Tags:
Suspense,
Romance,
Literature & Fiction,
Contemporary,
Military,
Mystery; Thriller & Suspense,
Contemporary Fiction,
Contemporary Women,
Women's Fiction,
New Adult & College,
Holidays,
Mystery & Suspense
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Her mind filled with visions of Trent driving off, revving his motorcycle and never looking back. Ian leaving for college with a trunk full of clothes and her teenage crush running behind.
She should be back at the hotel, staying far away from Ian, Trent, and all the temptation the coast and the waves and the heat of two men dredged up from the depths. No way could she get involved with a billionaire or his bodyguard. It’d only end in embarrassment. Regret.
The light from the house wavered and footsteps sounded behind her. Too late . Trent crouched next to her and his jeans stretched taut against his thighs. Holly focused on the water.
“I figured you’d have gone to bed by now.”
“I should have.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I wanted to thank Ian for inviting me.”
“Is that all?”
Holly glanced up in time to catch his gaze rake over her body. She bit her lip and the truth slipped out unbidden. “No.”
Trent shifted and found her eyes in the dim light. Damn . With the shadows, the plane of his jaw and the slope of his nose turned him into something…feral. Hungry. A predator. His tongue darted out and licked a slash across his lower lip and Holly’s mouth fell open.
She’d been turned on before, who hadn’t? But never had she been so affected. So…off-balance. He could have pinned her to the stone right there and she’d have let him. She prided herself on being strong. Independent. But one look at Trent and she wanted to surrender. What the hell was wrong with her?
As she opened her mouth to take it all back, a whoop sounded behind them. A streaking blur of naked skin rushed past, flew into the air, and before Holly could get out of the way, water exploded. The wave hit her with a wallop and she shrieked as Ian popped up in the middle of the pool.
Trent cursed beside her and wiped a hand down his dripping face. “What the hell, Ian?”
Ian bobbed up and down in the pool. “Come on in! The water’s perfect.”
Trent frowned. “It’s late.”
“Not that late.” Ian turned to Holly. “Don’t be a downer, Holly. Come swimming.”
Holly wiped off her cheek and shook her head. “I don’t have a suit.”
She could see his grin despite the dark. “Neither do I.”
Oh my God . “You want me to go skinny dipping? With you?”
“Why not?”
She glanced up at Trent. He wasn’t amused. But would he…come too? It was childish and silly, but in that moment she wanted to forget all about being an adult. She wanted to go back into the past when she’d crushed on both of them and pretend. What if?
But something had to happen first. She motioned at the outdoor lights. “Not with all these lights on. No way.”
“Then we’ll turn them off. Trent, would you?”
Holly tugged at the wet hem of her dress and glanced up at Trent. “Are you coming?”
“If you are.”
She turned back to Ian. This was complete insanity. It was like she’d woken up in Midnight Cove and forgotten who she was and why she’d left. Holly bit her lip. Maybe she could have amnesia for a bit longer.
Pulling her toes out of the water, she nodded. “I’m coming.”
“Then so am I.” Trent turned and strode toward the house as Holly stood up.
“Turn around until I’m in the water.”
“Of course.” Ian swam over to the edge of the pool and turned toward the ocean.
Holly waited as the landscaping lights turned off a section at a time. At last, the whole backyard was dark except for the light filtering through the house windows and the occasional flicker of the lighthouse down the coast. They’d never see her. Not that well, anyway.
Trent’s voice sounded out of the darkness and she jumped. He was inches away and she’d never known. “Don’t get cold feet now, Holly.” His voice dropped low and she shivered. “I want you in that pool. Naked.”
She turned toward his voice, but she couldn’t see anyone. Was he waiting for her? Watching? A moment later and she had her answer. Water splashed
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