she’s at and give her what she needs. Starting with letting her talk, giving her space, and then offering a distraction when I sensed she needed an escape.
I glance over my shoulder to see her scowling at the water ahead, and bite my lip to hold in a laugh. She’s so fucking cute it kills me.
“Race you in,” I say, letting a taunting tone underline my words as I raise my eyebrows at her again.
Lor turns that sweet little scowl on me, but her lips twitch, and I know she’s trying not to grin. I let mine grow to make upfor it. I can smile for the both of us until she’s ready to let hers shine.
Her gaze flicks down to my straining cock before jumping back to the water, but mine doesn’t stray from her face. This moment is for her, not for me to ogle, although it’s mighty hard to resist. She’s stunning, her silky bare skin like a siren song drawing me in.
I keep my eyes fixed on hers, though. She heaves a dramatic sigh and I chuckle, then she nods once.
“Fine,” she says, taking a step closer to me. “Count us down, then.”
Lor braces herself in a lunge position, and my heart jumps in my chest. She’s about to be so mad. It’s gonna be great.
“Ten… nine?—”
“What the hell,” Lor interrupts.
