A Perfect Storm(64)

So much more than he could handle in a crowd.

"The others will join us soon." Spencer crouched down in front of her.  Her gaze went to his bare chest, his abs, over his thighs. "I need to  get in the water, honey."

She licked her lips. "You don't want to wait a bit?"

"I would have." He eyed the swell of her breasts above the bra top.  Could a woman be more stacked, more lush? He shook his head. "Seeing you  in that suit changed things."

She touched a hand to his chest hair. "Okay." Concern about the swim  kept her from commenting on his obvious interest. "I guess I'm ready."

He knew he was. More than ready, in fact. Damn, but this wouldn't be easy.

She was nervous enough without his lust, which, considering the setting  and circumstances, was inappropriate in the extreme. Doing his best to  keep his attention on her face and off her body, Spencer said, "How  about I get in first, and you can climb down the ladder next to me?"                       
       
           



       

She lifted a hand to shield her eyes. "You're going to dive in?"

Pausing, he tried to figure the direction of her thoughts, but he just didn't know. He went with the truth. "Probably."

Her small but proud shoulders squared. "Then I will, too."

Before today, he might have tried to talk her around. Not anymore. With  every minute, he better understood her. The will that drove her was the  same will that had allowed her to survive. Her pride was important to  her, so that made it important to him, as well.

Best to just get it over with.

Dread of something was often worse than the actuality. Once she was in  the water, held close to him, she'd be fine. She would realize there was  nothing to fear, not with him nearby.

She would trust him.

Without another word, Spencer nodded, then stood, went to the end of the  dock and dove in. Chris floated on his back, probably to give them  privacy; he paid no attention to Spencer.

Looking up at Arizona there on the edge of the dock, he waited.

At this time of the day, the sun backlit her body, showing off every  shapely curve as she folded her shirt and shorts and put them on a  bench. As if preparing for battle, she came to the edge of the dock and  stood with her feet apart, her arms loose at her sides, her hair  cascading down around her shoulders and over her breasts.

The black two-piece fit her to perfection, and kept his gaze riveted. He  didn't rush her, but neither could he take his eyes off her.

When she heard the others chatting as they walked down toward the dock,  she firmed her mouth, took three quick, deep breaths-and made a clean  dive into the lake.

* * *

"MESS THIS UP, and I'll kill you."

Quin tamped down his defiance in favor of survival. Not for a second did  he doubt the truth of those words. He'd seen evil, plenty of times.

This was something more. "She said she would be there tomorrow."

"She better be."

Knowing he'd done all he could, he licked his lips and tried to still the quaver in his voice. "Where is Joel?"

"Forget Joel. We don't need him."

Please, please don't let Joel be gone for good. "He won't be back?"

"Maybe later, I don't know." He paced, saying almost as an afterthought, "You should be worried about your sister."

That jolted him. "I am. Very worried."

He smiled, and the smile turned into a laugh that quickly faded. He waved a hand. "She's safe."

That sounded like the truth; Quin prayed it was so. But he just didn't  know. From one second to the next, lies mixed with reality, and madness  overshadowed sanity.

His stomach growled and cramped, and he pressed a fist to his guts.

"You're hungry! Of course you are. It's been forever since I've fed  you." Like he would a pet, he rubbed Quin's head. "I've been so excited  with the thought of getting Candy back. She ruined everything, you know?  It was all part of her plan. She's not like the others. She duped  everyone. Probably even you, right?"

Knowing better than to disagree, Quin nodded-and he prayed for the food. He needed his strength to get through this.

His survival depended on it. His sister's well-being depended on it.

Candy … well, she would hopefully fend for herself, because he had nothing more to give.

* * *

THE SECOND ARIZONA'S HEAD cleared the water, Spencer drew her in close,  their bodies touching at the waist, his legs moving to keep them afloat.  "Okay?"

Water spiked her dark lashes and left her hair slicked back to show off  high cheekbones. He could see the fear in her eyes and the resolve to  ignore it.

She gave a jerky nod. "I'm fine."

"You're beautiful. And amazing." He kissed her, soft and quick, feeling  the chill in her full lips. "Sexy." He kissed her again, lingering a  little this time. "Incredible." One more kiss, longer, deeper. "Hot … "

"You're nuts." She snickered while treading water, and her feet bumped against his.

Her laugh felt like the greatest gift ever given to him. "You really are okay?"

"I promise I won't freak out and drown us both."

"I'm glad."

Voices carried as Jackson and Alani walked onto the dock. Trace dove in,  followed by Priss. Molly sat on the end and let her feet dangle. Dare  tossed in a float and then jumped in next to it.

"They actually think this is fun," she whispered, and her fingers dug into his shoulders.

"Let's go over this way." Holding her waist with one hand, Spencer used  his free arm and his legs to move them to the other side of the dock. It  wasn't really private, but it kept her from getting splashed.                       
       
           



       

Someone turned on a radio; conversation and laughter filled the air around them.

Once his feet touched bottom, Spencer stopped. He smoothed back her hair, brushed her cheekbone with his thumb. "Feel good?"

Surprised, Arizona nodded again. "It isn't too bad."

"No?"

"Not with you." She draped her forearms over his shoulders, leaning into him. "Did the others … you know. Ask questions?"

He knew exactly what she meant. "They're concerned for you, that's all."

Her nose touched his chest, and she nuzzled against him. "What did you tell them?"

"That you were the strongest woman I know."

She gave a strangled laugh before she tipped back her head to smile at him. "You know what I mean."

"I do. And that's what I said." Without really meaning to, he let his  hand drop to her behind. "They're not stupid, honey. More than most,  they understand what you went through, and why some things will be  difficult for you."

"I guess." She glanced over at Jackson when he did a cannonball into the  water, making the women screech and Chris laugh. "That's what they  think? That it's just … difficult?"

Actually, they'd recognized more than Arizona did herself. "Like me,  they think you're pretty amazing." He kissed her temple. "I gather you  impressed them with your ability."

She shrugged. "Compared to them-"

"That's not a fair way to judge, and you know it." He waded farther to  the side of the dock, opposite of the boathouse. The others couldn't see  them now, but they had no real privacy, not for what he wanted, what he  needed. "They're in a skill set unlike any I've ever seen."

Arizona looked around at the quiet cove. "Know what I'm thinking?"

"I know what I'm thinking." He softly kissed her neck, her shoulder. If  he could distract her from her nervousness about the water, that'd have  to be good enough.

"I'm thinking that you've helped me conquer a lot of stuff."

If only that were true, maybe he wouldn't feel so damn tortured now. He  caught her face, and, after a hungry kiss, he leaned her back in his  arms. God, he wished he'd been there with her when she'd needed him the  most. But he couldn't give himself too much credit. "You faced all the  hardest battles alone-and that says a lot about you, Arizona."

"Maybe." Tightening her hold, she again tucked her face in close to his neck. "Some stuff, though … it's harder."

"I know, and I'm sorry I wasn't out there with you." He hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry that I walked off and left you alone."

"Because Jackson played around and I panicked?" He felt her smile  against his skin. "Not your doing, Spence. But, hey, thanks for covering  for me with the caveman routine."

No reason to explain that it wasn't all feigned. Though he knew it was  irrational, he didn't like seeing other men touch her. "You liked that,  did you?"

"Yeah, I kind of did." She looked up at him, her gaze too serious, too solemn.