Read Online Riley's Pond (New Adult Romance) by Harley Brooks - Free Book Online

diamonds.
    She turned my direction. Dark lashes glistened against pale pink cheeks and full lips still hummed the bewitching tune that stopped my world from spinning. Her wet baby blue T-shirt clung to curves my hands longed to touch and when her delicate fingers braided into her hair, the small silver ring piercing her navel shimmered in the sunlight.
    All the saliva in my mouth evaporated. My name escaped my memory and my swim shorts suddenly felt tight. I’d never seen her before, but knew immediately I didn’t want to go without seeing her again. Every teenage boy’s fantasy—wet and gorgeous. Swimming in my pond.
    What I didn’t realize in this defining increment of time? I faced my future. No clues warned me my summer plans were about to be altered. That I could handle. What I didn’t know, nor could have prepared for, was that in the three short months of summer my entire life would be redefined. I embarked on an unknown journey having the potential to destroy everything I believed, and possibly everyone I cared about, in its wake.
    No, none of this I knew. The only thing I did know…I wanted to jump her bones.

Ten
    TROUBLED WATERS
    Taylor
    Dust clouds billowed and swirled like a mini whirlwind in the ray of gold before me. A high pitched shrill sliced my once peaceful existence. I froze, the water stilling around me.
    What the hell?
    Rocks tumbled behind the crumpled lump rolling to the edge of the pond. I halfway expected some sort of wild animal to crash through the chokecherry bushes, which would have been enough to cause me to faint, but I was taken completely off guard when the dirty bundle of skin untangled itself and stood upright.
    Patches of brown powder clung to the bare chest, trailing over ripped abs and dusting the hair covering sculptured legs. Damn. When he scrubbed his fingers through his hair, possibly sandy blonde on any other occasion, a funny feeling wiggled in my gut.
    His eyes focused shamelessly on my chest and I realized my wafer thin bra did little to hide my body’s obvious reaction to the cool air whipping my wet skin. I crossed my arms and watched his eyes drop to my stomach.
    “Stop staring. Seriously, could you be any more obvious?”
    “Well ex cuuuse me. Shit, it’s not like you’re naked. Get over yourself, already.”
    Okay so my dream god came with attitude and a mouth my grandmother would love to shove a bar of soap in. I knelt below the water line, feeling tiny pebbles painfully press my kneecaps. With my chest sufficiently covered by dark water, I attempted bravery.
    “Who are you anyway?”
    “Why should I tell you? Besides, you’re the stranger here and swimming in my pond.”
    “ Your pond, huh? So you like own this whole forest? I mean, last time I checked this was public land. I didn’t see any ‘no trespassing’ or ‘private property’ signs posted.” He took two steps towards the water. “Maybe you’re trespassing on my property.”
    “Real funny, tough girl.”
    His march into the water sent a small wave rippling my way, swamping over my chin and into my mouth. I coughed the unexpected surge of liquid out of my throat. “Gross! You’re such an ass!” He clamped my shoulders and yanked me to my feet. “Hey! What are you doing?”
    “I don’t want your backwash in my pond.”
    I watched his Adams apple slide several times with his hard swallows. His hands still wrapped my arms and I suddenly became aware my breasts skimmed his bare chest. Even through a T-shirt and a bra, the sensation sent a shudder skittering through me. My toes grabbed the pea gravel as if to keep my body locked to the earth. If I inched any closer I knew a similar sensation pulsated through his body…and he was a boy. Maybe the cold water would keep the obvious from becoming obvious.
    As if reading my mind, he stepped back, but remained in waist deep water. I couldn’t stop the smile twitching the corners of my mouth. “Everything okay?” I smirked.
    “Can we start