Page 83 of Arranged To Be Mine

He was a sexy man who wanted me. And I was pushing him away because this was supposed to be fake and temporary.

Was that really how I wanted to live my life?

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, swimming closer.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.” He grinned. “You’ve got that look. The one where I can practically see the gears turning.”

A wave swelled beneath us. I let it carry me toward him. Our bodies bumped together underwater, legs tangling for just a moment before the current pulled us apart.

“Catch me,” I said, and dove under the surface.

I kicked hard, propelling myself through the water, feeling the salt sting my eyes. I surfaced a few yards away, shaking the hair from my face, and found him right behind me.

“Too slow,” I taunted.

“I let you get away.”

“Sure you did.”

He lunged for me. I shrieked, twisting away just in time. The chase was on.

We splashed through the shallows like kids, kicking up spray, laughing until my sides hurt. Every time he got close, I’d dart away. Every time I thought I’d lost him, his hand would close around my ankle or my wrist, pulling me back.

At some point, he caught me. His strong arm wrapped around my waist from behind, lifting me clear of the water. I kicked and squirmed, but he held on, his chest pressed against my back, his breath warm against my ear.

“Gotcha.”

“Cheater.”

“Winner.”

He spun me around to face him, and suddenly we weren’t playing anymore. His hands were on my hips, my palms flat against his chest. I could feel his heart pounding under my fingers, matching the rapid rhythm of my own.

A wave pushed us together. I felt every inch of him against me. The six pack abs. Defined pecs. The solid strength of his thighs. The unmistakable evidence that he was just as affected by this as I was.

His eyes dropped to my mouth.

I knew I should pull away. This was exactly what I’d told him I couldn’t do. I’d asked him to respect the boundaries, to keep things professional, and here I was pressing myself against him like I couldn’t get close enough.

But I couldn’t make myself move. Water dripped from his hair onto my shoulder. I could feel his breath on my face.

“Darcy.” His voice was rough. “Tell me to stop.”

I should. The smart thing would be to put distance between us.

Instead, I rose up on my toes and kissed him.

His arms tightened around me, pulling me closer. I wrapped my legs around his waist to keep from being swept away by the current. Or maybe I just wanted to feel him against me.

His tongue swept into my mouth. I moaned against his lips. My fingers slid into his hair, gripping the wet strands, pulling him deeper into the kiss. He groaned, the sound vibrating through both of us.

We were in public. On a beach. Anyone could see us.

I didn’t care. They’d see a couple doing what couples did.

His hands slid down to my ass and squeezed. I ground against him instinctively. The friction sent sparks shooting through my core. I needed more. Needed to feel his skin against mine, needed him inside me. Screw doing the smart thing. I wanted to be reckless.