Page 87 of Rags's Awakening
Her heartbeat quickened.
One second.
Two.
Three…
Her pulse hammered as the seconds ticked by, and the surface of the hot spring remained unbroken.What if he hit his head? Or passed out?
Leaving the safety of the branches, she surged forward. The rocky bottom scraped her feet as she waded deeper, until she was threading water.
Scanning the shimmering surface, she whispered, “Rags?”
The water churned in front of her, and he shot up, breaking the surface, his chest colliding with her hands.
“Damn!” she gasped, treading back, her heart slamming against her ribs. She pushed away, sinking lower in the water to obscure the tips of her dusty-pink nipples from his view.
“Don’t sink too low in tryin’ to hide those sweet tits, darlin’. The water’s clear.” Laughing, he swept wet hair from his face.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded, irritation flaring. “This is private property.”
“I know. So, what the hell are you doing here?” His mouth curved. “I know the owner. Do you?”
That damn smirk should be illegal.She groaned inwardly.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” she said, fighting to reclaim her dignity.
“I wasn’t doing shit. You’re the one hiding… and watching me undress.” His gaze dropped. “Did you like what you saw?”
Heat flared across her face, and her cheeks burned.
“I wasn’t hiding. I wastryingto relax.” She lifted her chin. “And I didn’t watch you undress.”
“Liar,” he murmured, drifting closer, their legs nearly touching under the water. “Have you been thinking about me?”
“No,” she said, edging back.
“Liar,” he whispered, his eyes locking on hers. “I’ve thought about you.” He reached out, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. “I’ve missed you.”
“You have a funny way of showing it,” she muttered.
“So do you.”
“I at least texted you. Which, by the way, I’ll never do again. One-word answers? Did I deserve that because I wouldn’t let you into my house?”
The hard edges of Rags’s face softened. “No. I was being a prick. I was pissed at you… but more at myself.”
“Why?”
“You know. Because you feel the same way.”
Casey nodded. She did know. She was just as angry for wanting him.This is totally fucked.
“Do you come here a lot to unwind?” he asked, his voice quieter now.
“Sometimes. I found it a few months ago when I got lost on a hike. I know it’s private property, but, I’ve never seen anyone else here until… now.” She squinted against the sun’s glare. “Do you really know the owner?”
“Yeah. Pete and our prez go way back.”
