His grin was wide, showing straight, white teeth and bringing out a small dimple in his left cheek. His dark eyes sparkled. “It’s easier if you do it fast.”
She took a step down another stair. “I don’t need your help, thank you very much.”
She should have been worried about the cold water. And she was. But her mind also went immediately to Jack’s slick, wet hands against her own bare skin, and her blood pressure took a jump.
She put her foot on the bottom of the pool, the water coming slightly past her waist.
He closed the distance between them. “My sister always screamed when I threw her in, but in the end she thanked me.”
“I’m not your sister.”
“You think I don’t know that?” His gaze darkened as it dipped to take in her suit.
Her entire body clenched in reaction, reminding her all over again that he was sexy and smart and funny, and women around the world adored him. She definitely wasn’t going to sleep with him. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to flirt a little.
He shifted even closer in the waist-high water, and her mind waged a split-second war. Wrestling around in the pool at midnight was quite a ways past flirting. But then, he was only going to dunk her, not ravish her. Despite his joking innuendo, he had been a perfect gentleman all evening.
Still, they’d almost kissed on the balcony. And Kristy wasn’t a complete fool. So, just before his fingertips brushed her skin, she did a surface dive, scissoring her feet, propelling her body away from him and into the deeper water.
“Chicken,” he mocked as she came up for air.
“I prefer to take care of things myself,” she responded, pushing her wet hair back from her face.
His forehead creased for a microsecond, and she thought he was about to say something. But then his expression smoothed out. “Where I like to help out as much as possible.”
She kicked her legs to keep herself afloat. “You’re such an altruist.”
He gave a dramatic, self-effacing sigh. “This is true.”
“And an egomaniac.”
He swam closer. “Well, you’re a tease.”
“I am not.” But she paused, reevaluating her behavior so far. “How do you mean?”
“Batting those come-dunk-me eyes, and then spoiling my fun.”
She splashed at him. “Poor baby.”
He grinned, then dove under.
Before she could react, his hand wrapped around her ankle. He tugged just hard enough to pull her below, then he instantly let her go, and she bobbed back up.
“Not fair,” she sputtered, kicking over to where she could grab the edge.
He glided up beside her and rested his hand on the pool deck. “Who said anything about fair?”
He inched closer, his skin glistening with droplets of water, his hair nearly black in the shadow of the deck chairs. His eyes grew heavy with desire, and his voice vibrated her very core.
His thigh brushed hers, sending licks of energy across her skin. Her stomach contracted, and her lips went soft. She could feel an invisible pull compelling her forward.
“I’ve had some really bad ideas in my time…” she breathed.
He lifted her chin with his index finger. “And we’re definitely going to talk about that someday.”
She stared straight into his slate-gray eyes. Her chest went tight with emotion, and her body tingled with blatant sexual desire.
He tipped his head, light mist curling around his face as he leaned in. “But right now…”
Her body shifted forward, and she closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of his strong arms, his broad chest and his hard, hot thighs coming up against her own.
Their lips met.
His mouth was silky-soft, warm and mobile, with just the right combination of moisture and pressure.
She leaned in, bringing her breasts flush against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, letting him keep them both afloat in the deep water.
His hand splayed across her wet hair, holding her close, deepening the kiss. His hard thigh inched its way between hers and sensation burst through her body, coming out in a moan and a plea for more around their passionate kiss. She wanted to rip off her suit and rip off his suit and make wild wet love right here in the pool.
He broke off the kiss, moving to her neck, then outward, nudging the bathing suit strap out of the way to plant wet kisses on the tip of her shoulder.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling deeply, flicking out her tongue to taste the salt of his skin. She threaded her fingers through his hair, tightening her arms, wanting to get closer, harder, tighter. Her legs went around his body, pulling him intimately between her thighs.
He slid his free hand up the tight suit, resting on her ribs, his thumb creeping along the underside of her breast.
She held her breath, as it circled higher and closer. When it rasped its way over her nipple, she groaned in his ear.
He swore in return.
Then he stilled, and slowly drew back, resting his forehead against hers.
“A little too public here,” he breathed.
When her world settled back on its axis, she nodded in agreement, even as she tried to put some context around the experience. “That was…”
“Unexpected,” he said.
She nodded again.
“Better make that surprising,” he continued. Then he paused. “No. Better make that astounding.”
He was right. On all counts.
“Tell you what,” he began, his voice growing stronger.
She fought an urge to melt against him again. She didn’t know what was happening here, but there was no denying she wanted more of it. They were both adults. And this was Vegas. If she got a vote, she’d vote they find someplace more private—say their hotel suite—to see where this all went.
“We’ll dry off,” he said.