Page 72 of Cherry Tree Ranch

I bite my lip and take one arm out of my shirt at a time. When I’ve got it up to my neck I take a slow breath, close my eyes, and pull it off. “Your turn. Shorts off.”

He scratches his head and he clears his throat. “No shorts? You going in buck naked?”

With my thumb on the button of my shorts I reply, “No! I’m keeping my underwear on, but I think you need to keep your promise.”

“I made no promises,” he says.

“Fine. But don’t go running your mouth with grand ideas if you don’t plan on following through.”

He feigns annoyance. “OK, Ms High and Mighty, just take off your damn clothes.”

We take off our shorts and act like we’re averting our eyes. I catch Cash stealing a glance at my chest and he blushes.

“Want to jump?” he asks.

“Uh yeah. I guess so. Or … we could slide in slowly.”

He narrows his brow in confusion.

“I’m terrified of falling is all.” I cross my arms over my bra.

“You’re afraid of heights?”

“Just falling. It’s a different phobia.”

“I’m scared of snakes.” He does a whole-body shudder. “Want to jump together?”

I nod and he looks at my hand. I uncross my arms and lace my fingers in his. Then we jump at the same time.

I sink until my toes touch the muddy bottom of the pond. I open my eyes to the murky water. As I come up for air, a wake circles Cash. I pull hair out of my face and kick against the frigid water. Cash comes up. His eyes are wide, and his smile is even bigger. Water drips off his nose and chin.

This wasn’t a good idea. All I want to do is swim up to him and kiss him. I swim backwards and look away.

“So, if you’re afraid of falling, I guess that rope swing over there is out of the question?”

“Have at it, but nope, not me,” I say.

He puts his head down and does a crawl stroke to the dock. I stare at his muscular half-naked body as he lifts himself up. He strides confidently to the rope swing and climbs on to a tree stump. He puts his legs round the rope and swings out over the water. The water from his fall splashes all over my face.

He backstrokes to me and wipes a drop of water from my nose. I dip my head back in the water and slick my hair down with both hands. When I look up, he’s biting down on his bottom lip and staring at me like I’m the most interesting thing in the world, making me feel more naked than I already am.

“What are you doing?” I demand when he squints mischievously and dips his mouth and nose underwater.

He pops up and squirts water from his mouth at me.

I draw back. “Yuck, that’s pond water.” He swims closer and squirts water at me again. “Cash!”

His eyes are fixed on me, and he stays low in the water like a crocodile. When he comes up again, I reach out to block the spray, but he grabs my hand and pulls me through the water. Laughing, I glide against him and grab his shoulders. Our legs kick against each other until he pulls my legs round his waist. His warm skin feels like heaven, and my heart races.

My eyes trace over his face. As his arm curls beneath me and he boosts me up, I inhale the fresh smell of his wet hair. I squeeze my legs more tightly to keep from slipping. He swallows and his eyes find mine.

When I trace a flat hand down his temple to his cheek, he turns his face into my palm. He holds my hand there and gives it a soft kiss. Then he lifts my wrist to his mouth and places a kiss on the tender underside, then to the inside of my elbow.

“Hey, that tickles,” I giggle.

“This?” he asks playfully, and leans in to kiss my sensitive collar bone.

“Cut it out,” I beg, though a thrilling shiver runs over my skin.