“I’ve never even heard of this place and I’ve lived near it all my life.”

  Me too. Had it not been for Meg I probably still wouldn’t know about it. Uncle Miles brought her here on their first anniversary and now it was a place they visited often. It held many memories for the two of them, and I’ll just leave it at that. My hell there are just some things a guy doesn’t ever need to know about his parents.

  I shivered at the thought.

  Cat looked out in awe at the water and I reached out to take her hand in mine. “Thought we could have a picnic here.”

  She smiled knowingly and moved in closer. “This was your aunt, wasn’t it?”

  I’d filled her in on Meg. Pushy, yet so very involved.

  “She is just making sure I don’t fail with landing the girl.” I leaned in closer and kissed her cheek.

  “Want me to let you in on a big secret?” I nodded, feeling so fucking relaxed it was crazy. “You are definitely not failing.”

  I’d always imagined dating to be a hassle. A guy doing his very best to impress a girl. Making sure he said all the right things, went to all the right places. It was something I never wanted to mess with. It honestly just felt like too much trouble.

  But with Cat it felt almost natural, effortless even. She was so easy to please, brought absolutely no drama with her, and the way the littlest things made her smile was such a reward.

  “Are there strawberries and grapes inside that basket of yours?” It was adorable how she arched her brow in question. Her lips pursed in the sweetest way. It took great effort not to kiss those lips every second. My new favorite thing was feeling her lips pressed to mine.

  “Strawberries, grapes, and blueberries,” I confessed and watch her face light up. “A bottle of wine.” Hated the fucking stuff but Aunt Meg said girls love the shit, so I would suffer through it. “There is also cheese, crackers, and some dessert that she tossed in too.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  This shit wasn’t me, or it never had been…until now.

  “Over there, maybe.” I pointed toward the small flat patch nearby. “Looks like a good space.” She nodded in agreement and we walked over, hand in hand.

  After our blanket was placed on the ground and we were both seated, I opened the basket; we begin talking as if we’d been doing it forever.

  “You better eat up,” I told her as I laid out the food. “We have a one o’clock tube off time.”

  I watched out of the corner of my eye as she froze, a strawberry mere inches from her lips. “Tube off time?”

  “Yep.” I popped a grape into my mouth and began chewing.

  “What exactly is that?”

  “Tubing down the Santa Fe River.”

  I lifted another grape out of the container, this time tossing it into the air before catching it in my mouth.

  “But I didn’t bring a suit.”

  “There is one in that bag over there.” I pointed toward the bag sitting next to the picnic basket. “I asked Morgan to pick you one up. There is a towel too.”

  “You’ve thought of everything.” By her voice alone I couldn’t decide if she was happy with the plans or irritated. But the moment I saw her face I knew she was excited. “Never been tubing before.”

  “Glad I can be the one to take you on your first adventure.”

  An hour and twelve minutes later we were entering the river at Devil’s Spring, each of us carrying a tube in our hands. I’ll admit all I was able to focus on was Cat in her tiny little bikini. I decided I needed to buy Morgan a thank you gift because I thought she picked out this skimpy little number just for me to enjoy. A few strings holding together a few tiny pieces of material. I was fucking lusting over the idea of what lay beneath. The problem was there were plenty of other guys around noticing the same thing.

  I was thankful when we were finally lounging back in our tubes because at least the majority of her body was hidden.

  “You hold this one, and I’ll hold on to yours.” I pointed toward the handles on the sides. “I don’t want you getting away from me.”

  Side by side we floated down the river and laughed as we talked about the guys, the past pranks we’d played, and how many of them I was responsible for.

  “See, I knew I picked the right team,” she said with a smile. And because I couldn’t help myself I spun the tube enough to bring myself closer and arched my neck, gaining a kiss I’d been craving since the moment she walked out of the changing room wearing that pink bikini.

  I might have made the kiss a little extra long, staking my claim so the roaming eyes of the other men around us knew she was mine too.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Catherine

  It was peaceful out there, just the laughter of those around us mixed with the sounds of the water flowing as we floated along. I’d never done anything like this before.

  “What is your major?” I opened my eyes and looked to my left to find Eli watching me. “What exactly do you want to be when you grow up, Cat?”

  “Broadcast journalist.” I saw the surprise in his eyes. “But I’m also almost minoring in creative writing. I love telling stories, whether it be through broadcast or by sitting down creating a world inside my own mind. Then taking that world and sharing it with others. I’ve played around in the writing field for as long as I can remember.”

  My father was the only one to support that dream. He used to sit back when I was younger and listen to me read the stories I’d written in school. He would help me enhance them and create so much more depth. It was something else I shared with him that I would always hold dear. Those memories were my treasures.

  Elijah wasn’t who I thought he was, that cocky guy from our first introduction at Porter’s. Okay, so I don’t know if cocky was the right word—overly confident maybe. At work I was nervous I would mess something up and be fired, forcing me to once again search for a job and send Carl on yet another rampage. In walked Mr. Smooth, or so I thought. He threw up line after line, flirted and watched me closely, which only enhanced that nervous feeling inside.

