Eversea A Love Story

didn’t say anything for a moment, and then suddenly I was squealing as he grabbed my waist and pulled me down into the water with a huge ungraceful splash. As soon as I surfaced, I smacked a wave of water at his face. This was a skill I had perfected defending myself from an older brother.
    “Hey,” he yelled and returned the gesture. I quickly slid down under the water and swam away.
    When I popped up at the other end of the pool laughing, Jack was still where I’d left him leaning against the wall watching me. Even without the safety of my sunglasses on, I was unable to hide the fact my eyes wanted to take in every mound, curve, and ridge of his muscled body. It was truly a work of art. It wasn’t that steroid-fueled over-worked body builder type, but he was tall and obviously packed with strength. I swallowed my nerves as I let my eyes slide down his abs to the vee his hips made as they disappeared into his shorts.
    “You’d better stop that,” he said, his voice husky.
    I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to kiss him again, but I didn’t want to be so forward. So I shook my head.
    “No?” he asked.
    “No.”
    I leaned back and rested my elbows behind me on the ledge, mimicking his stance. A challenge. I almost didn’t recognize this new me.
    His eyes narrowed as if he was trying to suss me out. I realized my position had thrust my bikini-clad chest forward, but it was too late to suddenly get shy.
    “Come here,” he commanded, quietly.
    I held his eyes. “You come here,” I countered.
    His dimple reappeared as he shook his head slightly with a small lopsided and bemused smile, and then he swam four strong freestyle strokes to stand in front of me.
    Breathe, Keri Ann, breathe, I reminded myself for the second time that day. I stayed perfectly still as he held my eyes. His wet skin and hair made his eyes startling. Then he stepped forward between my legs, pushing my feet apart. My pulse tripped over itself.
    “This is a good spot,” he murmured, echoing my unformed thoughts exactly. His hands came to my bare waist, the water allowing his skin to slide across mine. It was exquisite, and despite the warmth of the sun, goose bumps formed all over me as the fine hairs of my body reacted to the sensation. I wondered briefly what it would feel like to be fully naked and pressed against his skin.
    “What was that?” Jack asked with a grin.
    “What?”
    “That thing you do when you suddenly bite your lip and you blush furiously.”
    “Um ...”
    “You did it when I was giving you a tour of the house the other day and a few other times.”
    There was no way I was telling him the truth. “Uh... it’s just when I’m feeling nervous,” I offered, staring at his mouth. I sounded way too breathy. Ugh, it was like some bad movie. Except Jack was starring in it, so I was riveted to the spot.
    “I thought you became bitchy when you were nervous,” he answered, his face inching closer to mine. “I think you were thinking about something ...” his lips came closer still “... else.”
    I shook my head slightly.
    “Liar,” he whispered.
    “Arrogant ass,” I whispered back.
    “Ahhh, there she is.” He chuckled slightly, his eyes never leaving my mouth. Then one hand left my waist and trailed down my hip and thigh just as warm fingers from his other hand drifted to my belly and trailed up between my breasts to splay on my chest.
    My breathing hitched as it got shallower and more rapid. I was sure he could probably feel my heart about to pound out of my chest.
    His hand continued its journey up to my throat and around to cup the back of my neck at the same time as he pulled my thigh up against his body and pressed against me.
    I let out a whimper as sensation jolted through me, leaving a hot, molten and needy ache at my center. Holy shit, I thought. And then any coherent follow up was lost as his lips crashed into mine.
    If I had thought the fire he had ignited in me during our first kiss had been intense, it was nothing compared to the inferno now billowing through me.
    It was like all of me, all of my childish yearning and wanting, all the emotional trauma and denying myself feelings like this, every single moment of every single book and movie that had made me quietly wish for more, while studiously avoiding anything that would bring it to me, was swept up and out of me in a tidal wave of longing. And yes , I thought, yes to it all.
    Jack’s hands roamed along my skin leaving a scorching trail