Page 41 of Hooked

A grin stole over his mouth. “So it is an apt comparison.”

I splashed him in retribution. “I am not luring anyone.” I leaned back and pulled my knees up, preparing to kick away from him, but he lunged forward and caught hold of my ankle, pulling me toward him.

A sharp intake of breath filled my lungs as he brought me close enough to wrap an arm around my waist. “Are you sure of that?” he asked.

I had been very sure just a moment ago, but now I was sure of nothing at all.

He must have been tall enough to stand here, but my feet were dangling in the water, my knee brushing his leg, nothing but his arm to anchor me, waiting to see what would happen next.

“I don’t think you’re playing fair,” I whispered. Though, honestly, I wasn’t sure I cared about fair at that moment.

“You don’t even know the rules.” His gaze skimmed over my mouth.

I let my hands wrap around his upper arms. “Like I said. Unfair.”

His hands tightened on my waist. “Do you want to know the rules?”

“I’d at least like to know the objective of the game,” I whispered, nervous and fluttery.

“I think,” he said thoughtfully, gazing down at me, “that I’ve already obtained my objective. And I think”—he pulled me just a little bit closer—“that I should kiss you now.”

I managed to keep my wits about me just enough to say, “My lure worked” before his lips were brushing over mine, his kisses soft and sweet, but landing in quick succession. He never lingered, never pushed too hard.

But that only left me wanting, so I finally wrapped my hands around the back of his neck and held him in place so that I could capture a kiss truly worthy of this moment under the moon and stars.

His grip on my waist tightened as his mouth pressed firmly to mine and he breathed me in. A few moments later as the fervor between us increased, I had the thought that perhaps I should not have encouraged such kisses when we were alone. I’d never felt this way. My head was so full of new and breathless intensity that it was difficult to keep my senses. I should pull away. I should.

Falstone’s clutch tightened just before he abruptly pulled back and swam away, leaving me to tread water.

Our breathing was louder than any of the night noises now.

How glad I was in that moment, as our eyes locked and the heat burned between us, to know that Falstone was a man not only of honor, but of control.

I let my head sink below the surface, needing the cool water to ease the burning in my cheeks and chest.

When I surfaced, Falstone was nowhere in sight, but he broke through the water a moment later, shaking the water from his hair and face. We locked eyes and he grinned. “Siren,” he accused.

I sputtered a laugh but had to respond in kind. “Pirate.”

“Pirate?”

“Only pirates fall into a siren’s snare.”

“Fine,” he acquiesced, slowly closing the gap he had created. “Mermaid, then.”

“Does that mean you wish to be a respectable sailor?”

He shook his head with a smile. “Just a soldier. A protector.” He eased a little closer and my heart rate sped again.

“I like the sound of that.”

“Good.” He splashed me and then sank beneath the surface and swam away.

I chased after him and we fell into a game of splash, catch and release. We didn’t let ourselves kiss again, both knowing that it was better to maintain a little distance. But a thrill ran up my limbs and spine each time he caught hold of my foot or my waist.

Later, as we both lay floating on our backs, admiring the way the moon lit the trees with silver, I realized that life as a servant had even more advantages than I’d considered before. I would never have gotten away with such impropriety as a nobleman’s daughter.

The trade was well worth it.