  Now I had met a different version. Sweet and kind, and I realized those features were so much better. He still held that confidence, but it was tamed by the need to impress me.

  He was. Impressing me I mean.

  This was the perfect day.

  “Tell me you actually have a back up plan, in case the football thing doesn’t work out.” He arched a brow at me making me laugh.

  “Football thing?”

  Suddenly I felt embarrassed referring to it as such.

  “Football isn’t my life long goal, no. I’m actually interested in Sports Medicine.”

  “I bet the coaches and scouts are highly disappointed to hear that.” Come on, the guy was huge and there was no way in hell I’d willingly step on a field with him knowing he could demolish me.

  “They’d rather see me move forward with football, but understand that I’d rather be behind the scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I love football; it’s just not my life.”

  A girl squealing followed by a round of laughter gained our attention and we watched up ahead as a couple tormented one another, their legs hooked together by each having their feet in the other’s tube. The guy continued to splash the water with his hand, throwing water up on the girl. She in turn kicked at him, trying to break free.

  “That looks like fun.” I look over to find Elijah eyeing me with mischief in his eyes.

  “Don’t you dare,” I warned as I was already looking for ways to break free and gain some distance. He chuckled at my frantic search for safety and pulled me in closer.

  “The only way I won’t splash you is if you give me another one of those sweet kisses.”

  I had to admit, they were pretty sweet, but it was definitely more him than me. I’ve never kissed a guy who put so much effort into making them memorable. Each kiss, even the quick ones, were toe curling.

  “You drive a hard bargain, mister, but I’ll take the deal.”

  Very rarely did I find myself in such a comfortable state. It was sad really, how I lived my life feeling always on guard, like waiting for the ball tow rope, or for the next round of hell to fall into my lap. But with Eli, even in the short time that I’d known him, everything felt so natural.

  ***

  I stood with my back to the door, knowing that just outside, on the opposite side of the curtain, stood Eli waiting for me. Maybe it was too forward of me, but I called out his name, asking him for help.

  “Is it okay to come in?” I found myself nodding even though he couldn’t hear me, and my pulse quickened. “Cat?”

  “Yeah.” There was urgency in my voice. “It’s okay.”

  I hear the metal hangers slide over the bar above. I took in a deep breath and remained in place until I heard the hangers slide once more, indicating the curtain closed.

  “What can I help you with?” The husky tone of his voice made it even harder for me not to attack him. I didn’t understand what it was about him that made me feel crazed and hungry for intimacy, but he did.

  “I think my suit is in a knot.” Yeah it was, because I just put it there. “Can you get it loose for me?”

  He didn’t speak, but I could hear his slow deep breaths. His finger trailed over my arm, along my shoulder, and ever so gently over my upper back. Closing my eyes, I fought the hormonal rush inside me, but I swore I could feel his touch in every fiber of my body.

  “I’ve been in physical pain since you first walked out wearing this bikini.” I smiled when he whispered this near my ear. “And now you want me to touch you. I just gotta say, babe, this is torture.”

  I pushed back against him and could feel how turned on he was.

  Foregoing the task at hand, he wrapped his arm around my waist and rested his palm very low on my stomach. When he pulled me back harder against him, I tilted my head to the side, opening my neck to him. The moment I felt his warm breath fan out over me, my knees weakened and the space low in my stomach tightened. I bit on my lip to fight the moan bubbling inside of me, and closed my eyes just as his lips grazed my neck.

  “You know exactly how much I’ve craved you, don’t you?”

  I found myself nodding.

  “What do you want, Cat?”

  “You,” I pant, “I want you to touch me.”

  I was acting so out of character but I couldn’t stop myself.

  When his hand slipped beneath the waistband of my bikini bottoms that moan I was attempting to hide escaped just as his fingers skimmed over my clit. My legs parted, and he continued kissing my neck as he slowly and torturously began to massage me. When he slipped one finger inside me he moaned too.

  “Wow,” he praised, “so fucking wet.”

  My hips began to move with the motion of his hand, which in turn had my ass moving against his hardness. It was a chain reaction that in seconds had us both panting hard.

  It all felt so good.

  “Shh,” Eli directed as I again bit my lip to hold back my vocal reaction to his touch. I could feel myself building toward release and began chasing it, thrusting against his palm. “There you go, let me feel you come.”

  So dirty, so unbelievably good.

  Then my orgasm ignited and to muffle my sounds, he covered my mouth with his other hand as he panted the words so fucking good in my ear.

  And he wasn’t lying, it was so, so good.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Elijah

  Inviting Cat back to the house probably wasn’t the best idea I’d had. I’d told myself I would be a gentleman and take things slow, but after our interaction in the changing room at Ginnie Springs I was a fucking walking hard on. I had never been so turned on in my life.

  So here we were, in my bed no less, as she lay curled up on her side, in the center, her hip cocked out, her ass arched back.

  I was in hell.

  Dark haired, pouty lips, and ass that won’t quit hell.

  I was burning; I swore I had a fever.

