Page 97 of Never To Be Mine

I drove us back to my place in Santa Monica, her hand resting on my thigh the entire drive. It felt right, like we were right where we were supposed to be.

31

JUNO

Ifollowed Hollis into his house, the purple dress whispering against my thighs with every step. My heels clicked on the hardwood as we moved into the living room.

He walked to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of vodka. “Want a drink?”

“Please.”

It was our thing. The few times we had managed to get together over the last three weeks, we discovered we had a shared love of vodka tonics with lemon twists.

He handed me a glass. I returned my gaze to the windows. It was dark with only soft lights from other houses along the shore.

He stood beside me, both of us sipping our drinks. It was peaceful and perfect.

“So,” he said. “Would you like to slip into something more comfortable?”

I raised an eyebrow, fighting the smile that wanted to break free. “That line is so old.”

“It’s an honest question. I want you… comfortable.”

“You want me naked.”

“Aren’t you comfortable in the nude?”

“I am around you,” I said.

“We could sit in the hot tub. Or go for a swim.”

“In the nude.”

“Is there any other way?”

Heat rushed up my neck. “You’re terrible.”

“Terrible and hopeful.” He leaned in, mouth brushing my ear. “Your call, Juno. I’m a very accommodating host.”

I set my glass down, my pulse already picking up at the way his eyes tracked the movement. “Hot tub.”

“My choice as well.”

He reached for my waist and then slowly turned me around. Then his fingers found the zipper at the back, and he drew it down with deliberate care, inch by inch. Cool air kissed my spine as the dress loosened. He paused halfway, leaning in to press his mouth to the bare skin he’d revealed, the kiss lingering long after his lips were gone. My breath hitched.

“You’re stalling,” I murmured, though I didn’t move away.

“Admiring,” he corrected, voice low against my shoulder blade. The zipper continued its slow descent until the dress pooled at my hips. He helped it the rest of the way down, steady hands guiding the fabric over my curves until it slipped free and puddled on the floor. I stepped out of it in nothing but the diamond necklace, earrings, and heels.

I lifted my hair. “I don’t dare wear this in the hot tub.”

He unclasped the necklace and gently pulled it from my neck. He put it on the table while I removed the earrings. I turned back around and arched one brow. I was very naked and he was not. The old Juno would be freaked out standing in her birthday suit in front of a gorgeous guy, but not with Hollis. I trusted him with my body. He’d seen every inch of me.

Hollis’s gaze heated, but he only offered his hand. “Come on.”

We left the dress where it lay and crossed the deck to the hot tub tucked against the railing. Steam curled up into the night air, the surface dark and inviting. He stripped off his own clothes with far less ceremony, leaving them in a careless pile, then helped me out of the heels and stepped in first. I followed, the heat enveloping me. He pulled me down onto the submerged bench beside him, one arm sliding around my waist, the other hand finding my thigh under the water.

The kiss that followed was unhurried at first. I turned to face him, water shifting around us. My hands slid up his chest as his lips parted mine. His tongue teased, coaxed. Fingers traced the line of my ribs, cupped the weight of my breast. His thumb circled lazily across my nipple and I arched and moaned into his mouth.