enough light for her to see that the trickling sound wasn’t coming from the pool, however. The surface of the water was as smooth as blue glass.
A low, harsh groan cut through the hushed night. Harper jumped, air hissing out of her lungs. The sound had come from behind a cedar enclosure just to the left of her. The wall of the enclosure didn’t reach all the way to the stone terrace. Beneath it, she could make out a gray mist and water splashing around a pair of muscular calves. As she watched, the solitary man parted his legs several inches, planting his feet. Another tense groan vibrated the still air.
She didn’t tell herself to move. She was drawn irrevocably. Irrationally. Her heart now drumming furiously in her ears, she rounded the wall. It was a shower enclosure, a place to remove the sand after being on the beach.
Latimer was turned in profile to her, completely unaware of her presence. Steam from the running shower curled around long, muscular legs. Moonlight gleamed on the stretch of his wet, naked back and round buttocks. Water streamed down his shoulders and ridged abdomen. His muscles were pulled so tight, she had the random impression he was about to break from the strain. He stood with one hand bracing himself on the cedar wall, his head bowed forward, eyes clamped tight, his body coiled as tight as a spring.
His other hand fisted his cock.
He was furiously erect, his sex as long, hard, and intimidating looking as the rest of him. He jacked himself with a forcefulness that both shocked and aroused her. Whatever rode him in those tense seconds, whatever desire commanded him, it was a savage, ruthless thing . . . and it pained him.
The realization must have made her make a sound of distress, because his head jerked around. His pumping arm froze. In a split second, his entire focus was yanked entirely from his single-minded search for release, and fastened onto her.
For a lung-burning few seconds, neither of them spoke. Harper wondered numbly if the air itself could catch flame.
“I’m so sorry. I forgot my purse.”
Her lame words had no substance. They seemed to be incinerated to mist in an instant in the silent storm that hovered between them.
Slowly, he released his erection and removed his hand from the wall. He straightened and turned toward her. He stood tall. The moon, stars, and the pool lights dimly illuminated a good portion of his body. She could easily make out his cock springing out from between hard, strong-looking thighs.
“You forget a lot of things. Or maybe you just want to forget.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Do you mean I forgot my purse on purpose?”
“No.”
He took a step toward her. She became aware that her body was vibrating subtly, as if dual forces were doing battle inside her.
What the hell are you doing?
Move.
Get the hell out of here.
But his virility, his power, and his sheer beauty choked her. It chained her to the spot.
“I mean just what I said.” He tilted his head slightly, and she saw the moonlight glint in his eyes. “I mean that you want to forget so many things. I can help you forget, Harper. You can help me forget some things, too. Maybe
that’s
why you came back.”
He held out his hand, beckoning her to him.
Chapter Five
Instead of dipping into the pool after he left Elizabeth on the dock, Jacob walked out onto the beach, naked. He needed something to help him exorcise his brain of Harper, and a tepid pool wouldn’t do the trick. The alpine lake was frigid, as usual. The round rocks interspersed with sand hurt his feet as he waded into the water. He was glad. It kept his focus from settling on anything but his discomfort.
He swam out far past the dock, his brain gratifyingly shocked into numbness by the cold water. By the time he surfaced beneath a midnight dome of stars, he’d warmed from the exercise, however.
He was once again subject to the unruliness of his mind and body.
He treaded water as the memory of Harper’s
A low, harsh groan cut through the hushed night. Harper jumped, air hissing out of her lungs. The sound had come from behind a cedar enclosure just to the left of her. The wall of the enclosure didn’t reach all the way to the stone terrace. Beneath it, she could make out a gray mist and water splashing around a pair of muscular calves. As she watched, the solitary man parted his legs several inches, planting his feet. Another tense groan vibrated the still air.
She didn’t tell herself to move. She was drawn irrevocably. Irrationally. Her heart now drumming furiously in her ears, she rounded the wall. It was a shower enclosure, a place to remove the sand after being on the beach.
Latimer was turned in profile to her, completely unaware of her presence. Steam from the running shower curled around long, muscular legs. Moonlight gleamed on the stretch of his wet, naked back and round buttocks. Water streamed down his shoulders and ridged abdomen. His muscles were pulled so tight, she had the random impression he was about to break from the strain. He stood with one hand bracing himself on the cedar wall, his head bowed forward, eyes clamped tight, his body coiled as tight as a spring.
His other hand fisted his cock.
He was furiously erect, his sex as long, hard, and intimidating looking as the rest of him. He jacked himself with a forcefulness that both shocked and aroused her. Whatever rode him in those tense seconds, whatever desire commanded him, it was a savage, ruthless thing . . . and it pained him.
The realization must have made her make a sound of distress, because his head jerked around. His pumping arm froze. In a split second, his entire focus was yanked entirely from his single-minded search for release, and fastened onto her.
For a lung-burning few seconds, neither of them spoke. Harper wondered numbly if the air itself could catch flame.
“I’m so sorry. I forgot my purse.”
Her lame words had no substance. They seemed to be incinerated to mist in an instant in the silent storm that hovered between them.
Slowly, he released his erection and removed his hand from the wall. He straightened and turned toward her. He stood tall. The moon, stars, and the pool lights dimly illuminated a good portion of his body. She could easily make out his cock springing out from between hard, strong-looking thighs.
“You forget a lot of things. Or maybe you just want to forget.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Do you mean I forgot my purse on purpose?”
“No.”
He took a step toward her. She became aware that her body was vibrating subtly, as if dual forces were doing battle inside her.
What the hell are you doing?
Move.
Get the hell out of here.
But his virility, his power, and his sheer beauty choked her. It chained her to the spot.
“I mean just what I said.” He tilted his head slightly, and she saw the moonlight glint in his eyes. “I mean that you want to forget so many things. I can help you forget, Harper. You can help me forget some things, too. Maybe
that’s
why you came back.”
He held out his hand, beckoning her to him.
Chapter Five
Instead of dipping into the pool after he left Elizabeth on the dock, Jacob walked out onto the beach, naked. He needed something to help him exorcise his brain of Harper, and a tepid pool wouldn’t do the trick. The alpine lake was frigid, as usual. The round rocks interspersed with sand hurt his feet as he waded into the water. He was glad. It kept his focus from settling on anything but his discomfort.
He swam out far past the dock, his brain gratifyingly shocked into numbness by the cold water. By the time he surfaced beneath a midnight dome of stars, he’d warmed from the exercise, however.
He was once again subject to the unruliness of his mind and body.
He treaded water as the memory of Harper’s
Similar Books
