Any Way You Want It (Brand Clan #2)(4)

“Well, no one asked you,” she retorted.

He slanted her a lazy grin.

Looking at his sensual mouth just inches from hers, Zandra wanted to kiss him so badly she ached. When their eyes caught and held, a current of pure sexual awareness sizzled between them.

After a long, supercharged moment, Zandra averted her gaze and gruffly commanded, “I’m serious, Remy. Put me down this instant.”

His dark eyes glinted with mischief. “If you insist.”

And without further ado, he tossed her unceremoniously into the water.

*

Remy Brand had a secret.

Not the kind of secret he’d been sworn to keep in his former life—secrets involving classified intelligence and covert operations in dark, treacherous jungles. Secrets that were matters of national security.

No, this secret was far more personal.

Far more dangerous.

Because while the revelation of this secret might not get him hauled before a military tribunal or put him at the mercy of a ruthless dictator, it could definitely cause some serious damage if it were revealed too soon.

Damage to his longtime friendship with Zandra.

Damage to his ego.

Damage to his heart.

So what was the deep, dark secret he’d been guarding with his life for the past two years?

He was in love with Zandra.

Madly, deeply, hopelessly in love with the woman.

And it was killing him. Killing him.

It was crazy.

He’d survived the most brutal training to gain passage into the elite brotherhood of Navy SEALs. He’d engaged in the most dangerous combat missions in the most dangerous places in the world. He’d experienced the exhilaration and horror of taking lives.

He’d seen the bowels of hell and lived to have nightmares about it.

But nothing—absolutely nothing—could have prepared him for the sweet agony of losing his heart to a woman.

As he watched, Zandra surfaced from the cold water gasping and sputtering indignantly. “I can’t believe you just did that!”

Remy laughed. “You told me to put you down.”

“You know damn well what I meant,” she shrieked, swiping water from her eyes so she could glare at him. “I swear, Remy, you drive me crazy sometimes!”

I know the feeling, he thought, his mouth running dry at the sight of her nipples outlined sharply against the wet fabric of her cover-up. When she arched her neck back to smooth water from her black hair, blood rushed straight to his groin and made his dick throb.

“I don’t know why you have such a hard time accepting no for an answer,” she ranted. “It’s so damn annoying.”

Remy grinned unabashedly. “I got you in the water—mission accomplished.”

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

As she spun away and began wading toward the shore, Remy reached out and caught her around the waist.

“Hey!” she protested as he playfully dragged her backward. Squirming out of his grasp, she turned and shoved ineffectually at his chest with both hands. “Will you stop trying to manhandle me!”

Remy smiled. God, she’s beautiful when she’s all riled up. Hell, she’s beautiful, period.

And that was an understatement. Zandra Kennedy—with her sultry dark eyes, high cheekbones, erotically plump lips and luscious body—was a walking wet dream. With a seductive sway of her hips or the flash of a sexy smile, she could have any man she wanted.

Remy was determined to prove he was the only one she’d ever need.

“Do you know what this reminds me of?” he asked her.

Zandra just crossed her arms and glowered at him, drops of water clinging to her long lashes like diamonds scattered over black velvet.

“It reminds me of the first summer we went to Lake Carroll,” he said quietly. “Do you remember?”

He watched as her expression softened. “Of course I remember,” she murmured. “You taught me how to swim during that trip.”

Remy smiled reminiscently. “You were so scared to get in the water.”

“And you weren’t very sympathetic,” she reminded him. “You called me names and taunted me mercilessly.”

Remy chuckled. “It was reverse psychology. I knew if I made you mad enough, you’d want to prove me wrong by showing that you could learn how to swim.”

“And you were right,” Zandra grudgingly conceded.

“What?” Remy exclaimed, cupping a hand to his ear with an expression of exaggerated shock. “Did I just hear you say that I was right about something?”

She laughed. “Yeah, and that was over twenty years ago!”

Remy guffawed. “Are you suggesting that was the last time I was right about something?”

Her eyes glimmered. “I’m not suggesting it. I’m stating it as fact.”

Without realizing it, they had drifted closer together, nudged by the gentle waves lapping at their bodies.

Beads of water shimmered on Zandra’s skin, and her hair lay in thick, silken strands upon her shoulders. Unable to resist, Remy reached out and twined a wet lock around his finger, watching as Zandra’s lips parted on a soft intake of breath.

As desire coiled in his groin, he murmured, “I’m pretty sure I’ve been right about other things over the years.”