Her heart shifted in her chest. Ethan was right. Ryder had taken her to his home, and not someplace he rented for the night.

Maybe she was starting to mean more to him than just sex. Great sex.

For something that should’ve been bad, considering her temporarily-in-the-Poconos status, it felt damn good.

She smiled. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

His gaze was friendly and a little bit heated as he unhooked her buckle and brushed her nipples as he slowly removed her vest. “My pleasure.”

The way her nipples pebbled at his touch, it was obvious it was her pleasure, too.

He dropped the vest back into the boat, then ran his finger along her temple and down her jaw before lowering his mouth to hers. It was one of his long, slow, thorough kisses, that stole her breath, melted her bones, made her ache for him.

Breaking the kiss, he stared into her eyes. “I can’t think when my mouth is on you. We’d better save that for later. I want to give you the tour.”

Happy for the promise of later, and for the tour, she smiled. “Lead the way.”

He hoisted her bag on his shoulder, grabbed her hand, then led her out of the boat house and onto the main dock. Standing there, looking up at the house, she lost her breath again.

It was even more magnificent up close.

“You built this too, didn’t you?”

His head turned to her, and a flash of wonder entered his eyes. “How can you tell?”

She smiled at the clueless man. “It’s as unique as your signature or thumbprint. You have a style, Ryder. An incredible style that…speaks to me. I don’t know, I just feel it.” Goosebumps spread down her arm in confirmation. “There’s a strength, a distinctive approach. Your use of lines, and attention to detail, all of it screams you.”

“A guy who’s addicted to pizza and a certain someone’s kisses?” he teased.

Fighting a grin, she nodded. “Exactly.”

He laughed, and the pure sound reignited her goose bumps. “Come on. I’ll show inside. Maybe you can tell what I like for breakfast by the way I designed the kitchen.”

“You’re on.” She already knew what he liked for breakfast, and it wasn’t food.

All through the tour, his playful manner remained. The open-concept first floor had a vaulted ceiling, with those gorgeous windows, and an amazing stone fireplace along one wall. His kitchen was to die for, with state of the art appliances, granite counters, and a huge walk-in pantry. The man had created her dream kitchen.

It was mouthwatering, like him.

Upstairs were three bedrooms and two bathrooms. One bedroom was dedicated for his nephew Tyler. The other, she assumed, would eventually accommodate his niece…once she was walking. Then there was the master. Large. Incredible. It had a king size bed, that made her stomach flutter, another gorgeous stone fireplace, and an equally impressive bathroom. The double sinks and jetted tub were amazing, but the huge stone wall, walk-in shower, with a bench and a big showerhead in the ceiling made her gasp. She forced herself to exit the bathroom before she gave into the urge to strip him naked then and there.

More floor-to-ceiling windows covered the back wall, and when he slid them wide open, it lent new meaning to bringing the outdoors inside. But the best part of the private deck was the… “Hot tub?”

“Yes.” He brushed her jaw with his thumb. “Had it installed yesterday.”

This made her smile widen. She set her hands on his chest and slid them down to rest on his hips. “Just in time for a holiday.”

“We’ll fire it up later,” he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. “What do you say we go for a hike?”

She reeled back. “A hike? Sorry, I only brought these sandals.”

“No problem.” He grinned, leading her back inside where he opened his closet and handed her a shoebox.

But her gaze was still affixed to the massive walk-in closet, big enough to park a car. Hell, it was bigger than her kitchen in her Queen’s apartment. “Okay, this is another reason I’m in love with this room.”

He chuckled and opened the box in her hand. “I guessed your size. Hopefully, they’ll fit.”

She glanced down at the new hiking boots, which of course, were her exact size. “You know my body well enough to make a great guess.”

His gaze heated, but instead of pulling her close, he backed up. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

Sophia stood there, watching him leave, her chest warming with an unknown emotion. It was never more obvious that he wanted to spend time with her, without getting naked. He hadn’t brought her here for a booty call. That realization excited and scared her at the same time.

