I quickly follow and watch her as I stay on the sand. She teases me every chance she gets by diving in, then standing up and showing off her gorgeous curves.
After fifteen minutes, she finally comes out, water dripping down her chest and legs.
“Have fun out there?” I muse, reaching down to grab her a towel.
“I did, but it would’ve been more fun had you joined me. Maybe someday you’ll get a fancy water prosthesis and swim with me.”
I chuckle at her verbiage. “Don’t hold your breath.”
“Oh, come on. You gotta loosen up a little. You’re more tense than the day your brother almost caught us fooling around.”
And there it is.
When I meet her eyes, there’s a mischievous flicker behind them.
“Surprised it took you this long to bring it up,” I say honestly, sitting on my towel while she lies down on the hot sand instead of laying hers out.
“Honestly, I was hoping you would say something. I can’t be the only one trying to move this relationship forward.”
My eyes widen at her choice of words, and I nearly choke on my tongue when she finally bursts out laughing.
“Your face, oh my God. If you weren’t already sitting, I’d bet my life there was a stick stuck up your ass.”
“You tempt and tease me in ways I’ve never experienced before,” I admit. “It’s been a battle, and I’m struggling with how to deal with it.”
Piper stares intently at me as if she wasn’t expecting the truth. “Then maybe it’s time to stop fighting the inevitable.”
“I wish it were that easy, Piper. There are a lot of variables at play. I can’t be impulsive and not expect to pay the consequences.”
“Are you saying I’m impulsive?”
“Most twenty-one-year-olds are,” I confirm. “I don’t fault you for it. I just have a lot on the line if something goes bad.”
She shrugs casually. “Perhaps you should try it then. Randomly doing things because it seems like a good idea can lead to some great times.”
I don’t respond because my mouth would end up between her legs if I did. I’m already hanging by a thin thread that’s on the verge of snapping, so I keep my mouth shut.
The sound of the waves crashing is so relaxing that Piper’s eyes grow heavy. When she falls asleep, I keep my gaze on our surroundings. I don’t like the disadvantages of being in such an open space if Jack did show up, but I know how badly she needed this today.
“The fireworks are gonna start soon. Do you wanna head in?” she asks when the sky turns red and yellow.
I meet her eyes. “Sure, if that’s what you want.”
“I’m fully baked and might be shaking sand out of every crevice of my body for a week.”
“In that case, maybe you should use the outdoor shower before going in so you don’t get it all over the house.”
“Fine with me.” She grabs her stuff as I pick up the cooler and my gun.
Once we’re at the house, we set our things on the patio table, then head to the stall.
“The water’s gonna be cold,” I warn her before opening the door. “I’ll grab you a clean towel.”
“Wait…you’re gonna leave me here by myself?”
Fuck. I can’t do that. Other than the porch light shining above us, it’s nearly pitch black out here.
“No, of course not. Guess you’ll have to dry off inside.” I shrug. “Let me know when you’re done and—”
“There’s room for two,” she says, moving under the stream. “The cool water actually feels nice on my skin.”
I step in and allow the door to shut behind me. “You sure you aren’t crowded with me here?”
“Well, you do take up a lot of space.” She chuckles, licking her lips as her gaze studies my chest. “But I like it. Makes me feel safe.”
I nod, reassuring her I’m not going anywhere. Piper leans slightly to one side, giving me access to the water, and I quickly rinse the sand off my shoes.
Without warning, Piper removes her bikini top and bottoms, letting them fall on the ground.
“What’re you doing?”
“I had sand in my suit,” she says innocently. “It was itching my skin.”
As soon as she spins around and bares herself to me, I fight every urge to touch and kiss her. This isn’t the only time she’s been naked in front of me, but it’s the first I’ve allowed myself to fully look.
“Like what you see?” she playfully asks.
“Inappropriately so,” I admit.
“When are you going to stop fighting this attraction between us?” She slides her hands down her hair, squeezing out the excess water.
“Until I can no longer control myself around you,” I grit out, wondering if that time is now.
“I’ve tried everything to make you break, but you’re stubborn as hell. You know how many times I’ve had to get myself off since you won’t?”