Reckless (Brazen #2)(9)

Her bathing suit lay in a crumpled heap a few feet away, and she gathered it up, pulling the bottoms on before arranging the top around her br**sts.

When she looked up, she saw J.T. staring at her, his mouth working to say something. She smiled and closed the distance between them.

She rose up on tiptoe and brushed her lips across his mouth. She pressed in closer, knowing he’d retreat. He stumbled back a few steps, and then she shoved at his chest.

Already off balance, he tumbled backward into the pool, an expression of shock on his face.

He came up sputtering, a murderous gleam in his eye. Well, it sure beat regret and pity. She’d take his temper over rejection any day of the week.

“Have a nice swim,” she said sweetly. “I’ll see you around.” She turned and strode to the patio doors, his furious shouts echoing in her ears. A tiny grin worked at the corners of her mouth. Off balance. He was best kept off balance and unsuspecting.

She just had to keep him that way.

Chapter Four

Two days. It had been two days since he’d seen Nikki. J.T. had steeled himself, sure that because of his temporary loss of sanity, she’d be even more determined.

Instead, he spent every moment in anticipation of her popping out of nowhere. Only to be utterly disappointed. He snorted. Disappointed? More like relieved.

He was edgy and ill-tempered, and his friends avoided him like a good case of crotch rot.

He missed her. It wasn’t something he wanted to admit, but she consumed his thoughts. She made him feel… He stopped his train of thoughts before they bordered on the ridiculous.

When Nikki had moved back, he could have listed a dozen reasons why getting involved with her was a bad idea. But at the moment, he was struggling to remember even one.

Then he remembered. She’d never settle here. Lucas was right about her being a free spirit. Why would she stay in a town that had done its best to crush that spirit? No, she wasn’t about home and hearth and commitment. Things at his age that he was seriously starting to consider. She was young and on the cusp of unfurling her wings. She’d fly and be beautiful doing it.

He wanted to touch her, her magic, wrap himself around her and lose himself in her vibrancy. He wanted her for himself. Selfishly, he wanted her to shine for him and only him.

J.T. leaned back in his chair and stared up at the stained ceiling. Rain. The air smelled of it. The slightly metallic smell of rain hitting hot pavement lingered in his nostrils. Wishful thinking. Not a drop had fallen. Yet.

And then he heard it. Big fat drops hitting the tin roof of the building. One, two, faster and heavier. It started light but quickly gained momentum. Hallelujah. He wanted to run outside and play like a kid. Thinking of Nikki did that to him. Made him feel young and silly with a bucketful of smiles.

He got up and walked over to the window. He pulled down the slats of the blinds with one finger and peered out. A short distance away, the sun still shone, a stark contrast to the dark, sullen clouds hanging just overhead. It would be a quick cloudburst, unfortunately, but it should cool things off by a few degrees even if it made the humidity more oppressive.

When he turned back toward his desk, his door burst open, and Nikki hurried in, dripping water all over his floor. She shut the door behind her and stood there, staring at him, her big blue eyes bright as her soaked hair clung to her cheeks.

A smile wavered around her lips as she stared at him. “I kinda forgot my umbrella.” Before he could even offer a greeting, she walked to the center of the room and started shedding her clothes. Hell. He wouldn’t have put it past her to have ordered up a rainstorm just so she could walk in here wearing her clothes like a second skin.

Her shirt came off first and landed with a wet plop on the floor. She wasn’t wearing a bra.

“Nikki, stop,” he growled as he hurried over to retrieve her shirt. He wrung it out and tried to arrange it around her naked br**sts. Anything so they wouldn’t tempt him so goddamn much.

She shivered as the wet cloth hit her skin. He swore. How the hell could she be cold in this heat? But sure enough, goose bumps puckered her skin, making her delectable ni**les strain outward.

He glanced around the room in near panic. No way was he going to have a naked woman in his office. Not only would it get his ass fired, but gossip would run through the town like a hog headed for slop.

Making a quick decision, he yanked open the buttons to his shirt and shrugged out of it. By the time he was done, she’d peeled her jeans off and stood completely nude in front of him.

He clenched his teeth and quickly wrapped his shirt around her shoulders. Okay, so it swallowed her, but that was good considering he couldn’t very well shuck his pants and give them to her. He was already dead meat if someone walked in.

Alarmed by that prospect, he started for the door.

“It’s already locked,” she said huskily, a thread of amusement in her voice.

He frowned. Of course the little minx would have thought of that.

“Nikki, you have to go home. I’m working.”

One dark eyebrow rose, and a hint of laughter sparkled in her eyes. “Yes, I can see how busy you are. Want to go play in the rain with me?” Damn if he wasn’t tempted. Then he shook off that insanity and frowned, hoping she’d get the message and hoping she wouldn’t, all in the same thought.

Instead she sashayed up to him, his shirt hanging loosely around her. The lapels parted and her br**sts peeked out, her ni**les playing an erotic game of hide and seek.