And as the day turned to evening, and they still hadn’t exchanged more than several heated embraces, she was empowered by the knowledge that he cared about her beyond the bedroom. Although, she was also…extremely turned on.

Dammit.

Enjoying the glass of wine she’d had with the steak he’d grilled, she sat back on the deck and wiggled her now-bare feet. “That was delicious, Ryder.”

He chuckled. “Surprised I can cook?”

“Surprised you knew there was other food besides pizza.”

He pointed at her with his beer bottle. “I discovered that hard truth when I started working at my dad’s diner after school.”

“Ah.” She nodded. “I was roped into the family business as a teen, too.”

He quirked a brow. “What kind of business is your family into?”

“Construction,” she replied, setting her wine on the table. “I still work there fulltime, and do set design on the side. When Phoebe called to ask me to help her out this summer, it was a godsend. I needed the break.”

Not just from work, though. From her mother’s never-ending parade of possible fiancé’s…and Gino. Yeah, she needed a break from them, too, but he didn’t need to know all that.

“You don’t do set design fulltime?” he asked, surprise tipping his head.

“No. I’d like to, but…” She sighed, not really wanting to talk about it.

He frowned and something dark passed through his eyes. “But, what, Sophia? Doesn’t your family support your work? I mean, they must’ve to let you go to design school, right?”

She shrugged. “I think they let me enroll so I’d bring my design skills to the family business. And I like it. I do.”

“But you’re heart lies in set design.”

She lifted her gaze to his, shocked at how well he knew her. “Yes.”

“Then do it,” he urged. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t please everyone.”

“I know.” She nodded, her stomach flopping at the pain she detected in his tone. “I have a possible shot at set design for a major Broadway show,” she confessed. “I have a meeting lined up with them this fall. If I get the job, then my family will hopefully see I can make a living from it.”

He didn’t laugh, or tell her it was foolish. Or a pipedream. Instead, he smiled.

“That’s amazing.” Nothing but admiration and support filled his gaze as he raised his bottle for a toast. “Here’s to you nailing it.”

Grabbing her glass, she clinked it against his bottle. “Amen.”

Now, more than ever, she was vibrating with need for the man. And since she also wanted to lighten the mood, she set her glass on the table and stood.

“So, tell me, Ryder.” She pulled off her dress, and removed the tie from her hair. “If I have my way with you in your boat, what would that be considered? The mile…water club?”

A flash of heat entered his eyes. “Not sure. But I know it would be great.”

“Maybe we should try it.” Laughing, she held his gaze as she walked backward to the end of the deck where she quickly stripped out of her bikini.

After kicking off his sneakers, he rose and began to pull off his clothes as he stalked her. “We’re going to try a lot of things.”

His voice was gruff, and that, combined with his words, sent a shock of heat through her system.

“Last one in the lake takes bottom,” she said, before taking off for the dock.

He could’ve easily overtaken her. Sophia knew this, and didn’t care, because top or bottom, either were the best place to be with Ryder.

She could hear him behind her, but he wasn’t even trying to beat her to the water.

“You don’t need to run,” he told her. “In fact, you should go slow. Yeah, real slow.”

Laughing, she turned around, watching him approach with desire evident in his dark eyes, and an erection jutting out, leading the way. Her whole body tightened at the sight of his magnificence, then pulsed as he held up a foil packet, opened the boathouse door, and tossed the condom inside.

He was such a boy scout. She loved that about him.

Still holding his gaze, she backed up the last few feet to the edge of the dock, with a deliberate bounce in her steps. “How’s that? Better?”

“Mmm…” His eyes smoldered as he stepped closer. “That’s delectable.”

“Then come get some,” she said, stepping off the dock.

The shock of the water stole her breath. It was ninety degrees out and humid. She hadn’t expected the lake to be so cold. But she wasn’t cold for long. Ryder surfaced with her, pulling her close, electrifying all her nerve-endings where their bodies touched.

He tread water with one hand, and cupped her ass with the other. “Now…about that club.”