“I promise there’s a perfect pond at the end of this. You’ll cool right down.”

“Good. I very well might belly flop right into it out of pure joy.” She wipes her forehead, little strands of her brown hair curling along her hairline. It’s adorable. “I will tell you this: the humidity here is the devil. California’s heat has nothing on it.”

Still holding Ren’s hand, I guide her down the narrow path. “It’ll take some time to get used to the humidity, but once you do, you’ll barely notice it anymore.”

“Are you just saying that?”

“No, it gets easier. At least your first season in Maine is summer, so you know what to expect when it comes to the heat here.”

“And what about the winter?”

“What about it?” I ask, stepping over a log. I turn around and help Ren over as well.

“I have yet to experience a snowfall. I think I might get lost in all the snow.”

“I’ll be sure to get you a bright-red winter hat so I can spot you if you do get lost. I’ve saved you once; I don’t mind saving you again, and again, and again.” I wink at her, and she stops midstride.

In a flash, her hand is on my cheek, and she places a tight kiss against my lips; the unexpected affection twists my stomach in all the right ways. I cradle the back of her neck as our tongues meet. She moans into my mouth before stepping back, putting some distance between us, her cheeks flushed. “You can’t say things like that and expect me to act casual.”

I wiggle my eyebrows at her. “Oh yeah? That do something for you?”

Her eyes narrow, a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth as she starts to walk away. “You’re annoying.”

“But two seconds ago, you were all about me. I could see stars in your eyes.”

She scoffs. “Just remember, it’s not hard to fall from that pedestal.”

“Aw, you put me on a pedestal?” I swoop in, kissing her on the neck. She giggles and fights to get out of my grasp, but I keep her close to me as we break through a few trees and come upon the pond. My very secluded pond.

Thank God.

Not answering me, she stops midstride and takes in the serene water before us. Trees line its diameter, providing a much-needed wall of privacy and giving the entire area an enchanted feel. I’ve loved this pond for years.

“It’s beautiful,” she says in awe.

“It’s one of my favorite places ever, and for some reason, the water is never too cold.”

“Wouldn’t matter at this point,” she answers, pulling off her tank top in one smooth lift over her head. My eyes immediately travel up and down her torso, taking in her flat stomach, her smooth curves, and the fullness of her breasts, which are barely being contained by a small bikini top.

She tosses her tank top on a rock, quickly unbuckles her jean shorts, and pulls them down her legs, toeing them into a pile with the tank top.

As she takes in the pond in front of her, she undoes her hair tie only to pull her hair up higher on her head, tying it into a messy bun—but I don’t pay that much attention. I’m so focused on the tantalizing curves of her body and the way her bikini bottoms rise high on her perfectly round ass cheeks.

I can’t believe I haven’t noticed before, but Ren has a fucking bubble butt, and it’s hot as shit. Her red bikini does nothing to hide her curves, and I’m not mad about it as she walks into the water, keeping her hands at the nape of her neck, sighing as if it’s the most soothing thing she’s ever experienced.

Slowly, she lowers herself into the water and then pops back up, never getting her hair wet but letting the water hit her chin. When she stands back up, she turns toward me, her nipples hard and poking against the thin fabric of her bathing suit. Fucking hell. “Are you coming?”

I’m about to if I stare at her nipples any longer.

Wanting to give her the kind of show she gave me, I reach behind myself and pull my shirt over my head. I toss it to the side with her clothes and watch as her mouth parts a centimeter and her eyes home in on my abs.

Not going to lie: the look she’s giving me is every man’s wet dream. Wet woman in a bikini with a look of pure arousal in her eyes—it’s so fucking perfect.

I quickly kick off my socks and shoes and unzip my cargo shorts, letting them fall to my ankles. I step out of them, leaving me in my boxer briefs. I charge into the water, going right for her. She squeals as I catch her in my arms and pull her underwater. We resurface quickly; she wipes at her eyes and then swats at my chest. “You jerk!”

