Vivian Arend - High Passion

The young man clasped his fingers around Devon’s wrist and they both pulled, Colin flying up the distance quicker than he could have on his own.

“Nice one. Thanks.” They were over the top and headed down, Alisha already in the water headed toward second station, Becki on her heels.

Like some weird Wipeout setup, Coach Williams had found rollers. From one platform to the next, the only way across was via narrow, padded rollers. Devon planted his hands on the platform and pushed himself up to standing as Alisha reached the three-quarter point of her roller.

It might be evil, but it was a contest. He sprang forward and stepped on the surface, shoving the roller to the right and spinning it. Alisha struggled to keep her balance, then lost the fight, toppling to the side with a wicked splash.

Becki turned from the other side, where she’d stepped on the platform. “Dirty pool, Devon, dirty pool.”

“Teamwork comes in all sorts of styles,” he taunted as Alisha swam back to the starting platform to try again.

The rest of the challenges passed with a great deal of splashing and shouting, and by the time they dragged themselves up on the deck at the far side, Devon hit the bell a half second behind Alisha.

Her brilliant smile was worth losing to see.

Colin lay flat on his back on the pool deck, chest heaving as he gasped for air. Becki stood over him and tsk ed. “So sad to see that young people these days have absolutely no stamina.”

Colin lifted his hand and flipped her the bird.

Becki laughed. She dropped Colin’s towel on his face. “Six for six, brat. Anytime you want a challenge, let me know. I love having new fodder to boast about when I Skype with Mom and Dad.”

Colin shot up onto his elbows. “You wouldn’t . . .”

She grabbed her towel and waved evilly. She nodded at Alisha and Devon. “Nice job. Thanks for the fun. Unfortunately, I have a meeting to get to. I’ll see you later.”

She strolled from the deck, Colin dragging himself upright after she’d vanished. “You won’t tell anyone she beat me, will you?”

Devon held in his amusement. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Alisha nodded. “Of course not. I mean, I’d never boast about that kind of thing, or make an announcement in the middle of the cafeteria or anything, but Becki . . .”

Colin’s eyes widened. “Shit. She totally would, wouldn’t she?”

“Sorry.”

Colin grimaced. “Well, it was fun. We’ll do it again sometime.”

He grabbed his gear and raced from the deck, no doubt in the hopes of cutting off Becki before she broadcast his humiliation. Alisha and Devon waited until he’d left the deck before they let their laughter ring over the water.

“I love family. They’re so cutthroat.” Devon hit the overhead lights to half power before tipping his head toward the hot tub. “Come on, let’s relax before I buy you lunch.”

Alisha sighed contentedly. Slipping into the water was like immersing in liquid relaxation. “God, that feels good.”

“I envy Marcus his hot tub every single day. For that matter, I envy the current SAR class, who can use this every single damn day.” Devon slid lower and rested his head on the pool edge. He’d closed his eyes, and Alisha didn’t fight the urge to look him over closer. To admire his smooth facial features. With the lights dimmed she didn’t need to hide that she was staring. He’d probably had more than enough women tell him he was good looking over the years. While she’d thought he was attractive when they were in school, he’d begun to mature in the past couple of years, the movie-star looks shifting into something she found very attractive. At least that much she’d admit.

“You did well in the challenge.” Devon spoke without opening his eyes, stretching his legs across the small pool they were sharing. His shin bumped hers, and she resisted jerking away. She also stopped herself from rubbing back. Bonus.

“I’d say I did great. Notice we beat you?”

He lifted a hand from the water, water droplets splashing them both. “I meant in terms of being afraid. I didn’t see a thing.”

“It’s a pool, Devon. It’s no big deal.”

He cracked one eye open. “Yeah, well, excuse me for being happy with a little proof. You didn’t see yourself freak down in that cavern when the water covered us.”

His words caused an instant response. No matter that the water surrounding her was hot enough to make her sweat, she had goose bumps.

Devon shot upright. “You shivered.”

Oh hell. “So what?”

He narrowed his gaze. “Does thinking about the water crashing in on you make you nervous?”

Picturing it brought another shudder, but she wasn’t about to apologize. “Come on, Devon. You telling me you can think of being totally covered with water, tied to a wall, and it doesn’t upset you the least little bit? Because I call bullshit.”

He placed one hand on the pool deck to the side of her head and the other on her shoulder. “Hey, I love the water. And tying up people is what I do for a living.”

“Being tied up. Not the same thing.” His gaze burned a path over her, his fingers red-hot on her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

His gaze moved as he trailed his fingers down her arm. “Making sure all your vitals are good.”

Then she was lifted across the short distance separating them and rested in his lap. She barely had time to lift her gaze from the water’s surface to his face before his lips met hers, and she really couldn’t breathe.

He was kissing her. Hot mouth over hers, lips moving with a demand for her to respond. She opened her mouth to protest, and he slipped his tongue past her teeth, and another set of shivers took her, this time for far better reasons than fear.

He was kissing her.

He had one hand wrapped around the back of her neck, his palm wide and warm as he controlled her position. The other hand rested on the hip he’d used to tug her into his lap. His fingers were spread wide over her bare skin, his thumb stroking the edge of her swimsuit.

Under her palms she discovered she was fondling his muscular chest, fingertips exploring him as if she’d been waiting for this opportunity for years. Which she had, but damn . All the casual touches and fully clothed contact hadn’t prepared her for this. She’d found carved living marble, his heartbeat registering hard enough she felt it through her fingertips.

He was kissing her . . .

She leaned into him, slipping her hands around his body and pressing their torsos together. She wasn’t sure which was hotter—the hot tub water or his skin. Not to mention her skin, her breasts, and between her legs. She’d caught on fire and he wasn’t putting out the inferno, but feeding the flames.

And his mouth. God , after one hit she was addicted. Slow and languid caresses, yet commanding enough she couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop. He thrust his fingers into her hair and pulled her head back slightly, stretching her neck. Then he kissed his way to the spot at the base of her throat.

When he put his teeth to her skin she gasped.

And came to her senses.

Alisha jerked upright, dragging her hands from where she’d had her fingernails dug into his back. She straightened, all too aware she was in his lap and he had a hard-on. There was no ignoring it, she was all but sitting on it, the rigid length pressed against her butt cheek.

He held her trapped as she met his gaze, his desire clear in the blue depths.

“What . . . what are you doing?”

It was his turn to take a deep breath, his chest rubbing hers until he slowly released his grasp and she squirmed away. “Do I really need to explain what a kiss is?”