Real Challenge (Atlanta #2) (28 page)

“Actually, no,” he said, looking almost shy. “I always went by myself. It was a freedom thing. I loved the pool, but there was always that pressure. I would never want the competition any other way, but when I needed a break, I’d head off to some lake or pond and let go. Raw freedom, nature, no pressure, and I still got the weightlessness of the water. It didn’t get any better.”

Cassie looked at Scott with her typical happy grin. “You really never took anyone skinny-dipping before? I almost don’t believe you.”

“No, I’m serious! This was always the one thing just for me. The rest of it was my compulsive need to rise to the top of everything I did.”

“Then this is kind of a big deal…that you brought me here for this.”

“This is a very big deal,” he said with a smile. He took her hand and guided her smoothly in the water directly into his chest. He held her face with both hands and kissed her deeply. He didn’t let her go for a long time. She floated there in front of him, letting herself get lost in the weight of his presence, there in the weightlessness of the water.
 

When he let her go he smiled at her, gently pulled the flower out of her hair, then started the inevitable splash-fight. They laughed, played, and swam for another half hour or so. Finally they walked out of the lake and rested back on the blanket, enjoying the bright sun as the water dried from their bare skin.
 

After they were droplet-free and sunshine-warm, Scott propped himself up on his elbow beside Cassie and looked down at her with a soft smile. He brushed his fingertips down her arm then up her ribs, bringing his hand to rest gently on her breast. She looked at him and sighed softly, pushing herself further into his touch.
 

He slowly fondled her breast, stroking his hand along her soft skin. She watched his face the entire time, while he watched his hand moving on her. He rolled her nipple with his finger and thumb, watching her dark nub tighten. He repeated the gesture with her other breast, watching her body respond to his touch. He leaned down to kiss her nipple gently.
 

“You are so beautiful,” he said as he looked up to meet her eyes. He flattened his hand and moved his palm down her ribs, past her hip, and to her knee. He slowly drew her knee up around him and moved his lips to her neck and breathed kisses over her pulse.

Cassie, completely in awe of their afternoon, reveled in his kisses at that thrumming spot on her neck. Again she imagined the beautiful touch from his lips moving through the rest of her body as he pushed them over her pulse again and again. She allowed herself to relax into his embrace and didn’t try to lead the moment at all. They’d both had turns taking control of their play-time, but she understood from his eyes that this wasn’t play-time at all. He shared a deep part of himself with her in the lake, and this moment took them further into each other than any other connection had yet. She understood this without words and let Scott have her however he wanted her.
 

Scott held her close while he kissed her and allowed his hands to explore and pull her in even tighter. His eyes remained closed as he worked his way over her entire body, frequently stopping to place more kisses over her many pulse points. Cassie’s breathing increased and her heart rate soared as Scott’s movements became heated and more desperate. He moved directly over her and rested himself between her legs.

“Let me have you,” he breathed heavily, searching her eyes. “I need you.”

“Yes,” Cassie whispered with equal need. She understood he wasn’t simply talking about having her body in that moment. He never needed verbal permission for that. That request went deeper, and with the simple
yes
she gave herself to him completely. She gave her heart, her body, her time, and every promise. With the love she had for him,
yes
was the most natural and simple answer to give. Her answer was truth.

Scott eased himself into her and she locked her knees over his hips. He pushed against her, entering her deeper with every stroke. He kept a steady rhythm and let his hot, heavy breath dance along the skin of her neck. Cassie used her arms to pull him in closer, breathing in rhythm with his movements. Her fingers gripped the strong muscles of his back as he brought her ever closer to orgasm.
 

That sweet spot deep in her belly began to tighten and she became lost to the power of his body’s invasion. Her breathing increased, letting soft moans escape with every exhale. He pushed faster against her until she arched up into his chest, nearly at her release.

“Cassie, come for me…”

That was all she needed to shatter: his words, his body, and his desire to have her completely. Every part of him got her to the edge, and she happily fell into the abyss with him. She realized she loved Scott even more than she wanted to admit to herself. He was hers only, and she was his.
 

After she fell apart below him, his pace increased desperately until he reached his own release. He breathed and nearly grunted as he emptied into her. “Cassie…”
 

He lifted her head from the blanket and cradled her to his neck. He lifted himself up just far enough to draw her lips into a strong, intense kiss. When he finally let her go, he rested her head back down to the blanket and looked strongly into her eyes. “I love you, Cassie.”

Cassie smiled at the look on his face that accompanied those beautiful words. His eyes demonstrated the truth of his confession. “I love you, too.”

He let the sweetness of the moment last through soft kisses and gentle smiles. After the intimate connection, he needed that time in her eyes, but he couldn’t let things stay too sweet for very long. That wasn’t their style. With an ornery grin, he said, “I win. I said it first.”

Cassie giggled and playfully punched his shoulder from her position under him. “Yeah, but I
felt
it first.”

“What? No way.”

They spent the next few minutes smiling and adorably arguing over who loved who more, who loved who first, and who actually got credit for starting the relationship at all. Each claimed victory on all counts.

“Take one more swim with me?” he asked.
 

“I can’t say no to that,” she grinned.

They raced to the water while Cassie yelled at him for starting the race before she knew they even had a race. “I told you! You are such a cheater!”

“No I’m not,” he grinned arrogantly from the water. “I’m just that good.”

“Oh, please,” Cassie said with an over-exaggerated eye roll, gliding through the lake toward him.

She got in the water and splashed him again. The water fight reached new heights and the two were laughing hysterically and squealing. At one point Scott lunged at her and dunked her head under the water. Cassie retaliated by jumping on his back, trying for revenge. He didn’t even flinch. He dove right under the water, taking her with him.
 

