Hands landed on her head, pulling her away. For a second she panicked, worried she’d done something wrong. Then her eyes met Carson’s and the molten heat in those blue depths stole her breath.
“Christ, woman. Do you realize you made a purring sound when you were rubbing on me?”
“I did? Does it bother you?”
He laughed. Then he took her hand and placed it over the bulge between his legs. “Hearin’ you make that sexy noise gets me even more hot and bothered than you touchin’ me.”
Her cheeks went red hot and she slammed her eyes shut. She couldn’t believe she had her hand on his… Why wasn’t she pulling away? Why was she wishing she’d demanded to strip him out of his shirt and his pants?
“Much as I like how you’re rubbing on me, if you keep doin’ it something will come out of there but it won’t be a genie.”
Crude man. Just to be ornery, because he was teasing her, she locked her gaze to his and kept stroking her palm up over the hard length. “Maybe that’s what I want to see.”
Carson curled his hand around her face. “You will. But not tonight.” He ran his thumb back and forth over her cheekbone.
“What?”
“You’d run if you could read my thoughts right now.” He picked up her hand from his crotch and kissed her fingertips. Then he scooted aside and stood. “Now I really need to cool down.” He unhooked his buckle and unzipped his pants.
“Carson. What are you doing?”
“Goin’ swimmin’.” Thud, thud went his boots.
When he yanked off his socks and dropped his pants, she got an eyeful of his erection. And she couldn’t quite force her eyes away from it. She asked, “Do you have swimming trunks?” hoping he said no and that he swam naked.
“Don’t need ’em.” He grinned. “My boxers will do.” He whooped and took off.
She watched him run straight for the water, splashing until he disappeared beneath the surface. And she caught herself counting the seconds until his head bobbed up again.
“Damn, this feels nice.” He dove back under, then resurfaced, playing around like a kid.
Her friend Beverly had described Carson as gruff and quiet. A little cocky. Belligerent and prone to fighting if he’d been drinking. Beverly claimed the only time he smiled and turned on the cowboy charm was when he wanted sex.
That wasn’t the man Carolyn saw at all. Not that they’d been with other people, so she could see if he was reserved in mixed company, but the man she knew was full of mischief and surprises, with a sweet intensity and blatant sexual confidence that drew her in like nothing she’d ever experienced.
“Sugar, you oughta come in. The water is beautiful.”
“I don’t swim, remember?”
He stood. “It’s only up to my waist right here.”
“A person can drown in an inch of bathwater.”
“I’d never let you drown. No horsin’ around or dunking you either. You wouldn’t even have to get your hair wet.”
“I don’t have a swimsuit.”
“The bra and panties you’re wearin’ would be just fine.”
Strip? Right here? With him watching?
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I’m fine on shore.”
“If I come back to shore and walk you in, step by step, will you consider it?”
“No.”
“Oh. I see.”
“What?”
“It’s not the water you’re afraid of as much as takin’ your clothes off in front of me.”
Her mouth dropped open. “That is not it.”
“Prove it. Even if you don’t get in the water. Show me that body you’re hidin’, because I’ll bet it’s amazing.”
“Did you hit your head on a rock when you dove in?”
Carson laughed. “Remember when I said if you took off my shirt, I’d expect the same from you? I’m thinkin’ now’s about as good as time as any. So take it off.”
“Now?”
“Right now. Maybe do a little strip tease.”
“If I could swim I’d run in there and dunk you.”
“Try it.” He flashed his teeth. “Show me whatcha got, ’cause sugar, you know I want it.”
Would she really give in to his goading?
Looked like it.
As she popped the first snap, then the second, she realized he’d moved closer, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off her. A tiny feminine thrill heated her blood. She wanted him to like her body, but she’d never been half naked in front of any man before.
“Keep goin’.”
Once she had the buttons undone all the way down, she was surprised he couldn’t hear the booming of her heart. Another moment of uncertainty had her facing the picnic table when she took the shirt off.
“Turn around.”
She did but she couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Huh-uh. No way am I lettin’ you be ashamed of a body like that. Holy hell, woman. It’s something.”
That bolstered her confidence enough that she lowered the zipper on her skirt. She kicked off her shoes and shoved the clingy fabric down to her ankles. When she stepped out of it, she was tempted to hold it in front of her body as a shield.
“Caro, look at me…and don’t you dare hide yourself behind that skirt.”
How had he known? She lifted her head and heard Beverly’s voice. Throw your shoulders back. Be proud. If I had a bosom like that I’d be flaunting it. So she did just that.