Under Pressure
Page 9

“I feel you, too,” I say, but never have I felt anything like this. I slide my hands around his back and tug until his mouth is on mine. We kiss, our tongues languidly sliding as we ride out our releases. On his last pulse, Cole collapses on top of me, his mouth going to my neck. His breath is so hot it’s scalding my skin. I hold him to me. Holy hell. I feel a level of satisfaction I’ve never known. It’s insane how good it is between us. I had no idea it could ever be this good.
Yes, you did.
Okay, maybe I did. Maybe I wanted this, thought about it once, twice or a million times over the years. But I sure as hell wasn’t going to act on it. This is Cole. My best friend in the whole world. We hold each other for a long time, both lost in our own thoughts. His hand is on my arm, stroking softly, touching me in such a familiar way.
“Reese,” he finally says, breaking the quiet as he pulls out of me.
His harsh breath flutters the hair on my neck, and I ache at the sudden loss of him inside me. “Yeah?”
“We good?” he asks, his voice rumbling against my ear.
“Yes,” I say, pretty sure things will never be the same again.
“Still hate me?”
“More than ever.”
“Hate you, too.”
 
 
Chapter Four
Cole
I pace inside my hotel room, my mind racing a million miles an hour. I still can’t believe I had sex with Reese. In a haunted cave. At the top of a mountain. Where anyone could have walked in on us.
It was fucking awesome.
I probably shouldn’t have acted on my urges. I fought hard and long not to, tried to bank my desires, but fuck, I couldn’t ignore the heat arcing between us for one more second. I tried. I really fucking did. The last thing I ever wanted to do was jeopardize our friendship. But holy hell, when she leaned into me, and I felt the need in her body reaching out to me, demanding attention, it snapped the last vestige of my control.
Yeah, I played with her, made it into a game and told her we could have epic sex, fulfill her vacation requirements, among other things, and go back to normal when the weekend was done.
No way in hell can we go back. Now that I’ve had a taste of her, I want more. In fact, I want it all. Except that douchebag Jared did a total number on her, and she’s off relationships. Not to mention I live two thousand miles away and I’m not the guy for her, can’t give her what she wants in life. Fuck, my family’s track record sucks, and I don’t want to promise things I obviously can’t give, which means I need to get my shit together right fucking now.
I walk to the window, pull back the curtain, and look at the dark beach below, lit only by the moon and stars. The waves lapping against the sandy shore call out to me. Maybe a good hard swim will help clear my thoughts so I can figure out how I can give her the fun she’s seeking while on vacation and still walk away from this unscathed.
I drop the curtain, wipe the moisture from my brow, and fiddle with the air conditioner. No wonder it’s so hot in the room—the damn thing isn’t working. I reach for my phone to text Reese, when it pings in my hand. I read her text.
It’s a million degrees in my room.
I respond with, Air conditioner is broke.
I can’t freaking breathe.
Is little Reesey Piecey melting?
I’m dying.
Okay, let’s get out of here, I suggest.
Swim?
I read the words, and from the corner of my eye, I see the ice bucket. A wicked, delicious idea forms. My thumbs fly over the screen. I know I should fucking put a stop to this. But how can I? This is Reese, and I want to make this vacation epic for her. She deserves that after douchebag Jared.
Good idea. Come on over.
I’ll change and be right there.
I drop the phone, grab the bucket, and leave my door open for Reese. Following the sign for ice, I go to the second floor and fill the bucket. When I return to the room, I find Reese looking for me. I take a moment to just admire her from afar.
Hunger consumes me, and my cock registers every delicious detail of the gorgeous woman before me.
“Where the heck are you?” she’s asking.
“Hey,” I whisper and she turns.
“You scared me,” she says, giving a breathy, intimate laugh as her hand goes to her chest. “Where were you?” she asks, no awkwardness between us after this afternoon. For a bit there, I was seriously worried there would be. But there’s just warm familiarity, thanks to the incredible bond between us.
I lift the bucket. “Ice.”
“What for?” Her eyes narrow in confusion as she plants her hands on her hips. The movement lifts her cover-up and exposes her creamy thighs. “I thought we were going for a swim.”
I shut the door, set the lock, and without missing a beat I begin. “See, the thing is, the ocean water is too warm to do the job.” I drop the bucket on the dresser, step up to her, and press my hand to her forehead. “In situations like this, we must get the body cooled down fast. Otherwise it could be lethal.” I tap her arms. “Lift.”
Without hesitation, her hands go in the air, and I stifle my chuckle at how eager she is to play along, even though she has no idea what kind of game it is. The trust Reese has in me is a pretty big fucking deal, and I’d never do anything to break it.
I grip the hem of her knit cover-up and pull it over her head. I exhale hard as I expose her body. I’ve seen her in a bathing suit a million times—heck I saw her naked just a few hours ago—but I could spend the rest of my life just staring at her, she’s so beautiful.
I slide my hands down her arms, and little goose bumps form. “Your skin is very hot,” I say. “As an adventure guide, I watch for signs of heat stroke in our clients.”
“Oh.” Lust moves into her eyes as they race over me, and her cheeks turn a soft shade of pink. My favorite color. “So, you’re trained for this kind of thing?”
I step closer, tension bunching my muscles as I breathe in her scent. “Yeah.”
“Tell me, how does an adventure guide cool people down when they find themselves in these dangerous kinds of situations?”
“Well,” I say, and slide my hand around her back to untie her bathing suit. It flutters to the floor, and her chest rises and falls as her breathing changes. “First thing I need to do is get them naked.”
She arches a dubious brow. “No clothes at all?”