skirt slid up her thighs, stopping short of offering a peekaboo glance underneath.
âYouâre just going to sit there and watch?â
âI can close my eyes while you undress if youâre feeling shy. But I canât promise I wonât peek.â
He tried to remember the last time a woman had toyed with him and came up blank. Back home, he might as well have had the word âseriousâ tattooed on his forehead. Women looked at him and saw long-Âterm. And yeah, he liked being that guy, the one Âpeople knew they could count on. When it came to his family, he wouldnât have it any other way. But sometimesâÂlike when he wanted a chance to explore a beautiful blondeâs long legs without worrying about the long-Âterm pictureâÂit was just plain lonely.
âIâm not shy,â he said.
âThen lose the clothes, Brody.â
He pulled his Moore Timber T-Âshirt over his head and tossed it aside. Stealing a glance at his audience, he saw her green eyes widen. She uncrossed her legs, drawing his attention to the smooth skin of her thighs. His gaze traveled up her body, leaving him wondering what lie beneath her silky shirt.
âI hope youâre not shy,â he said, his voice low and wanting, a solid reflection on how he felt. âBecause I want to watch.â
âTempting. But this is your celebration. I think I should stay on the sidelines and play lifeguard.â Her sultry tone left him wondering what she sounded like in bed.
âYouâre worried Iâll need saving?â He released his belt buckle and undid his pants before realizing he needed to remove his boots first. Maybe he would need her to come to his rescue.
âWhat if you push yourself to the point of exhaustion?â
âI know my limits.â And heâd never come anywhere close to them, not on a rescue, or in the bedroom. Seeing the way she stared at himâÂas if the universe would grant her the X-Âray vision to peek beneath his black boxers if she looked long and hardâÂhe wondered: would her limits line up with his? Just how far was she willing to take this game?
âSure you donât want to join me?â He looked her straight in the eye, letting her see how damn much he wanted to get her wet.
âMy underwear isnât exactly appropriate for swimming.â
Show me. Let me decide.
Knowing he was seconds away from demanding that she strip, Brody turned and headed for the pool. He needed to slip into the lukewarm water before he proposed a different kind of celebration.
âBrody, wait.â
He paused, one hand gripping the railing. âChange your mind about playing lifeguard?â he growled.
âThat sign clearly states you need a shower before entering the water.â She nodded to the list posted below the Swim at Your Own Risk warning.
âDo you always follow the rules?â he challenged.
âIâve broken my fair share. When I was younger. These days, I try to do as Iâm told.â
Brody blinked. He barely knew Kat. Still, obedient was the last word that came to mind when he thought about the woman whoâd knocked him over with a suitcase and demanded that he strip by the pool.
But the lust rising up didnât give a damn. The mental image was already lodged in his head. Kat on his bed, her wrists bound, waiting for him to spell out what he wanted . . .
Turning on his heels, he headed for the shower. With one turn of the knob, ice cold water poured out of the showerhead. He moved underneath, biting back a curse as the showerâs spray ran over his mostly naked body. But the need to challenge her words refused to wash away.
Heâd always held back, giving the women heâd dated what they wanted. But heâd never taken. Heâd never issued commands. In bed and out, he put the Âpeople he cared about first. He shouldered other Âpeopleâs