Slide(Boosted Hearts Book 3)(51)

“‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth,” she said then took a bite of her sandwich.

“You like poetry, huh?”

“Love it.”

Something about that hit him even harder. There were so many layers to the woman in front of him. So many. He wanted to know all of them, but that was for someone else, some other guy.

Her head tilted to the side. “You’re not eating.” She slid a sandwich his way.

“Thanks,” he murmured, his own hunger suddenly gone. But she was watching him and he’d already given away way more than he should have this morning. He’d all but admitted he had feelings for her. She hadn’t pressed, had accepted his refusal to acknowledge it.

Why did that bother him so damn much?

He picked up the ham and cheese, which Lucy had already unwrapped, and forced himself to take a bite.

“How old were you when you camped down here?”

“Fourteen, right up until we were in college, until I dropped out anyway. Then my aunt and uncle moved and so did John.” He shrugged. “We stopped coming.”

“You dropped out?”

“Ah…yeah.” Fuck, why did he have to go and mention that?

“Was your mom as pissed as my brothers?”

There was a small smile on her lips when she said it. The woman had no idea what dangerous waters she’d floated into. Lucy knew his mother died, for fuck’s sake. She just had no idea how, or that even mentioning her fucked him up. No one mentioned her to him, not anymore. Not even Joe or Hugh.

Answer the damn question.

“She didn’t know. I left after she passed away.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize.” Her eyes softened and, shit, just that look made his chest hurt. “I only met your mom a couple times, but I remember she loved you like crazy. I’m sure she would’ve supported you in whatever you wanted to do.”

Lucy was right about that. “Yeah, she would’ve.”

“You know, I can’t imagine you as a kid. I bet you got up to all sorts of things, though. My mom used to say my brothers would turn her hair prematurely gray.”

He chuckled. “Oh yeah, I was a handful. My mom…” He had to clear his throat again. “She worried a lot. She was soft, gentle, you know? Things got to her easily. So I tried my best to behave.” Why the hell was he saying all this? He never talked about his past, his mother’s depression, its effect on their lives. And yet there he was, spilling his guts to Lucy.

“That can’t have been easy.” She smirked. “Behaving, I mean.”

He chuckled. “It wasn’t.”

They were quiet after that, silently eating and looking out at the water, though he couldn’t stop sneaking looks at her. She was even sexy…shit, beautiful, when she ate.

She stood suddenly, and yanked her shirt up and off. “Ready for that swim?” The bra came off next and she dropped it to the ground.

Tearing his eyes off her, he searched the lake’s edge for anyone else. Thankfully, the place was secluded, like it always was. Still, he hated the thought of anyone else seeing her. “Put the bra back on.” His cock throbbed behind his zipper, rejecting the idea of her covering her perfect breasts back up.

“Don’t be such a prude.”

“You’re calling me a prude?”

“Looks that way.” She slid her thumbs down the sides of her shorts, pushed them and her panties down her thighs, and kicked them aside.

The sight of her standing there, naked and fucking beautiful in the sunshine, knocked the wind from his lungs. Christ. He reached for her, but she danced out of reach and sprinted to the water, running out and diving in.

She emerged a few seconds later like a water goddess, wet and glistening. So damn stunning his mouth went dry. He was up and yanking off his shirt and jeans before his mind fully worked out what he was doing. But there was no point fighting it. No fucking way he’d miss this. It didn’t matter that it was wrong, not today, because right then being with Lucy felt so damn right.

He waded out to her and this time she didn’t try to run away. They both knew they were on borrowed time, and instead she moved toward him, the most gorgeous open smile on her face he’d ever seen.

Lucy pressed her slick curves against his front and tilted her head back. “Glad you decided to join me. You made the right decision.” Her hand found his hard cock under the water and she curled her fingers around him, forcing a groan past his lips.

He tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re naked…and wet,” he said by way of explanation.

“Mmm, so are you…and hard as hell.”

“Like I said, you’re naked.” Not that she had any less effect on him fully clothed.