“What happened?” Jessie asked.
“She started to go under,” Kincade said.
That sobered Jessie up a little. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“For now,” Brock said. His voice was low and growly and sexy as hell. “But what if she slips again?” He jerked his head in Jessie’s direction. “Maybe you’d better hold onto her, too.”
Jessie’s eyes widened as he peered through the bubbles and little waves to see Brock’s large hand resting on my thigh. He didn’t hesitate to take hold of the other one.
“Feeling more secure?” Kincade asked with a gleam in his eye.
I was feeling something, all right. Two hot-as-sin men were on either side of me, both with their hands on my thighs. My legs had parted when I slipped, and now I could feel the water currents caressing the gusset of my swimsuit between my legs.
Brock’s long fingers curled, gripping my leg more firmly, and I squirmed on the seat between them. Technically, no one was doing anything inappropriate. But heat seared my skin every place they touched me. And I was very aware that my legs were spread. I could’ve wiggled out of their grasp to close my legs like a prim and proper young woman—but I didn’t.
Brock shot a lazy look over at Kincade. “Bet you wish you were sitting next to her.”
Kincade cocked an eyebrow. “I’m good. I like the view from here.”
I gasped as his meaning sank in. There were bubbles and all from the various jets, but it didn’t obscure much of anything below the surface.
“I’m a good swimmer,” Kincade said, in a deceptively voice. “Did you know that, Maddie?”
His voice was light—but also somehow hypnotic. There was tension in the air, and I knew he was telling me this for a reason. “I saw how you guys raced across the pool this morning. You’re all very good.”
Kincade nodded. “We are. We swam in high school, you know.”
I nodded. There was something about his tone, about the look in his eyes that let me know something more was going on than mere small talk.
“We trained for it. There are all sorts of techniques. We learned different strokes. Various techniques. And proper breathing methods.” His voice grew more intense for the last two words. “Do you know how long I can hold my breath, Maddie?”
I shook my head as I stared at him.
Kincade leaned forward, staring at me with his deep green eyes. “Two minutes.”
“T-that’s impressive.” It was hard to think while he was staring at me like that.
“One hundred and twenty seconds,” he said. “Do you know anything I could do underwater for a hundred and twenty seconds?”
My body shivered and my thighs clenched—or they tried to. Brock and Jessie still had firm grasps on my legs. “I—I don’t know.”
“Don’t you?” Kincade raised an eyebrow. “I can think of some things. Things that might be easier if your legs were spread farther apart.”
As if on cue, Brock lifted my thigh, pulling it toward him and hooking it over his. Jessie did the same.
My hands flew down to the bench below me. I was afraid I’d slip and go under again. But then Jessie, his hand no longer on my thigh, slipped his arm through mine. “We’ve got you.”
On the other side, Brock did the same. Tentatively, I relaxed my muscles and realized that they did have me. With my legs spread wide and resting over theirs, and their arms hooked through mine, I didn’t need to perch on the seat anymore. They were supporting me.
Kincade’s smirk was knowing. “Two. Long. Minutes,” he said. “Just think about that, Miss Maddie.”
God, it was hard to think about anything else. Brock and Jessie’s arms were pressed against my sides, occasionally brushing against my breasts. My legs were spread wide. And Kincade was leaning forward, taking everything in.
How the hell could something be so hot when we all still had our clothes on? But it was. I was so turned on I couldn’t think straight. My hips rolled involuntarily, and Brock chuckled. “Something wrong, Maddie?”
“N-no. I’m good.”
“Very good,” Jessie said, and he leaned down and planted a light kiss on my temple.
Kincade sat back, and after a while, conversation resumed, but I found it hard to concentrate. Eventually Jessie let go of my arm, and a few minutes later, when I stretched, my thigh slid off of his. A few minutes later, Brock eased my leg off his, giving me a squeeze before letting go.
I didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved. It had been hot, but also weird. The three of them sometimes acted like they shared some kind of hive mind. Or like they could read each other’s minds.
They had to have known that they’d gotten me worked up—yet they didn’t do anything beyond that.
It didn’t make sense.
Except later, after Brock helped me climb out and Jessie handed me a towel, something occurred to me. I didn’t know if I was right or not, but that stuff in the hot tub that had gotten me so turned on… it had kind of felt like a test. Like they were testing my responses and reactions.