Dinner was cold by the time we got around to eating it, but neither of us cared. Once we were finished, Rhett stood and looked at the rectangular pool beside us, and then out the windows at the massive outdoor pool with waterfalls, fountains, and the rock grotto with its lazy river that went through it.

He looked at me, and then back out the window before stripping off his shirt and tossing it on the chair.

“What exactly are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” He reached for the top button of his jeans.

“Oh my God, you want to skinny-dip in here?”

Rhett shook his head. “Out there.”

My gaze snapped to the pool outside, lit by only a few romantic underwater lights. It looked completely different than it had yesterday, when I’d been frozen in terror on a lounger. And with Rhett there . . . he would never let anything happen to me.

There was also one other consideration. “What about security?”

“You afraid to get caught?”

I probably shouldn’t admit that a wave of heat slammed between my legs, but I didn’t know whether that was due to the idea of getting caught or because of Rhett dropping his jeans and the decadent bulge fighting against his boxer briefs.

I needed that in my mouth.

“You’re not the rule-follower here, Ari. We both know that.”

He was right. I was the rules are flexible, so just bend them to fit your purpose girl.

I reached for the hem of my dress, my thighs squeezing together. I had nothing on under it. Not a single stitch.

“What happened to the follow the rules guy you’ve always been?”

Rhett kicked off the jeans and tucked his thumbs in the waistband of his briefs. “Maybe you’ve been a bad influence on me.”

With a single move, he shoved them down his hips and his cock sprang free. Whatever I was going to say flew right out of my brain as I stared.

I hadn’t had nearly enough time to study it. Touch it. Taste it. I wanted to do all those things right now.

When I took a step forward, Rhett moved toward the slider that led to the outdoor pool. “Show me how daring you are, Red. I want to see it.”

And then he was out the door and in three long strides, diving into the water outside.

I knew Carver and his cohorts were out there. Did I care if they caught a glimpse of me naked? It wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Screw it.

I yanked my dress up and over my head, dropped it on the chair, and raced after him. I didn’t think. I just jumped.

When my body hit the water and my head finally resurfaced, Rhett was right there.

“I knew you would.”

“How?”

He pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Because I know you. It could be fifteen years or fifty, and I’d still know you.”

He ducked underwater and tugged at my ankle before disappearing beneath the waterfall.

Apparently, we were playing hide-and-seek. That was cool because I was good at games. Usually they were logic-based puzzles that other people used to study for things like the LSAT, but I found them entertaining. It didn’t take a genius to realize naked games with Rhett were way more fun, though.

I swam after him, letting the warm waterfall pummel my body as I stroked beneath it. Rhett had his arms spread out along the concrete hiding behind it, and I knew right then what I wanted to do.

With a new boldness charging through me, I looked him in the eye. “What would you say are the odds of us getting caught?”

Interest sparked in his gaze. “No idea. Why, what did you have in mind?”

“Hop out of the water and I’ll show you.”

He raised a brow, and my boldness grew as he pressed both hands to the edge and lifted himself out of the pool. His shoulders, chest, and arms flexed, and a shiver worked through me at the power contained in his body. When he settled on the concrete, his cock rose in front of me. I hadn’t totally figured out the logistics of how to do this, but I knew one thing—I was getting him in my mouth.

When I reached out and wrapped a hand around his thick shaft, Rhett sucked in a breath. “What do you think you’re doing, Ariel?”

“If you call me by my full name, you might never find out what I’m planning.”

He laughed quietly. “But it’s too damn perfect. The turquoise water lit up around you, and that gorgeous mass of red hair floating in the water . . . Sexy as hell, Red.”

“Okay, maybe you get a pass.”

I found the underwater ledge along the side and stood on it, putting me at the perfect angle to hopefully make this a night Rhett wouldn’t soon forget.

When my lips moved closer to the tip, he slid a big hand around the back of my neck. “You gonna suck my cock? Out here in the open where they might see me buried in your throat?”

A shiver worked through me at the thought of getting caught. Why did that make this even hotter?

“Does that bother you?”

“Another guy getting an eyeful of my girl getting me off?” He paused as though to consider. “I might take offense to them seeing your gorgeous naked ass, but your mouth on my cock sure says you’re taken.”

My girl. Taken.

Warmth spread through my veins at the words. I gripped his shaft tightly and wrapped my lips around the head, pulling the first grateful groan from his lips as I sucked.

Rhett’s other hand grasped my soaking wet tresses in a fist, but didn’t tug.

I wanted him to tug. I wanted him to direct me how he liked it when he was close to coming. With that goal in mind, I took him deeper, using my tongue and lips to drag unintelligible words from him as he shifted his hips and I swallowed him deeper.

“Goddamn. That mouth of yours is heaven.”

I took as much as I could, but my hand was still closed around the base. I was going to have to practice to get him to fit all the way. Rhett’s gaze flashed a brilliant green as he gripped my hair, pulling me deeper into the water.

“You want me to show you how to take me? Want me to fuck your face?”

Oh God. Something about those words had me ready to beg for it.

I slid my lips away with a pop and answered. “Show me what you like. I want to know.”

His lips curled up into a sensual smile. “I fucking love that you want to know.” Rhett angled his hips and skimmed the back of two fingers across my chin. “Ready?”

I nodded, taking the head in my mouth again.

“When you feel like it’s too much, swallow.”

Stroke after stroke, he fucked my mouth, getting me used to the length, until he bumped the back of my throat and I fought the urge to gag.

He gave my hair a squeeze and my gaze shot up to his. “Next time, swallow.”

I could do this. I wanted to do this. It became a personal mission.

Rhett slowly worked me up again, and instead of gagging when he hit the point of no return, I swallowed and breathed. He paused to make sure I was okay, and I gave him another nod.

Holy shit, I’m deep throating. I’m officially a sexual rock star. I gave a mental fist pump as Rhett’s features twisted into a mask of pleasure. He might have been trying to hold out, but it didn’t work.

“Fuck, I’m gonna come. You taking it?”

I didn’t pull back, so he let loose, the salty heat bursting into my mouth and down my throat.

As soon as he moved away, footsteps pounded toward us.

“You okay? We heard a noise!” someone called, and I thought it sounded like Carver.

Rhett slid back into the water and used his body to block mine. “We’re all good. Give us five minutes to get back inside, and we’ll be locked down for the night.”

I didn’t need a mirror to know my face was on fire.

“Yes, sir.”

As the footsteps receded, Rhett turned to me. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“And somehow I’m not even sorry about it.” I winked, and he laughed before wrapping his arms around me and dunking us both.