tiny triangles covering them barely hiding her nipples. The buds he remembered as dusty-brown stood taut against the silky green top, tempting him beyond reason. When had she turned into a seductress?
She’d been hot ten years ago, but now there was an added layer of confidence. Maturity and comfort within her own skin gave Vee an unmistakable aura of assuredness that was mesmerising. He’d seen it at work on others and it certainly worked on him. No one, it seemed, could resist the charm that was Valentine Johnson.
She brought her arms up and crossed them over her chest. “Why are you staring like that?”
Brent swallowed over the lump in his throat. “You know why, Vee.” He flopped back and let the water’s buoyancy keep him afloat. Closing his eyes against the sun, he contemplated how on-display his body’s reaction to her was in this position. If she looked in his direction she wouldn’t miss his hard-on, but he didn’t care. They were past ignoring the attraction between them. And he was past hiding how he felt from her.
A yank on his ankle pulled him under. Unprepared, he sucked in a mouthful of water before he kicked free and came up for air. He hadn’t heard her move, but she’d slipped into the water and delivered a sneak attack. It reminded him of when they were younger and they’d played in the pool for hours. A smile tugged at his lips. Memories of long ago summers, days when Vee and Wade’s parents had been alive, and Brent had just about lived at the Johnsons.
Vee surfaced down in the shallow end. The full length of the pool separated them and he eyed her carefully, debating his retaliation. She’d caught him off guard, but now the element of surprise was gone. For both of them. He’d have to rely on his superior speed and strength to get the better of her. Then again, she moved like a fish in water so being faster might not help him in here. One second he was contemplating his plan and the next he was watching her climb the steps and sprint across the paving towards the stairs.
Damn. She’d surprised him again. He must be getting rusty in his old age. Swimming to the side he hoisted himself out and took off after her, laughter rumbling in his chest. Instead of heading for the house, Vee hit the stairs leading to the lower level. Her only escape from there was the waters of Sydney Harbour, which meant swim or boat. The boat keys were in the house and Vee had never swum in the harbour. He didn’t think she’d start now.
When he reached the bottom, he spotted her lying on one of the sun lounges as if she hadn’t just led him on a merry chase. Slowing to a walk, he took his time reaching her. He bent over her and gripped the edges of her chair on either side of her waist. Lowering his head, Brent placed his mouth next to her ear and blew a stream of air over her skin. She trembled visibly and he couldn’t hold back his smile.
“Still capable of a sneak attack I see.” He dipped his mouth lower and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear. “Do you remember how I used to get payback, Vee? Remember how I’d wait until you least expected it?”
“Y-yes.” Her breath teased his chest and sent a shudder through him.
“You don’t have to worry about that this time,” he said.
“I-I don’t?”
“No. Payback is now.” Before she could think or take a breath he turned his head and slanted his mouth over hers.
He took them deep, pressed into her mouth and stroked his tongue over hers. She moaned and he drew the sound inside. Her hands gripped his head, her fingers twisting in his hair and tugging him closer. Blood rushed in his veins, filled his cock with pounding need, and his senses went into overdrive. Everywhere they touched – and everywhere they didn’t – he burned. His skin felt too tight, stretched over his bones in a layer of blistering sensation that stole his breath.
She tore her mouth from his. “Brent.”
The breathy way his name slipped over her lips sent a
She’d been hot ten years ago, but now there was an added layer of confidence. Maturity and comfort within her own skin gave Vee an unmistakable aura of assuredness that was mesmerising. He’d seen it at work on others and it certainly worked on him. No one, it seemed, could resist the charm that was Valentine Johnson.
She brought her arms up and crossed them over her chest. “Why are you staring like that?”
Brent swallowed over the lump in his throat. “You know why, Vee.” He flopped back and let the water’s buoyancy keep him afloat. Closing his eyes against the sun, he contemplated how on-display his body’s reaction to her was in this position. If she looked in his direction she wouldn’t miss his hard-on, but he didn’t care. They were past ignoring the attraction between them. And he was past hiding how he felt from her.
A yank on his ankle pulled him under. Unprepared, he sucked in a mouthful of water before he kicked free and came up for air. He hadn’t heard her move, but she’d slipped into the water and delivered a sneak attack. It reminded him of when they were younger and they’d played in the pool for hours. A smile tugged at his lips. Memories of long ago summers, days when Vee and Wade’s parents had been alive, and Brent had just about lived at the Johnsons.
Vee surfaced down in the shallow end. The full length of the pool separated them and he eyed her carefully, debating his retaliation. She’d caught him off guard, but now the element of surprise was gone. For both of them. He’d have to rely on his superior speed and strength to get the better of her. Then again, she moved like a fish in water so being faster might not help him in here. One second he was contemplating his plan and the next he was watching her climb the steps and sprint across the paving towards the stairs.
Damn. She’d surprised him again. He must be getting rusty in his old age. Swimming to the side he hoisted himself out and took off after her, laughter rumbling in his chest. Instead of heading for the house, Vee hit the stairs leading to the lower level. Her only escape from there was the waters of Sydney Harbour, which meant swim or boat. The boat keys were in the house and Vee had never swum in the harbour. He didn’t think she’d start now.
When he reached the bottom, he spotted her lying on one of the sun lounges as if she hadn’t just led him on a merry chase. Slowing to a walk, he took his time reaching her. He bent over her and gripped the edges of her chair on either side of her waist. Lowering his head, Brent placed his mouth next to her ear and blew a stream of air over her skin. She trembled visibly and he couldn’t hold back his smile.
“Still capable of a sneak attack I see.” He dipped his mouth lower and brushed his lips over the shell of her ear. “Do you remember how I used to get payback, Vee? Remember how I’d wait until you least expected it?”
“Y-yes.” Her breath teased his chest and sent a shudder through him.
“You don’t have to worry about that this time,” he said.
“I-I don’t?”
“No. Payback is now.” Before she could think or take a breath he turned his head and slanted his mouth over hers.
He took them deep, pressed into her mouth and stroked his tongue over hers. She moaned and he drew the sound inside. Her hands gripped his head, her fingers twisting in his hair and tugging him closer. Blood rushed in his veins, filled his cock with pounding need, and his senses went into overdrive. Everywhere they touched – and everywhere they didn’t – he burned. His skin felt too tight, stretched over his bones in a layer of blistering sensation that stole his breath.
She tore her mouth from his. “Brent.”
The breathy way his name slipped over her lips sent a
Similar Books
