“That you get a peek at me. I saw you, after all.”
“Emmeline, no.”
But she continued as though she hadn’t heard him. “I admit I really only saw your behind. You had turned to place your clothing on the rocks, and I caught sight of your back and your, er, backside.”
“Emmeline.”
“It was a very nice backside. Not that I am much of a judge, but—"
“I will swim to the other side and get out now,” he said.
“If you must, but I am not about to allow the silly rules I ran away from to ruin this lovely day and a swim in this pool. I may never have this chance again.” And she swam away from the rock, passing close enough to him that he felt the push of water away from her feet. And he saw—oh, what he saw. He spotted a long streak of pale skin beneath the dark water. He couldn’t make out body parts, exactly, but he could imagine what was what.
And because he was so busy imagining it, he did not move. He stayed exactly where he was as she swam behind him, not close, keeping her distance, and then back around to pause at the rock in front of him.
Now she was close. He could feel the movement of water where her feet and hands pushed at it to keep her afloat. His gaze remained on a spot just above her head except for the one second, he lowered his gaze to catch a glimpse of her face.
She was smiling at him, bemused. “You have more fortitude than I.”
“Do I?” he asked.
“I peeked and you haven’t.”
“It’s a fight by the second,” he said.
“Then why not give in?” she asked.
His gaze met hers. “Do you want me to look?”
Her blue eyes were clear. “Yes.”
Well, how was he to resist now? The answer was that he could not. His gaze lowered to her nose, her lips, her chin, and then the column of her neck. And then the slow perusal ended because there, at the rim of the water were the orbs of her breasts. They were submerged for the most part, but there was no hiding their roundness and fullness. And just beneath the surface he could see the peach of her nipples.
“Are we even now?” she asked, her voice husky. He forced his eyes back to her face, forced his hand to stay at his side as well. “Can we share the pool in peace?”
“No,” he said. “We can share it, but not in peace. I’m afraid I’m not feeling very peaceful.” He moved toward her, small strokes of his hands and feet bringing him closer to her. She might have swum away, might have ducked under the water or swam off to one side or another, but she stayed where she was until his body slid against hers and those magnificent breasts rubbed against his bare chest.
He groaned. “Emmeline.” His mouth came down on hers at the same time that she gripped his shoulders for balance. He gripped the rock behind her, pushing her gently against it and feeling her nipples, large and growing turgid now, press, impertinent, against him. His tongue slipped inside her mouth, and she opened for him, kissing him back with an abandonment that set alarm bells off in his head.
Alarm bells he ignored because how could he think with her naked body against his? His cock pressed against the soft flesh of her belly, and her legs tangled with his until she finally found the ledge that rose beneath the rock and stood on it. That brought her breasts out of the water, and Stratford, no longer needing to keep her afloat, lowered one hand to cup her.
Christ. They were perfect. His hand couldn’t even fit around the plump flesh, and when he pressed her nipple lightly between two fingers, her head fell back. He had to kiss her then, had to kiss those thick nipples that jutted upward and seemed to beg for his tongue. He ran it along them, took one in his mouth, letting his tongue lave it until she was all but panting and her arms were around his shoulders, her fingers digging into his back.
He lifted his mouth, balanced by his toes on the rock ledge, and looked down at her. If he’d thought her cheeks were pink before, the flush had spread to her entire face, making her eyes even bluer. He filled his hands with her breasts again, kneading them gently. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to see you here, touch you here? God, since that first time I saw you and they’d seemed to grown out of nowhere.”
“It didn’t seem that way to me,” she said. “They grew and grew and pretty soon they were so large I didn’t know what to do with them.”
He kissed her lips. “They’re perfect, and I know what to do with them.”
“Yes,” she agreed. “You’re making me feel...”
“What?” he asked.
“Tingly,” she said. “You’re making me want your hands...everywhere.”
“I want to put my hands everywhere.” He slid them down from her breasts, over her generous hips, and back up to the wonder of those pale orbs. “But do you know where I really want to put my hands?”
“I don’t think I should say.”
He grinned. “Yes, there.” He rubbed his thigh against the curls he felt between her legs. “But first, here.” His hands slid back to her hips and then down and over her bottom. God, he could have come just from touching it. It was so firm and round, and he wanted to see it, bite it, part it and slide his cock...
He took a shaky breath, fighting to find control, even as the decadence that was her body made him all but dizzy with desire.
“Can I touch you?” she asked. And then without waiting for his permission, her hands went from his shoulders down and over his chest. “Where did all these muscles come from?” she asked.
“Fighting, riding, carrying—Emmeline!” He grabbed her hand before it could drift any lower than his belly. “You’re playing with fire.”
“Oh, good,” she said. “I always like to see what happens when I add kindling to a fire.” She wriggled her hand free and slid down further until her hand brushed over his jutting cock. Finding it, she closed over it, her grip tentative. “I didn’t expect it to be so hard,” she said.
“That’s what happens when I’m naked with a goddess.”
Her eyes met his, and he could see in her expression she thought he was mocking her.
“You’re beautiful,” he said before she could try and push the compliment away. “Your body is beautiful.”
He took her hand away from his cock, which was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life and slid his hands back to her hips then down over her belly to the curls at the juncture of her thighs. “Have you ever touched yourself here?” he asked, his fingers delving into the curls until he found the soft flesh there.
She gasped as he made a V with two fingers and stroked her outer lips between them.
“Yes,” she said, not seeming at all embarrassed.
“What about here?” His fingers parted her lips and delved inside, finding her channel and stroking its entrance.
“Yes, but it didn’t feel like this.” The pink from her face had spread to her neck and the top of her chest. He kissed it, dipping his mouth to kiss the valley between her breasts as he moved his fingers slowly in search of her clitoris.
“And what about here? Have you touched here?” he asked, rubbing it gently.
“Yes,” she breathed.
“And did you come?” He bit the top of one of her breasts lightly then licked the spot with his tongue. Biting again until her nipple was in his mouth.