Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40297 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“You finally finish that new scope?” I asked, curious about the next gen tech he’d been developing.
“Yup. And a few other gems. If you’ve got time, I can get one set up for your specs.”
I glanced at my watch and shook my head. “Cecily’s lesson should be wrapping up any minute.”
“Already tossing your brothers aside for a woman,” Racer drawled, shaking his head with mock disappointment.
“Even if one of these assholes looked as good in a swimsuit as Cecily, she’d still be my first choice for company,” I muttered as I headed for the door.
“Good answer,” Kane commented, his approval clear in his tone.
When I got back to the clubhouse pool, the scene was familiar—my brothers shirtless, kids splashing and giggling, old ladies chatting as they watched their little ones. But today, the sight hit me differently.
My brothers moved with easy confidence around Cecily, their attention fixed firmly on their wives and children. Still, an irrational flare of jealousy prickled under my skin again, sharpening the possessive edge I’d barely managed to dull before.
It wasn’t new…it just felt more personal now. I forced myself to walk toward a chair at the edge of the deck, settling in like I was relaxed when I was anything but.
I watched Cecily in the pool, graceful and poised, her hair slicked back, her eyes sparkling as she laughed with the kids. Even at this distance, I couldn’t stop my body from reacting. My pulse quickened, and the need I’d carried all day intensified, making it damn near impossible to focus.
When her lesson finally ended, she climbed out of the water, droplets streaming down her sleek body as she moved. I stood slowly, my eyes tracking every graceful step and the sway of her hips beneath the towel wrapped loosely around her. Her gaze found mine instantly, and she smiled as she walked toward me with confident steps, her expression filled with quiet anticipation.
“I didn’t realize you’d be meeting me out here.” Her cheeks flushed slightly from the water and the intensity of my gaze.
“Didn’t want to wait,” I answered simply, taking her bag from her grasp and slinging it over my shoulder.
She shot me a sideways look, her lips curving faintly. “Impatient?”
“Something like that,” I murmured, my palm finding the warm, damp curve of her lower back as I guided her toward the clubhouse doors.
Inside, I led her to one of the empty clubhouse rooms to shower and change. When she emerged a few minutes later, her hair was slightly damp, and she was dressed comfortably, her skin flushed and warm. I took the bag from her again, placing my hand firmly around her waist as I walked her out toward my SUV.
The drive began quietly, the air between us thick with unspoken tension. I focused on the road, my hands tight on the steering wheel, aware of every small shift of her body in the passenger seat. It took every ounce of discipline I had left to keep my eyes forward.
I knew the moment Cecily realized we weren’t heading toward her parents’ house. Her posture shifted slightly, her head turning toward me. “Where are we going?”
I glanced her way briefly, and my mouth curved into a smirk that held a quiet tease but hid nothing of my intention. “Relax. I’m not kidnapping you.”
Cecily giggled, then cocked her head to the side. She gestured ahead of us as I turned off the road onto the circle drive in front of my home. “Is this your house?”
“Yep.”
She made a small sound—half laugh, half uncertain breath. The silence between us thickened again, stretching taut until every heartbeat felt louder and more intense.
I eased the SUV into a parking spot off the circular area in front of the garage and cut the engine. Neither of us moved right away. It felt like time had paused, and I instinctively knew that Cecily was feeling the same recognition of this moment.
If she took this next step, it wasn’t something she could turn back from. My pulse beat heavily in my chest as I finally turned fully toward her, taking in the flush of her cheeks, the brightness of her eyes, and the subtle rise and fall of her chest.
I reached across the console, my hand gently gripping her jaw as I tilted her face toward mine. Her breath caught, eyes widening as her gaze locked onto mine. My thumb brushed softly along her cheek, feeling her warmth seep beneath my skin.
“You’ve been in my head all damn day,” I murmured, my gaze dropping briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes. “I’m known for my focus, but I couldn’t get you out of it.”
Her lips parted slightly on a soft inhale, her pulse fluttering wildly at her throat. The temptation to lean in and claim her mouth was so fervent it almost snapped my restraint entirely. Instead, I dragged my thumb slowly across her lower lip, testing the softness there. Then I slid my hand slowly down the elegant line of her throat, feeling the quickened beat of her heart beneath my fingertips.