Into the Tide (Cottonwood Cove #1)(32)

She whistled from the water and taunted me a little more. “This actually feels so good. Are you coming?”

Jesus. She had no idea how the things she said affected me.

Am I coming? I’d like to.

I had a one-track mind most of the time, and sex had always been at the forefront of my thoughts until recently.

But ever since Lila came back to town, that had definitely changed.

I had my back to her before I turned around and strode toward the water. I made no attempt to hide my erection other than it being dark, but I was fairly certain she could see everything because she went completely quiet, her mouth gaping open as she watched me.

“It’s always better in the water without clothes on, Snow,” I said, as I walked a few steps into the cove and then dove under where I knew the ground dropped off. When I came up, I shoved the hair away from my face and moved to stand in front of her. She was treading water as she was a good foot shorter than me, whereas I was able to just stand with my chest above the water line.

“I agree. This might be my favorite thing I’ve checked off the list so far,” she said, her breaths coming fast as she continued to tread water.

“Yeah, this is hard to beat.” There was only one thing on her list better than skinny dipping, and that was sex. But I wasn’t about to say that. I offered my hand so she could take a break from moving her arms and legs to stay above water, and she took it. But then she lunged forward, and her hands landed on my shoulders.

Her chest brushed mine as her hard nipples grazed my skin. Without warning, my dick must have doubled in size and darted in her direction because she jumped and laughed when the tip of my cock grazed her. I reached beneath her armpits and held her a few inches away from me.

“Jesus, Snow. You can’t be rubbing up against me like that,” I growled, because I was on edge having her this close to me without any clothes on.

Her hands reached back out for my shoulders, and she pulled herself closer again, and I didn’t fight her. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and I didn’t move. Her hands found each side of my face. A halo of light from the moon illuminated around her as her gaze locked with mine.

“Why not, Bear?” she whispered.

“Because you’re playing with fire.” I kept my tone even, though I felt anything but. Her breasts were pressed against my chest, and her pussy sat on my lower belly, taunting my eager dick, who was standing at attention, even in the freezing cold water. I couldn’t fucking think straight. I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anyone or anything—but I knew better.

I would not be Lila James’s first anything.

I wouldn’t take her virginity or her heart.

She was leaving in a few months, and this couldn’t go anywhere.

Not to mention the fact that her brother would fucking kill me.

He’d always been a good friend to me, and he deserved the same in return.

“Maybe I should put playing with fire on the list.” She smiled so wide it made my chest hurt. My hands were hanging down at my sides because I was afraid to touch her.

“Lila, you need to get down. You can check this one off the list. Let’s get out of here and head home.” I leaned forward to urge her down, but instead, she slid herself down my body, rubbing all that sweetness along my throbbing cock, and I nearly came undone right there. Her eyes closed, and she moved back up ever so slowly and moaned.

Motherfucker.

Who’d have thought the most erotic thing I’d ever experience would be my best friend’s little sister rubbing herself against my dick while we stood in the water under the moon, naked as a bear’s ass.

Why the fuck did I think this was a good idea?

“Snow,” I whispered. “We can’t do this.”

“Do you not want me?” she asked, and her eyes opened and locked with mine.

“It’s not that, and you know it.”

She rocked herself down and up again, taking her sweet time and grinding against all of my hardness. “That feels so good, Bear. Why can’t we just let ourselves feel good?”

My hands grasped her hips to hold her still as I hissed. “Fuck.”

I took a minute to catch my breath because the urge to push into her, take her right here, right now, was fucking strong.

“You know why,” I growled, once I got myself under control.

“Because you’re afraid of my brother? Or afraid of your feelings? Which one is it, because I know that you want me, and I obviously want you.”

“I’m not afraid of your brother. I’m afraid of what crossing this line would do to all of us. You’re fucking leaving at the end of the summer, Lila. You’ve never had sex, and you want me to just casually take that from you? Not fucking happening.” I was angry, but I couldn’t seem to push her away or walk out of the water. I just stood there, completely still.

“I’m not suggesting we have sex,” she said, as she slid her hot little body down and up my cock once again. I didn’t stop her this time. Instead, I hissed out a breath at the feel of her against me.

“What are you suggesting?” I asked, and this time, I helped slide her up and down again two more times as she rubbed up against me, and she groaned.

“I’m just suggesting we explore this, because I’ve never felt—this, whatever is happening right now; it hasn’t happened to me before,” she said, and her voice was all breathy and laced with need.