Just What I Needed(25)
I laughed. “No. I was burning up. Who knew modeling is such hard work?”
“It is hot in the boat.”
“Jump in.”
“I only have the top half of my suit on.”
“So? It’s not like your pants won’t dry.”
Trinity seemed to consider it before she shook her head. “I’ve had a great time today, but I’m ready to go.”
Although I was disappointed, the traffic on the lake had quadrupled in the last hour. “No problem. We can head back.” I climbed up the swim ladder onto the swim deck. My hair had come undone during my plunge, so I shook it out.
Trinity watched me closely. “You have better hair than I do.”
“Not true. Feel it. It’s tangled like seaweed.”
Right after she reached out, I snaked my arm around her waist and hauled her against me.
“Eww, you’re all wet with lake water! Let go!”
“Just trying to cool you off since you said you were hot.” I tilted her face up to meet my gaze. “But I don’t think there’s a cure for your hotness, sweetheart.” I started the kiss out slow and teasing.
Trinity grabbed a handful of my hair and one of my ass. She whispered, “Fair’s fair,” against my lips and kicked the kiss up to the “I want you naked” level I was trying to avoid.
Fuck it. I went with it.
Through the fog of lust, I heard a motor gunning close to us—too close. I managed to end the kiss and spun her around, caging her body beneath mine as I latched onto the railing with both hands.
A huge wave hit us. The boat pitched and swayed, but we stayed upright.
Trinity turned and twined her arms around my neck. “Thanks for the quick thinking, Captain. You probably saved us a broken tooth or a broken bone.”
I planted a chaste kiss on her lips. “Aye, these be mighty rough waters, lassie.”
She laughed. “You are so funny.”
“Does that mean you’ll go out with me again?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good. I’d make you walk the plank if you said no.”
She laughed again.
I could become addicted to that sound.
After pulling anchor, I headed straight back to the marina.
She stayed around while I secured the boat and did all the last-minute checks.
I picked up the cooler. “Let me drop this off first and then I’ll walk you to your car.”
Trinity followed me across the floating dock. I carried the cooler to the back of my truck, hoisting it over the side. When I turned around, her hungry gaze progressed up my arm, across my chest and down my other arm.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
“You developed all those big muscles from hard labor, not hard hours at the gym, didn’t you?”
I shrugged and reached for her hand. “Be careful crossing the parking lot. The asphalt is squishy.”
She squared off against me. “You can give my entire body a look so hot that the backs of my knees were sweating, but I can’t do the same? Not fair, Walker.”
I pivoted and pressed her against me, one hand braced in the small of her back, the other curled around the back of her neck. “No offense, sweetheart, but you’re acting as if you’ve never seen a man’s biceps before.”
“I’ve never seen ones like yours,” she retorted.
“You had your hands on them about an hour ago.” I affixed my gaze to hers. “And weren’t you telling me you wanted to sketch my arms?”
“Yes.”
“So didn’t you get an eyeful of them then?”
“No. I became so focused on re-creating the flawless angles of your face that I forgot about your arms. Seeing them flexed and bulgy when you walked in front of me reminded me of their utter perfection.” She nipped my chin. “Buck up and take the compliment.”
“Fine. But I want to see that sketch.”
She glanced away. “When it’s finished.” She ducked under my arm and started for her car, walking backward so she could leer at me. “I’ll text you later, hot pipes.”
“Hot pipes? Seriously, Trinity?”
She smirked. “It’d be funnier if you were a plumber.”
Christ. I was falling for this woman so fast.
“Thanks for a great time today.”
“No good-bye kiss?”
“I specialize in hello kisses. Good-bye kisses are your deal. So next time . . . I expect one that’ll blow my hair back.”
Five
TRINITY
After my date with Walker, I headed to my studio.
I began my sessions in the same way every time, wandering through my work area to take stock of the status of my various projects. Upon seeing the easel with the unfinished painting I’d been stuck on for months, I wondered when I’d have the guts to admit that it wasn’t salvageable. I’d tossed away hundreds of projects that weren’t working, so ditching a concept and starting over normally didn’t bother me.