I chuckle and circle her waist, not letting her get any farther away as we float in the shallow waters. “What’s wrong? You look gorgeous wet.”

She tilts her head to the side, giving me a “get real” look. “You’re just saying that so I’ll kiss you.”

“Nah.” I shake my head. “I don’t have to say things like that to get you to kiss me. I can just ask.”

“You think so?” She wraps her arms around my neck.

“Yeah.” I bring her body against mine, her legs draping around my waist. “Watch. Ren, will you kiss me?”

Like the vixen she is, she contemplates my request for a moment before she finally leans forward and presses a small kiss against my lips.

“Not good enough,” I mutter as I float us over to a large boulder near the shore, where I take a seat, the water coming up to my armpits. Ren straddles me, and I slide my hand up her back, under the strings of her bikini, pulling her close as I attack her lips, greedy and needy at the same time.

Ever since last night, I’m finding it impossible to keep my distance. Hell, when she rolled out of our tent this morning, the first thing I wanted to do was walk up to her, wrap my arms around her waist, and press a long, deep kiss to her mouth. But with Reid watching my every move, I held back.

It won’t be like that forever—just for now, while we’re still in the woods, figuring out where all this is going to lead us.

She opens her mouth to mine when I move my tongue across her lips. I dive my tongue into hers, and she meets my every stroke equally.

Hot.

Begging.

Slightly sloppy.

We don’t miss a beat as our mouths mold together.

I get lost in our kiss, in the way she feels in my arms, satisfaction washing over me with every moan she makes as my tongue tangles with hers.

The water ripples around our limbs, the birds chirp in the shady trees, and a light breeze whips past us, sounding off the wild grass surrounding the pond, but it all fades away as I let the feel of Ren’s lips take over me.

And then . . . she moves her hips.

I freeze, her center rubbing against my massively hard cock.

I pull away and give her another warning. “Ren, what did I tell you last night?”

“That you wanted me,” she answers with a smile.

“Yes, but not here.”

“Why not?” she asks, moving her hips along my length again. “We’re completely alone.”

I hiss through my teeth. “Not in a pond, Ren.”

“I don’t see what the big deal is.” She leans forward and works her lips along my jaw to the place right below my ear. She flicks her tongue along the sensitive flesh, moving her hips again.

“Christ, Ren.”

She kisses along my jaw. “Did you know that you’re not the only one turned on? The minute you took off your shirt, my arousal level shot through the roof, and with every kiss, a sharp throb shoots between my legs. I need release just like you, Griffin.”

Fuck.

In this moment, either I can choose to keep holding off, or I can finally let go of the thin rope I’ve been holding on to and, for the first time since my wife passed, truly allow myself to feel again.

With her hands wrapped behind my neck, she lowers my head to her cleavage, and I brush my lips up and down the valley of her breasts, unable to control myself, that rope getting thinner and thinner until it snaps, and I lose all willpower.

I want her.

I fucking need her.

And I show her just how much.

“Yes,” she groans when I nip at her skin.

I move my hands down her back to the hemline of her bikini bottoms. Slipping my hands under the fabric, I grab two handfuls of her ass.

“Oh God,” she moans. I encourage her hips to continue to pump against my cock as she moans and groans into my ear.

So responsive, and I’m damn glad I waited until we had more privacy; I don’t want anyone else to hear the sweet sounds coming out of this beautiful woman.

Moving her hips a little faster now, her center rubbing up and down my length, she leans her torso back, exposing her barely covered breasts to me.

I take advantage.

Leaning forward, I press my mouth along her skin, following the swell of her breasts. Her nipples hard as pebbles, I bring my mouth down, nibbling on her nipple through her bathing suit fabric.

“Oh, Griffin, yes.” Her hips slow down and start making long, languid circles as I pull and tug on her nipple, the fabric starting to annoy me. She notices and grins. “Just take it off.”