Secrets, Lies, and Summer Skies

Chapter Twenty-Four

No matter how many times I'd seen him naked, it didn't take away from just how much I loved watching Grayson undress. The methodical way he unclipped his expensive watch which glinted under the moonlight and put it in his pants pockets with his cufflinks. The effortless unknotting of his tie which was whipped out from under his collar with one sharp tug.

I took a long, slow sip of wine as he shrugged off his jacket and popped each button on his shirt. The anticipation of getting my hands on his bare chest sent a ripple of pleasure through my body which pooled deep in my stomach. It curled over itself, knotting into a ball of desire that only he could untangle. Grayson dropped his pants and boxer shorts, kicked off his shoes and, as he tugged off his socks, I drifted back from the edge of the pool.

Clearly, Grayson wasn't as concerned as most might be about nosy neighbors with their noses pressed to the window. There was no apprehension in his being naked in the middle of the backyard. Confidently, he strode to the edge of the pool and slipped into the warm, welcoming water. Grayson ducked down beneath the surface briefly. When he emerged, he pushed his fingers through his sodden, silver-flecked hair, sweeping it away from his forehead in a way that made my knees weak.

I wished I hadn't put down my wine; my throat suddenly felt dry.

"I can't reach you from all the way over there, Kitten," he said.

I shrugged and splashed some water at him playfully. "Guess you'll just have to come and get me."

Grayson cut through the water with ease. The way his arms swept through the surface with each stroke was hypnotizing. It made my breath hitch at the back of my throat to watch him approach. I swam backwards, trying to prolong his journey just so I could stare a little longer. If we were going to end things at the end of summer, then I needed to commit as much as possible to memory.

The swimming pool was only so large, and I didn't want to get too far into the deep end and lose my footing. Grayson soon caught up to me and snagged my waist. I didn't try to fight him off. Why would I? I craved his touch whenever he wasn't around. Whenever his hands were on me, the rest of the world fell away and he became my sole anchor. The only real, worthwhile thing in my universe.

"Did you really think I'd let you get away?" he asked.

"Did you really think I wanted to escape?"

Grayson pulled my body flush to his and kissed the bridge of my nose tenderly. "I missed you today."

Heat radiated through my skin. Was it possible for my entire body to blush? Because that's what it felt like. My hands rested on his shoulders. I loved how strong and broad they were. I called Grayson my anchor, but sometimes he felt more like he'd been hewn from a block of marble. It was criminal that a man could be so firm and sculpted.

"Were you thinking about me?" I asked.

"Do you mean thinking, or something else?"

I laughed. "Why not both?"

Grayson lowered his hands to my thighs and lifted them. It was much easier to wrap my legs around his waist with the water supporting my weight. I didn't have to worry about him dropping me, either, which made it much more enjoyable. I laced my fingers together at the nape of his neck and took a moment to simply admire him. Even if it was just for a moment, I wanted to revel in the Grayson who was completely and utterly mine.

"I think about you all the time, Kitten," he confessed. "Not just the sex. Everything. I hate that I'm working so late because all I want to do is come home to you."

My fingers toyed with his hair. "Do you think..."

I trailed off. I didn't want to ruin the moment with a serious discussion. I just wanted to enjoy his body without thinking of the consequences. Which, honestly, had been a total mood for the entire summer thus far.