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He snorted. “You didn’t look like you objected.”
She glanced back at him in surprise . . . and ran into a low-hanging branch.
“Be careful of low-hanging branches,” he said with a definite smirk in his voice.
When they broke through the trees, Corbin released his breath in a startled gasp. She understood. Cooper Springs was gasp worthy. The water was clear as glass and the cypress trees surrounding the springs were huge, green, and majestic. It was like stepping into a magical world.
“Damn,” Corbin said. “I heard you and Liberty talk about swimming at Cooper Springs, but I pictured it more of a watering hole for cattle.”
“During droughts, cattle did come here to drink. The rest of the time, Daddy kept the herd away so us girls could have our own private swimming hole.” She dismounted and tied the reins to some mesquite scrub before she toed off her boots.
“What are you doing?” Corbin asked.
“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m going swimming.”
“Oh, no, I’m not skinny-dipping with you, Bella.”
“I’m not skinny-dipping with you either.” She stopped pulling off her socks and glanced up at him. “Unless you aren’t wearing underwear.”
“I’m wearing underwear.”
“Then what’s the problem?” She peeled off her shirt. She had on a sports bra that covered her as well as, if not better than, a bikini top. Although the material of her panties was a little thinner than bathing suit bottoms. So after pulling off her jeans, she wasted no time diving in. The cold water was a little startling, but also refreshing. She resurfaced with a gasp of pleasure.
Corbin was still sitting on Homer.
“You should get in,” she called. “It feels heavenly.”
“No, thanks. I’ll just head back to the ranch.”
“Suit yourself.”
He went to turn the horse, but then stopped. “You swim well, right?”
She knew how protective he was of Sunny, but having that protectiveness focused on her made her smile. “Not as good as Liberty, but okay.”
“What’s okay?”
“Are you worried I’m going to drown, Cory?” It was the first time she’d used his nickname. She liked the way it sounded. Corbin was rigid and uncaring . . . but Cory was the man sitting on the horse looking concerned. The man who heaved a heavy sigh and dismounted before he started removing his clothes.
Belle should have looked away.
She didn’t.
Just like she had done earlier that morning, her eyes ate up the naked flesh Corbin revealed as he turned away from her and drew his T-shirt over his head. His back was just as tanned and muscled as his chest. Those muscles stretched and flexed as he finished taking off the shirt and neatly laid it on the nearby rock. After he removed his boots and socks, he lowered his jeans to reveal black boxer briefs that covered hard butt cheeks she could have bounced a quarter off of. His legs were as muscled as his back, chest, and arms, but not as tanned. They were paler and covered with a light dusting of dark hair.
He turned and Belle’s mouth went dry.
He was either extremely well endowed . . . or extremely excited. Before she could figure out which, he dove into the springs. He came up a few feet away from her and slicked back his hair with one hand. Water droplets clung to his dark lashes and slid down his nose and high cheekbones. One drop quivered on his bottom lip. An overwhelming desire to tread closer and lick that drop off settled in her stomach. Before she could do something stupid, he spoke.
“Are you satisfied?”
She knew he was talking about her getting him into the springs, but the question held more meaning to her. Was she satisfied? The answer came quickly.
No, she wasn’t satisfied.
Yet.
Chapter Fifteen
