Worth It

She tiptoed barefoot to her bag and dug out a plush, oversized beach towel before wrapping it around her and hiding all the best parts.



As I made it up to the dock and shook water from my arms, Felicity blinked wide blue eyes. “Didn’t you bring a towel?”



I shook my head as I hand-wiped most of the moisture off my face. “I always air dry.”



Except, today, a towel would’ve been damn handy, because Felicity’s lips parted as she scoped out my bare chest. Then, as if she were following the path of a single wet droplet, she ran her gaze down, over my abs, and fuck… I silently begged her to stop.



Don’t look down, don’t look down, don’t look—



Shit, she looked down, and her eyes bugged when she saw how closely the wet suction of my swim trunks clung to me...and my raging erection.



Embarrassed out of my ever-loving mind, I rushed out words, not even sure what I was saying. “D-do you want to sit? We should sit. Let’s sit down.”



I plopped my ass onto the dock so fast I think I jarred my cock. With a wince, I bent up a leg, hiding proof of my arousal, even though it was way too late for that kind of modest shit now.



Felicity kept standing a second longer before clearing her throat and slowly lowering herself a good three feet away. Far enough away that she could be sure my dick couldn’t accidentally swing out and whack her in the shin or anything.



I swallowed and looked out over the water, trying to think up something to say, ask her if she was warmer now, how her day had gone, hell, what she thought of the weather. Or maybe I should just come right out and address it. Yes, I had a hard-on. For her. We’d almost kissed; why wouldn’t I be sporting wood. Right?



But yeah, I just couldn’t.



Things had been going so good only a minute ago. I’d had her relaxed and willing in my arms, her lips already puckering for my kiss. Where the hell had all this awkwardness come from?



I wished she’d say something like she usually did to smooth out an uneasy silence. But I think she was as embarrassed as I was and couldn’t talk any more than I could.



Hell, I would’ve welcomed one of her lame jokes right about now.



Wait.



That was it!



“Okay, I have one,” I said, breaking the silence.



She looked over, her blue eyes big with surprise and maybe a little leery anxiety. “One what?”



“Joke,” I said.



She blinked. Then blinked again. Face finally relaxing, she smiled a smile that made everything inside me come to life. Then she spun on her tush until she was facing me. Snuggling deeper into her towel, she announced, “Okay, I’m ready.”



“Okay,” I repeated, and then cleared my throat. “Why does Humpty Dumpty like autumn?”



Her eyebrows furrowed as she frowned thoughtfully. It was so adorable, my fingers itched to reach for her and yank her against me. A second later, she shook her head. “I have no clue. Why?”



“Because he had such a great fall.”



Felicity stared at me without reaction for a full five seconds before she exploded. “What? How is that any less cheesy than the jokes I tell?”



“It’s not,” I admitted. “I think you just dragged me to the tacky side.” Unable to help myself any longer, I reached out. Grasping the back of her neck, I pulled her into me as I leaned forward onto my knees to meet her halfway.



She gasped a split second before my mouth met hers. The taste of her surprise was sweet and addictive.



“Hi,” I said against her lips in between simple, but long closed-mouth kisses.



She grinned back and murmured, “Hi.” Her smile felt so good I had my tongue sliding against hers a breath later. My fingers delicately cupped the sides of her throat as she arched closer and grasped a handful of my hair at the base of my neck.



I groaned and she gave a hungry whimper. When her towel slipped off one shoulder, my greedy fingers reached for all that bare flesh. Down her soft arm, my palm slowed when I realized it was gliding over tiny knots. I pulled back to frown at her skin. “You still have goose bumps.”



“Don’t worry. I’m not cold at all.”



A couple water drops clung to her lashes as she blinked and moved her gaze to my chest. I realized I had goose bumps too, and I wasn’t cold either. In fact, I was burning up.



Still staring at me with a dazed kind of wonder, Felicity puffed out a breath and slowly lifted her hand...toward my chest. I held all the air in my lungs until she made contact, and then I released it with a rush as her soft, hesitant fingers slid up my ribcage and toward my pecs.