Both were spluttering and laughing when they surfaced. Scott pulled her right up against him again and kissed her hard while she was still laughing. Almost immediately she forgot the game. His kiss was too strong to focus on anything but him. Still smiling, but now with lust, she wrapped herself around him in the water, feeling his arousal hard against her.

The heavy breathing from their laughter took on an entirely new purpose as he kissed and groped along her body, still smiling from their fun in spite of his desperate need to have her again. He carried her straight out of the water and over to their blanket. He pushed her down again and gripped her hair tight at the base of her head.
 

“Cassie, you get me so damn hot…”

He pushed himself into her and kept driving her higher with both his body and his words. “I love you,” he rasped. “Your perfect body…you’re so damn fun…God…”

He moved faster and harder, claiming her completely. All she could do was take it from him. He had her pinned and unable to move, both from his body pushing down and from his fistful of her hair. She closed her eyes and let him
take
her. In every way.
 

“You’re mine, Cassie…oh, fuck…” Scott was more intense with her than he had ever been. He pushed and gripped and nearly bit at her neck while he let all of his need pound into her.

She called to him like he needed her to. Loudly she moaned, “Scott…I love you…”

He pulsed strongly inside her for a few more strong thrusts before he called out her name through his orgasm. He pushed against her still, bringing her far enough along with him to implode under him yet again. She moaned loudly from deep in her chest, the sound declaring her passion as solidly as her words had.

Scott eased his grip on her hair and rested nearly all of his weight on her, burying his face in her neck. “God, Cassie, I don’t even understand what you do to me…”

She held him tight. “You don’t have to understand. You just have to
be
.”

He squeezed her tighter and kissed her again, this time slow and deep and full of emotion. He looked at her softly and smiled. “When I’m with you, that’s when I think I understand.”

He rested beside her and once again let the sun dry the water from their skin. They held hands on the blanket and rested for a short while before Scott suggested they get back to the car. Cassie agreed and helped him pack up after they got dressed.

“Hey, Scott? Can you get a picture of the lake for me with your phone?”

“Good idea,” he grinned. “But I want you in the shot. Damn it…we should have done this while you were still naked.”

Cassie laughed and posed on her tip-toes with both hands up in the air. Her bright eyes and genuine smile stood out beautifully against the serene mountains and clear water.
 

“Perfect,” he smiled as he showed her the picture. He slung the backpack on his shoulders and pulled the gps from the side pocket. He led them straight back to his SUV and helped Cassie into the passenger side after another loving kiss.
 

“Thanks for letting me surprise you today. What do you think Jenna did with your car?”

“Whatever it is, this was totally worth it,” she smiled.

Chapter Fifteen

Monday morning, after a soul-expanding weekend, Cassie found herself completely in awe of Scott. So much of him was hers. The surprise in the mountains was just as endearing as his tolerance of thrifting a few weeks earlier. She knew he didn’t like to shop, but
he
suggested the trip for her table.
 

And still nothing compared to his loving compassion when her dad called. He took amazing care of her, straight down to calling her brother. Some guys would have tried to handle things they didn’t know how to handle. Scott made the call for Cassie, and for her only. His ego didn’t get involved.
 

As for his own issues, he stopped talking about work as much, and no longer seemed stressed when she saw him during the week. She wasn’t completely sure how his job was going, but he talked about swimming often. She took that as a sign he was figuring things out, that he understood where his true passion was.
 

She was almost waiting for him to make the grand announcement that he was quitting his job at the firm to work full time at Georgia Tech as a coach and instructor. With his management skill, swimming knowledge, and personal experience, he could probably run the whole program. Cassie thrilled at the thought. He would be living in his own perfect world all the time. She could only imagine him being so happy, and she wanted that for him desperately.

In fact, she was so inspired by him that she did something she swore she’d never do. She finished her shift at the clinic and dragged Jenna to a tattoo parlor after work. She wanted a tribute to Scott on her body forever. She was certain they would last as a couple, but even if they didn’t, he had been the first person to truly love her just for her.
 

He took care of her and still managed to give her as much attitude as she gave him. He was loving and just plain fun. Scott opened her up to more joy than she realized she was capable of. He deserved a place on her body. After all, he was practically tattooed on her already. She wanted to see him there all the time. She also wanted
him
to see, to know how much he had branded her with his very being.
 

“I can’t believe you’re getting a tattoo,” Jenna said to her incredulously. “Are you sure about this?”

“Come on, I’m always sure about everything. Plus, he’s not just some guy,” Cassie responded with a smile.

“That’s very true. I guess I can’t argue with that…but am I supposed to talk sense into you, or am I here for fun?”

“Definitely for fun,” Cassie said with a huge smile.

They walked into a clean, respectable-looking shop and Cassie walked right up to the artist in residence. “Hi, I’d like a small tattoo. I know exactly what I want and exactly where I want it. Do you have time now?”

“Yep. You have a drawing?”

“No, but I can describe it easily. It’s nothing complicated.”

“Ok, lay it on me,” the heavily inked man answered.
 

Cassie described exactly what she was thinking and he sketched it out for her.
 

“Perfect. Right here, please.” She pointed to a spot on her left hip at the side of her lower back. “I only want it about an inch wide. Can you do that?”

“Hey, you pick it, I stick it. Piece of cake.”

“How long until it heals?”

He handed her a paper on the proper care of her skin after the artwork is done.
 

“Three weeks? Yikes. But that’s ok. Let’s do this.”

Jenna held her hand while Cassie got her skin punctured repeatedly by the needle. “You’re nuts,” she said more than once while Cassie cringed.

Cassie let the artist spread ointment on her skin and bandage the spot after he was done.

She paid him for the service and headed out, her skin tingling over her hip. She hoped the picture would at least look decent by Friday when she saw Scott. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw her new ink. She just hoped he would like the design and appreciate the meaning behind it.