33. Harle
HARLE
I stood at the barbecue on the back deck, stealing glances at Cassidy while I flipped the burgers. The setting sun painted everything in warm gold, including her. She was lounging on the recliner in a pale pink negligee that made my mouth go dry, pretending to read a book. I caught every little peek she sent my way, though she thought she was being subtle.
The sight of her legs, bare and endless, with that negligee riding up just enough to torment me... Christ. Better focus on not burning dinner.
“Hey, Harle?”
“Yeah?” I looked over my shoulder, allowing myself one lingering look. Bad idea. The way she was sprawled on that recliner, all soft curves and mischief in her eyes...
“Why do ducks have feathers?”
The question was so unexpected, I nearly dropped my spatula. “Uh... I don’t know. Why?”
“To cover their butt quacks!”
A snort escaped before I could stop it. “Fuck me, that’s terrible.”
Her laughter, bright and uninhibited, hit me right in the chest. “I know, but it made you laugh.”
“Pure shock value,” I said, unable to keep the grin off my face. “Got any more?”
She sat up straighter, eyes sparkling. “Oh, I’ve got plenty. What do you do when you see a space man?”
I turned back to the barbecue, trying to hide how much I was enjoying this. “No idea. What?”
“Park in it, man!” The triumph in her voice was adorable.
I groaned, shaking my head. “You’re killing me, Cass.”
“Oh, come on! You love it,” she teased, her voice doing that lilting thing that made me want to abandon dinner entirely.
“Love is a strong word.” I flipped the burgers one last time before closing the grill and turned to face her, crossing my arms over my chest. The way her eyes traced the movement didn’t escape my notice.
“What did the fish say when he swam into a wall?”
“Do tell.”
“Dam!”
“Har har.”
She was on a roll now. “Two muffins are sitting in an oven. One turns to the other and says, ‘Wow, it’s really hot in here.’ The other says, ‘Holy shit, a talking muffin!”
Despite myself, I cracked a smile. “Okay, I don’t hate that one.”
“Two guys walk into a bar,” she continued, barely containing her glee. “The third guy ducks.”
“Right. That’s it.”
I moved toward Cassidy, and her eyes widened as she tracked my approach. The moment understanding dawned on her face, she scrambled to escape the recliner, but I was already there. In one smooth motion, I scooped her into my arms.
Her laughter turned into a full-on shriek as she wriggled in my grasp. The negligee rode up dangerously high, but I kept my eyes locked on her face, enjoying every second of her mock outrage.
“Harle! Put me down!” she gasped between fits of giggles, her legs kicking uselessly in the air.
“Not a chance,” I murmured, grinning down at her. She was laughing so hard that tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, her face flushed. Something in my chest constricted at the sight.
“This is kidnapping!” The accusation might have carried more weight if she wasn’t still giggling.
“Nope, it’s justice.” I adjusted my grip, making sure she was secure as I started toward the lake. Her arms instinctively wrapped around my neck, and even though she kept squirming, I felt her holding on tighter.
“Where are you taking me?” The words came out breathless, caught between laughter and anticipation.
“You’ll see soon enough.” I took my time, each step deliberate. The way her body tensed with growing realization was too good to rush.
Her eyes went wide again, and she shook her head frantically, laughter bubbling up even more. “No, no, no! Not the lake!”
“Oh, definitely the lake.” My grin widened as I reached the water’s edge, enjoying every second of her mounting hysteria.
The dogs barked, joining in the commotion, circling around us, as I waded into the cool water. Cassidy’s shrieks became louder, mingled with laughter, her grip around my neck tightening. I savored each step deeper, the water swirling first around my calves, then my knees, the anticipation building with every inch.
“Harle, I swear to god—” The rest of her threat dissolved into a scream as I finally dunked us both into the lake. The water splashed around us, cold and shocking against our sun-warmed skin.
We resurfaced together, Cassidy sputtering and gasping, her hair plastered to her face in wild tangles. The sight of her, all indignant surprise and sparkling eyes, made my heart stutter with something dangerously close to adoration.
