Read Online The Arrangement 10 (Ferro Family) by H.M. Ward - Free Book Online

pleasure of swimming in damn cold water, or in the wintery wonder that’s called holy-fuck-are-you-insane iceberg cold water. You can tell which one it is by the expletives coming from people’s mouths when they wade in. We didn’t get that chance, but it was the latter. Squared. With a penguin on top. Holy fuck.
    The wave washes over us, swallowing Sean and I whole. He doesn’t release me, but I can feel the ocean pulling us back as the wave recedes. Sand rushes by my hands as I try to pull away. Somehow, Sean manages to sit up and hold me in his arms. Seaweed is tangled in my hair and touching my face, and my underpants are mostly sand at this point.
    I’m shivering and yelling, but Sean just laughs. “You’re such an ass!” I beat my fists into his chest and try to get up. Another wave is about to break. Sean’s fingers are locked around my waist.
    When I look up at him, his eyes glitter with mischief, and he shakes his head. “And it’s a lovely ass too, or so I hear.” He grins at me. “Get ready for round two.”
    “You wouldn’t.”
    “I would.” His arms lock around my waist as icy cold water crashes into my back. Screaming, I hold onto him and cling.
    When the water rushes back into the ocean I start laughing again. My hair is dripping ice cubes down my back. I shiver and look at him. Sean rarely looks this happy. It’s like every worry, every pain he’s ever had , was washed away. It makes me want to stay here with him, which is complete crazy talk because it’s freezing. “I think there are icicles in my panties.”
    “Don’t talk about your panties unless you want me to rip them off.”
    I giggle way too much. After I manage to put on a straight face, I lower my voice and speak seriously. “Mr. Ferro.”
    “Miss Stanz.” His eyes lock on mine, but the corners of his mouth twitch like he’s repressing a grin.
    “When did we get so formal?”
    “We didn’t,” he says casually. “You only call me by my proper name when you’re aroused.”
    My face scrunches as my jaw drops. I’m ready to contest it, to deny his accusation to the death, but a wave hits my back and I shriek as I fall into him. I had no idea my voice could hit that note, or that Sean could laugh so much. His warm hands hold me in place on his lap as the sand around us washes back into the ocean with the wave. His hips are half buried.
    My shirt is frozen and stuck to my body. When I breathe it feel s like I’m trying to suck in snow cones, but I gasp because Sean takes my breath away. He always has. My eyes drift to his mouth, to those perfect lips and that beautiful smile. For a second, it feels real. I’m not his hooker. I’m not his friend. I’m not his lover, but I want to be. I want to be anything and everything, so I lean in before he stops smiling and press my mouth to his. The heat, the warmth of his lips, stands in strong contrast to the cold water. When I feel his smile fade, I pull back and watch his eyes. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but it feels like I should find it there.
    However, his gaze is lower. At first I think he’s looking at my chest. He could get a puncture wound, my nipples are so hard. Why does it feel like I crossed a line? Disappointment floods through me until I realize he’s looking at the ring around my neck. It’s under my shirt, plastered to my chest. Another wave washes over us, but Sean manages to pull the ring out before the water rushes away.
    “You’re still wearing it?” He sounds shocked and blinks a few times like the piece of jewelry will disappear if he looks away.
    I shrug, like it doesn’t mean anything. “Just around you.”
    “You’re always around me.” Sean looks up slowly, his face expressionless.
    “Then, I’ll wear it for a while,” I laugh uneasily and press my finger to his nose like he’s a little kid. “Can’t have you forgetting what you missed out on.”
    “No, we wouldn’t want that.” His eyes shift down and he looks side to