Chapter Eight

Jules could feel Adam’s eyes on her, and it was driving her crazy. She tried to focus on where Aubry floated next to her, her friend’s giant hat shielding her face and chest, and her equally giant sunglasses masking any expression of judgment that she was sure to be leveling at Jules right about now. “Sorry.”

“You keep saying that. I keep not believing you. In fact, I don’t think that word means what you think it means.” She held her hand out, and Jules passed her another beer from the cooler strung between Jules and Adam’s tubes. Aubry took a long drink and sank lower into the hole in the middle of her tube. “But it could be worse.”

“Dear God, was that an actual admission of you having fun doing something outside surrounded by nature?”

Aubry laughed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s entirely possible that some undiscovered-until-now alligator will appear to pick us off one by one.” She seemed to consider. “But if that bastard starts with Grant, I might be okay with my inevitable fate.”

She looked over to where Grant floated near them, surrounded by Kelly, Kelli, and Jessica. They were all former cheerleaders, and all were conveniently single and looking to sink their claws into an up-and-coming lawyer.

That’s not fair. You were panting after Grant for years.

As if he could read her mind, Grant shot her a look over his shoulder and grinned. “Hope you’re having as great a time as I am, Jules.”

She gritted out a smile. “Of course. This is just peachy.”

“Sugar, you’re lying through your teeth.” Adam snagged the line between their tubes and towed her closer to him until they squeaked as they rubbed together.

“Only totally.” She lowered her voice. “The water’s freezing, I’m mostly naked, and now Aubry’s got me thinking about mutant alligators. I used to love this, but for the life of me, I can’t remember why.”

“Is it because of that trio?”

“No.” She let her head drop back to rest on her tube. “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t want anything to do with him, but seeing him makes me crazy.”

It was probably karma kicking her in the lady bits for thinking she could stick it to Grant by doing the same damn thing. She should have taken a page from his book and let him think she had a harem of men stashed away, all ready to drop everything and see to her needs. She laughed at the thought.

“What’s so funny?”

She debated not telling him for half as second, but it was too much. Besides, the brisk breeze had eased them just out of earshot of the rest of their group. “Just picturing if Grant’s and my positions were reversed and I had three gorgeous men hanging on bated breath for my attention. The imaginary look on his face is very satisfying, if you were wondering.”

“I wasn’t.” Adam put his hand on her knee, the contact shockingly warm. “I’m hurt, sugar. You think one of me isn’t man enough for you?”

Jules was suddenly very aware that she was wearing a sad excuse for a swimsuit and that it wouldn’t take but a second to divest her of it if Adam was interested. She went very still, torn between wanting to laugh the whole thing off and wanting to take his hand and slide it higher up her thigh. Her skin felt too tight, her nipples pebbling in a way that had nothing to do with temperature. “Oh, no. You’re great. I mean, uh, yeah.” You can do better than this. “So, about that dirty-talking lesson…”

His hand tightened almost imperceptibly. “You want that lesson now?”

“No time like the present.” It was such a bad idea, but dragging Adam into some of the trees lining the swimming hole was an even worse idea. “How do I start?” She cleared her throat. “Adam, I’d very much like you to stick your bits into my bits.”

Adam laughed, the sound deep and carrying. “Holy shit, sugar.”

“That’s not exactly the reaction I was going for.” She frowned and tried again. “I want your c-co… Dang it, I can’t say it. Why can’t I say it? It’s a freaking male chicken.”

He tilted his sunglasses down so he could shoot her a look over the top of them. “There isn’t a damn thing in common with a male chicken and my cock.”

The way he said it, as if it was just another word, inexplicably made her stomach tighten. And his hand was still on her knee. “Fine. I already said I suck at this. Teach me, Master Adam.”

“Patience, young padawan.” He kneaded the sensitive skin above her knee. “You want to know the trick to dirty talking? It’s to say everything with confidence. You don’t give the other person enough time or space to stop and think and feel awkward about what they’re hearing.” His hand inched higher. “Like right now, I want nothing more than to untie one side of that tiny bikini and touch that pretty pussy of yours, spreading you where only I can see you. I’d tease you, sugar, dragging you closer and closer to orgasm. And them?” He jerked his chin at the rest of their party. “They wouldn’t have a fucking clue.”

