This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(65)

He'd spent two decades picking out receivers in a crowd, and he spotted her instantly. His stroke was powerful, and she got so caught up watching the way he churned through the water that she nearly forgot to go under again.

His hand brushed her thigh, then fastened around the skimpy bottom of her bathing suit.

His hand. On her butt. She should have thought further ahead.

He jerked hard on the suit to pull her to him, and the skimpy pair of ties that were holding it on snapped. He clamped his arm around her and pulled her to the surface.

The bottom part of the suit didn't come along.

As it trailed away in the water, she could only wonder how she'd gotten herself into this situation. Was this going to be her reward for doing a little good in the world?

"Are you all right?"

She glimpsed his face just before he started hauling her toward the shore. She'd really scared him. Part of her felt guilty, but she still remembered to cough and gasp for air as he dragged her through the water. At the same time she struggled with her modesty.

He wasn't even breathing heavily, and for a moment she let herself relax against him and enjoy the sensation of his body doing the work for hers. But it was hard to be both relaxed and bare-butt naked. "I—I had a cramp."

"Which leg is it?" His own leg brushed her hip, but he didn't seem to notice anything was missing.

"Stop—stop for a minute, will you?"

He slowed in the water and turned her in his arms without letting her go. She saw that anger had replaced his concern. "You shouldn't have been in the water by yourself. You could have drowned."

"It was… stupid."

"Which leg?"

"My… left. But it's better. I can move it now."

He let go of one arm to reach for her leg.

"No!" she squeaked, afraid of what he'd encounter on the way.

"Is it cramping again?"

"Not… exactly."

"Let's get to shore. I'll look at it there."

"I'm fine now. I can—"

He didn't pay any attention. Instead, he started hauling her toward the beach again.

"Uh, Kevin…" She coughed as she caught a mouthful.

"Keep still, damn it!"

Nice way for a PK to talk, especially to a drowning victim. She did her best to keep her lower half away from his lower half, but he kept sliding against her. Slip sliding… slip sliding… She groaned against a rush of sensation.

His rhythm changed, and she realized he'd touched bottom. She tried to disengage herself. "Let me go. I can walk now."

He swam farther in before he loosened his grip and stood. She dropped her feet.

The water came to her chin, but it was below his shoulders. Wet strands of hair plastered his forehead, and he looked grumpy. "You could be a tad more grateful, you know. I just saved your annoying life."

At least he didn't looked bored any longer. "Thank you."

He still had her arm, and he began moving toward the shore. "Have you ever had a cramp like this before?"

"Never. It took me completely by surprise."

"Why are you dragging your feet?"

"I'm cold. Probably a little shocky. Would you lend me your T-shirt?"

"Sure." He kept heading toward the beach.

She dragged her heels. "Could I have it now, please?"

"Now?" He stopped. The water lapped at her breasts. The red top had pushed them up quite nicely, and his gaze lingered. She noticed that his lashes had formed aggressive little spikes over those sharp green eyes, and she fought a sudden wobbliness in her knees.

"I'd like to put it on before we get out of the water," she said as pleasantly as she could.

He pulled his gaze from her breasts and started moving again. "It'll be easier to get you warm on the beach."

"Stop! Will you just stop!"

He did, but he was looking at her as if she'd sprung a fresh leak in the head.

She took a nibble out of her bottom lip. No good deed went unpunished, and she was going to have to tell him. "I have a slight problem…"

"I'll say. You don't have any sense. That Northwestern diploma you're so proud of should have read 'summa cum loony.'"

"Just give me your T-shirt. Please."

He made no move to take it off. Instead, he grew suspicious. "What kind of problem?"

"I seem to have… I'm really cold. Aren't you cold?"

He waited, that stubborn expression clearly indicating he wasn't going anywhere until she'd 'fessed up. She mustered her dignity. "I seem to have…" She cleared her throat. "Left the bottom half of my swimsuit… on the bottom."

Naturally, the first thing he did was stare straight down into the murky water.

"Stop that!"

As he gazed back up at her, his eyes looked less like jade daggers and more like happy green jelly beans. "How did you do that?"

"I didn't do it. You did. When you rescued me."

"I pulled off your suit?"

"You did."

He grinned. "I've always been damn good with women."

"Never mind. Just give me your stupid T-shirt!"