  “I can’t believe I’ve never watched this.” She regains my attention and for the first time in the last five minutes I wasn’t staring at her ass. “It’s addictive.”

  “You must’ve been living under a rock if you haven’t seen Lost.”

  “My television time is limited,” she said without looking away from the TV. “My mom is always watching sitcoms or reruns of stupid reality shows, and Carl, he prefers DVDs.”

  She looked back over her shoulder when I didn’t respond. “He’s a perv, and I avoid the living room whenever he has control over what’s playing.”

  I didn’t miss the uncomfortable look that flashed over her face before she tried to hide it.

  “Are you telling me he watches porn?” She nodded, refocusing on Lost. “He sounds like a tool.”

  “Yep.” She rolled over onto her stomach, propping up her head using her hands. “The most useless tool ever.”

  “I take it the two of you don’t really get along.”

  All I’m offered is a shake of her head.

  I could hear noise outside in the hall and tried to just ignore it. Whatever the guys had gotten themselves into I knew I didn’t want any part in it. My door handle rattled and both Catherine and I looked toward it. Only nothing happened.

  A few seconds later it rattled again, followed by the sound of someone snickering outside the door.

  “You do know that whatever they’re doing out there, it can’t be good.”

  I mulled over her words thinking she was right, but it was better they were doing it out there instead of in here. The longer I sat there, the harder it was to not know what the fuck they were up too. Cat was right, it couldn’t be good.

  I climbed over her body, making sure she got a feel of me against her in the process. I’m a guy, and it’s what we do. I moved across the room, twisted the lock, and turned the handle only to have nothing happen. The harder I pulled, the louder whoever it was on the other side laughed.

  “What the fuck, assholes?” I pounded on the door. “I’m not in here alone.”

  “We know.” It was Clayton speaking. “You can thank us later.”

  “Thank you for what?”

  “Barricading you in with the kitty Cat.” I wanted to yell and argue, but I had to admit the idea of being locked in my room didn’t sound all that bad. They forgot I had a shared bathroom with Isaac’s room though.

  Turning around, I noticed Cat was now sitting up on the bed, but she didn’t look worried. Instead she was smiling. “I told you they were up to no good.”

  “They forgot one thing.” Quickly I moved through the bathroom and once I had the handle to Isaac’s room in my hand I jerked it and found the same resistance. “Motherfuckers.”

  I heard a soft giggle behind me and I whipped around to come face to face with Cat. “You afraid of being trapped in here with me?”

  “Nope,” I said without hesitation. “If you’re good with this then I won’t fight to get us out.”

  “I don’t have to work until tomorrow night,” she said, backing up into my room once more. “So I’m good.”

  Did I mention I loved when she was playful?

  “I have a fridge, a bathroom, and a gorgeous girl, what else could I need?”

  “I can’t think of a thing.”

  She spun around and began to walk back toward my bed, wiggling her ass. As she climbed up onto my mattress, my eyes were once again glued to the roundness as she hiked it up. She did a cat crawl before slowly lying down on her stomach once more, looking back at me over her shoulder with that “come hither” look girls get when they’re trying to be all seductive. Only on her the shit actually fucking worked.

  I wasted no further time reclaiming my space next to her. I curled my arm around her and pulled her body into mine. I buried my nose in her hair and breathed in a familiar scent of honey and something floral.

  She turned just enough that I could see she was smiling, and something about that made my chest feel tight. I’d never enjoyed a girl’s happiness as much as I enjoyed hers. I wasn’t an asshole, I knew how to treat a lady. Aunt Meg would beat me to within an inch of my life if she thought I was showing a female anything but respect, but with Cat it was different. There was this constant urge to do whatever it took to make her smile, hear her laugh, and hell, even gain her sass.

  “I thought we were watching this?”

  “I’d rather watch you,” I replied quickly. “Besides, this is on Netflix and we can watch it anytime. Right now I feel like kissing you.”

  “I don’t know.” She wrinkled up her nose. “I’ve kissed you so many times already, yet I’ve never seen this.”

  “Are you telling me that I’m competing with Lost?” I didn’t give her a chance to argue before I began tickling her. She squealed with laughter and began to twist from side to side as if she thought she could wiggle away.

  “Stop,” she practically screamed the word out as she continued to laugh. “Okay, you win.”

  “I what?”

  “You win, I would rather kiss you. Oh my god, stop,” she added, still twisting around like a fish trying to get free.

  She was on her back, panting as if attempting to catch her breath and her legs were parted enough that my hips fit securely between them.

  “You’re evil.” Her voice was breathy. “I hate being tickled.”

  “I could see that.” I was slightly distracted by the way her breasts rose to press against my chest every time she took a breath. “It got you exactly where I wanted you though.”

  “And where might that be?”

  “In the perfect position to kiss you.” Before she could argue I leaned in and pressed my lips to hers. I’d meant for it to be a simple kiss but when she lifted her legs to wrap around my waist and used them to pull me in tighter, I deepened the kiss.

  Her hands slid over my shoulders before going around to the back of my head and slowly pulling the rubber band from my hair. It fell free and she began to comb her fingers through it slowly.