Her body felt too hot and too cold, all at the same time. She shifted, pressing her legs together, trapping his hand between them. This is a lesson. He’s not really going to do that…no matter how good of an idea it suddenly sounds like. She could be student to his teacher without begging him to follow through on his example. Really, she could. “Oh.” She took a breath and tried again. “I thought the whole point was that they knew what we were up to.”

“Right now, we’re focusing on the dirty talking. Now, your turn.” His voice deepened. “What would you do to me, sugar?”

I can do this. It was too much to look at him, though, so she leaned back and closed her eyes, the words barely more than a whisper. “After you…make me come…” Her face felt like it was on fire. “It wouldn’t be enough. I’d want to return the favor.” He made an indecipherable sound, but she kept going because if she stopped now, she wasn’t going to start up again. “I’d kiss you. I very much like kissing you, Adam.” She licked her lips, almost able to taste him. “And while I was kissing you, I’d, ah, stroke you.” Maybe this isn’t so bad. His hand made rhythmic circles on her skin, relaxing her further. “I’d slip my hand into your shorts and touch you there.” She could almost imagine doing exactly this, his hard length filling her hand. “I want to see you go wild and know it’s because of me.”

“Sugar—”

But she was on a roll. “I think I’d like to give you head.”

The only warning she got was him standing and his grip tightening and then suddenly her world flipped upside down. Jules shrieked, her face barely an inch from the water, her ass in the air. “Adam!”

He didn’t answer her as he dragged their tubes to the shore and looped the rope around a half-downed tree. He didn’t stop there, though. Adam marched into the trees, not stopping until she could barely hear the faint sounds of their friends talking. Only then did he set her on her feet. She glared. “What the hell?”

“You wanted everyone to know what we’re up to? Now’s the time.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to the front of his swim trunks.

“That’s not…” Her words failed her at the feel of him in her hand, hot and hard through the wet fabric. It felt better than she’d imagined. Take your hand away. This is supposed to be pretend. Take it away right this second. But she didn’t. Instead, she stroked him lightly. “What are we doing?”

His eyes had gone dark again, turning almost black as he backed her against a tree. “I don’t know.” And then his mouth was on hers.

She met him halfway, looping one arm around his neck, the other pinned between their bodies. This wasn’t pretend. This wasn’t even on the same planet as pretend. This is a mistake. But the thought was swept away on a tide of desire unlike any she’d ever experienced before. He untied her top and jerked the fabric down, baring her breasts. He kissed his way down to her chest, sucking on first one nipple and then the other, lashing their sensitive tips with his tongue. “Fuck, sugar, I knew I was in trouble the second I saw you in this goddamn excuse for a bikini. So fucking sexy.” His hands were gripping her hips so tightly, it was as if he thought she’d float away if he let go. “And then you go and start talking filthy at me…I’m not a goddamn saint. You want a scandal? We’re about to create one.”

She tangled her fingers into his hair, holding him against her. “If this is what being scandalized feels like, I’ve been missing out.”

“Damn straight.” He chuckled against her skin. “I’m going to undo your bottoms right now, sugar. The same rules from the other night apply.”

As if she was going to do a single thing to keep him from making her come again. If he could nearly make the top of her head explode while they were both wearing all their clothes, how much better would it be with them naked?

She lifted her hips, a silent invitation he seemed only too happy to accept. Adam met her gaze as he pulled the string loose, letting the fabric slide down her other leg. And then she might as well have been naked. Before reason could reassert why this was a terrible idea, his hand was there between her thighs, a light touch that was more about exploring than domination. He watched her face the entire time as he pushed a single finger into her. The position was almost unbearably intimate, so she closed her eyes, concentrating on the sensations building.

“You like this, don’t you, sugar? You like knowing that you drove me so fucking crazy that I carted you out here like a wild man. Every single one of them knows what I’m doing to you, and I don’t fucking care. All I can think about is sinking into your wet heat and hearing you come for me again.” He pumped his finger in and out of her, slowly, as if savoring every second of it. “I’m going to taste you here, sugar.”

She barely had time to process that, and then he was on his knees, lifting her and spreading her thighs, pinning her between his mouth and the tree behind her. He kissed her center the same way he kissed her mouth—as if he owned every part of her. Maybe she’d be worried about that later. Right now all she could do was hang on and try to keep her cries from echoing through the trees around them.