“You... are... the absolute worst!” she managed between gasps.
“Yeah, but you can’t say you didn’t deserve it,” I shot back, brushing wet strands of hair from her eyes. Her skin was warm despite the cool water, and she leaned ever so slightly into my touch.
Then she retaliated by sending a wave of water straight at my face, her laughter echoing across the lake.
“Oh, you’re asking for it now.”
I caught her waist underwater, lifting her up and spinning us both in a circle. Her surprised squeal turned into pure, uninhibited joy as we twirled, water droplets catching the late afternoon sun around us.
“Harle! Stop!” she gasped between giggles, her hands gripping my shoulders, fingers pressing into my skin. “You’ll drop me!”
“Never.”
I slowed our spinning but kept her close, our bodies pressed together. The smiled faded from her lips, replaced by a soft intake of breath as our eyes met. The playfulness of the moment shifted, transformed into something heavier, more electric.
For a heartbeat, we just stood there, chest-deep in the lake, staring at each other. I could feel her heart racing against mine, her breath warm on my face. The late sun painted everything in gold, including the water droplets clinging to her eyelashes.
I leaned in slowly, giving her time to pull away if she wanted. But Cassidy’s eyes fluttered closed, her lips parting slightly in anticipation. When our mouths finally met, the kiss was soft, tender.
She tasted like lake water and sunshine. Her hand slid up my chest to curl around my neck, fingers tangling in my wet hair. The simple touch sent electricity down my spine.
I deepened the kiss, pulling her closer until there wasn’t a breath of space between us. Her soft moan vibrated against my lips, and I had to force myself to keep the kiss gentle.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing harder. Cassidy’s eyes remained closed for a moment longer, her lips slightly swollen. As her eyes fluttered open, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“Still think I’m the worst?” I murmured, brushing my thumb across her bottom lip.
She pretended to consider it, even as she pressed closer. “Maybe not the absolute worst,” she conceded, her fingers still playing with the wet hair at my nape. The teasing light was back in her eyes, but there was something softer there too, something that made my pulse leap.
I chuckled, stealing another quick kiss before loosening my grip slightly. “Come on, let’s get out before we turn into prunes.” I glanced toward the deck. “Plus, I think our dinner might be getting cold.”
She pouted slightly, and it took everything in me not to capture that bottom lip between my teeth. I helped her out of the lake, her hand gripping mine tightly as we waded through the water. Her teeth were chattering slightly, body trembling against mine as the evening air hit her wet skin.
“Jesus, you’re freezing.”
She tried to wave it off with a brave smile. “I-It’s fine,” she stammered, wrapping her arms around herself. The wet negligee clung to her like a second skin, making my mouth go dry despite my concern.
Without hesitation, I grabbed my sweater from where I’d hung it on the deck railing earlier. “Here.”
Cassidy looked up at me, water droplets clinging to her lashes. “But won’t you be cold?”
I shook my head, fighting back a smile at her concern. “Nah, I run hot. Put it on before you freeze.”
She took it gratefully, and my breath caught as she peeled off the sodden negligee in one smooth motion. Before I could fully process the sight of her bare skin gleaming in the sunset, she’d slipped my sweater over her head.
Holy hell.
It swamped her smaller frame, hanging off one shoulder and reaching mid-thigh. Her wet hair curled against her neck, and the way the fabric clung to her damp skin... Jesus Christ. It was the hottest thing I’d seen her wear all week, and considering the lingerie I’d bought her, that was saying something.
“Better?”
She nodded, a small smile playing on her lips as she snuggled into the fabric. “Much. Thanks, Harle.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Something primal stirred in my chest at the sight of her in my clothes, looking so damn comfortable and right. The urge to scoop her up again, take her inside, and show her exactly what she was doing to me was almost overwhelming.
But there’d be plenty of time for that later. For now…
“Let’s eat.”
The look she gave me suggested she knew exactly what I was thinking, and from her shy smile, she didn’t mind one bit.