Acting On Temptation (Temptations) (28 page)

I stood and shimmied out of cutoff jeans shorts and pulled my singlet top over my head.  I placed them both in a pile on my towel and picked my bikini bottoms out of my ass.  Then I walked over to the edge of the water, far away from the other swimmers so as I wasn’t intruding on their day but close enough so that if in the unlikely event I was wrestled in the water by a ten foot croc, they’d see it and could either help me out or raise the alarm.  With that in mind I tentatively dipped a toe in the water. 
Warm.
  With the water being the perfect temperature, there was no need to ease myself, so I dived right in.  I was treading water and taking in my surroundings, enjoying the beauty of it, and even though the other people were making noise and splashing about, I was still savoring the tranquility and peace that shrouded me when I was suddenly gripped on my ankle and dragged under water.  My shriek was muffled because as it was coming out of my mouth, my mouth was going under water.  I lashed out; kicking at what I was certain was a croc.  I connected a few solid whacks before it released me and I shot towards the surface and started swimming in the opposite direction as fast I could at the same time I started yelling incoherent words.  “Calm ya farm, Ace,” I heard laughed from behind me as two solid arms wrapped around my waist.

Petrified beyond belief I kept making the freestyle motion even though I wasn’t moving.

“Croc,” I wheezed in a panic.  “Jackson, there’s a croc.”

“
Rawr
,” he growled and I halted my movement, “I’m the only beast in here you have to worry about.”  He grins cheekily as realization dawns.

“You fucking prick,” I hiss and slap him hard across the top of his arm.  “Let me go.  You’re a jerk.  Do you have any idea how fucking scared I was?  Let.Me.Fucking.Go.
Now!”
I struggle hard, twisting and turning in his arms but he doesn’t budge.  Not even a little.

“Calm down, Ace.  I’d never let anything happen to you.  The only thing you’ve got to worry about from now on is thinking up a shed load of bullshit excuses that you can call upon to protect yourself from me.  I’m your biggest threat baby and from the way I see you react every time I’m near, well, that shows me I’m the scariest thing that’s been in your life in a long time, if ever.  So that’s alright, I’ll take it slow, wear you down, prove to you I’m not who you’ve convinced yourself I am because I know, and you should too, that the end result is gonna be so far past worth it, Ace, it’s gonna be outta this world.”

I was frozen solid from his words and therefore didn’t have a chance to do anything, like say, move (which I told myself is exactly what I would have done had he not just stupefied me with his speech) before his lips brushed against me.  Soft, full, plump.  I felt his bristle rub on my chin and the kiss was over.  A teaser.  An advertisement.   Quick, tender and a clear promise of what was to come.

Before I could blink, he released me and swam away.  I treaded water for a few seconds longer and then high-tailed it from the water with a thumping heart (this I told myself was from the fact I was still worried about the “croc”.  In reality, that was probably only five percent of the reason for the thudding – the other ninety five percent was due to a larrikin, sexy cowboy who had brushed his lips over mine).  I was choosing to ignore the way his lips felt on mine and how much I liked how it felt.  I was also going to ignore the burning sensation that I was feeling in the places that his body had touched mine – which was  practically everywhere, and I was also going to ignore the slickness I felt between my legs – this I was going to blame on the fact that I was in the water.  It had absolutely
nothing
to do with one Jackson whatever-his-last-name-is.

I arrive back in town with enough time to shower and change into my work clothes – the same outfit I had on last night except my shirt is green check with pearly green snap buttons.  I race down to the Coffee House to grab myself a coffee and a pie before I’m due to start my shift.  Ava is on again and we make plans to catch up for a drink in a few weeks when Jules comes to town.  I
love
this place!

Facebook.com/authorkaseymillstead

Twitter: @kaseymillstead

www.authorkaseymillstead.com

Work from Kasey Millstead

Sapphire (Steele Investigations #1)

Emerald (Steele Investigations #2)

~*~

Cowboy
Town (Eden & Jackson)