Page 35 of Playing with Trouble

He carried me toward the pool as the kids whooped and hollered and Maggie clapped her hands in delight, all of them egging him on.

His eyes sparkled with mirth, and his stride never wavered.“You had your fifteen seconds and you should know by now that I follow through when you don’t obey.”

With that, he tossed me straight into the pool.I came up spluttering, hair plastered to my face, and I pushed the wet strands out of my eyes.I mock-glared at Ford while his whole family erupted into cheers and laughter.

“The things I want to say to you right now, children shouldn’t hear,” I said, treading water in my dress and giving him a mock glare.

Ford only grinned wider, infuriatingly smug and looking too damn hot and gorgeous in just his swim shorts.“Sorry, but it’s a pool party.You had to get in at least once,” he said, then jumped into the water with me, cannonball style.

The ginormous wave he created drenched me all over again, and then he was scooping me up like I weighed nothing, tossing me back into the water the way he’d been playing with his niece and nephew earlier.I splashed at him furiously, both of us laughing too loud, too easily.

And then I realized that his family’s eyes were on us.They were watching this like it was normal, like we were truly a couple.And for one reckless moment I let myself imagine it was real.A boyfriend who made me feel safe.A family who welcomed me like I belonged.Warmth and chaos, laughter and teasing.

The thought was so sweet it made me ache, and that ache terrified me because I couldn’t afford to fall into the fantasy of belonging, not when there was an expiration date stamped on whatever Ford and I had.He wasn’t mine.Thiswasn’t mine.

So I shoved that longing down where it belonged and forced myself to focus on the lie Ford and I were perpetrating, because it was easier to put on an act than to admit how close I was to wanting something I could never have.

CHAPTER15

Ford

The second Violet climbed out of the pool after our playful sparring, my pulse kicked hard.She tugged at the ties of her damp dress, peeled it off, and handed it to my mom, who took it inside the house to toss into the dryer.Which left Violet standing there in nothing but a black bikini that left too much skin showing and made it impossible for me to look anywhere else.

I dragged my gaze away and then right back again, because hell if I had that much self-control when she looked so sinful.She twisted her hair, squeezing the extra moisture from the strands, while I tracked the droplets of water sliding down her skin, catching in the hollow of her throat and rolling along her stomach before disappearing into the edge of her bikini bottoms.I wanted to trace that same wet path with my tongue, all the way down to between her legs and settle there for a good long while.

I watched as she chatted with my sisters for a bit, my mother, too, and even played a few games of tag with the kids, her expression and reactions animated for their benefit, which they loved.But after a while I could sense that she was feeling overwhelmed and might need a break from being around so many people.

People she’d had to lie to about our relationship.

I hadn’t realized just how curious my family would be around my supposed girlfriend.That was my mistake, and I hated that I’d put her in that position.Still, she’d handled it better than I could have hoped and they adored her already.And me?I’d never seen Violet look so soft and so sweet, without the armor she usually wrapped around herself.It was a side of her I wanted to draw out more often, a side that tugged at me in ways I couldn’t ignore.

Deciding to give Violet a reprieve, I came up beside her and slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close.She went still for a second, then let out a quiet breath and leaned into me, playing along.

“There you are,” I said lightly, brushing a droplet of water from her shoulder.“I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me.”

Violet tilted her head, her lips curving in that sly smile she used when she was deciding whether to play nice or cut me off at the knees.“Hard to forget the guy who threw me into the pool, despite my protests,” she said playfully.

Laney raised her brows, grinning like she was enjoying the show.“You two are cute.Didn’t think I’d ever see this attentive side to Ford, but I kind of love it.”

“Surprise, surprise,” I said, then added quickly, “Now if you’ll excuse us, I’m going to steal Violet away before she decides she’s had enough of my nosy family and bolts for the door.”

Laney laughed.“I’m not worried.She likes us.I can tell.”

“She’s got good taste,” I said with a cocky grin.“That’s how she ended up with me in the first place.”

Violet snort-laughed, her eyes glimmering with mirth as they met mine.“Oh my God, please take me away before I say something I can’t take back.”

I chuckled, enjoying our light, fun banter.“Too late.You’ve been saying things you can’t take back since the second we met.”

She couldn’t argue that truth, and instead rolled her eyes at me.

Laney shook her head, still smiling, and let us go without protest.I tightened my arm around Violet’s waist, steering her toward the quiet, empty house, grateful for the excuse to give her a respite from the chaos outside.

“What are we doing?”she asked, looking both relieved and confused by my decision to bring her inside.

“I just thought you looked like you could use a break from my family for a few minutes,” I said, stopping in the den and grinning at her.“So, here we are.A break.”

For a moment her expression shifted, gratitude flickering across her face, her cheeks flushing.“I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to that,” she murmured.