I feel her body tighten, her grip on the pool intensifies, her fingertips white with exertion. Her pussy pulses around me, those tight muscles ripple and milk me, until my eyes roll back in my head.

“Ah, fuck, Lo, I’m not gonna last if you keep doing that.”

She laughs and squeezes me harder, the little vixen. I grip her hair in my hand and pull back, exposing her neck to my mouth as I lean over her body and pound harder, sending the water around us into a frenzy.

“You want me to come inside you?” I growl.

“God, yes,” she moans as I sink my teeth into her shoulder. The base of my back tingles, and I feel my balls tighten and lift, and just as she cries out and grips my dick like a fucking vise, I explode inside her, jerking my hips uncontrollably.

Fucking hell, I just took her in the pool like a fucking animal.

And damn if I don’t want to do it again.

I slide out of her and turn her into my arms. Her lips seek out my own and I happily oblige her silent request, kissing and nibbling her beautiful, plump lips.

“Come on, beautiful.” I climb out of the pool with her steady in my arms. “Let’s get in the shower.”

“Okay.” She curls up against me, her face buried in my neck. “I think that was the best morning workout of my life.”

“Definitely not a bad way to start the day.” I chuckle and kiss her forehead softly. She curls up in my arms and rests her head on my shoulder as I carry her upstairs. “Can I stay with you this weekend?”

“I have to work.” She frowns and looks up at me with worried eyes. “But I want you to stay.”

“I can run home and grab some work of my own, pack an overnight bag, and bring back some breakfast if you like.”

Her smile is wide and brighter than the sun in Tahiti. “I’d love that.”

“Okay, shower first.”

“Good idea.”

The sound of Lauren’s fingers clicking on her keyboard is surprisingly soothing. I’m sitting in her chaise lounge with my own laptop on my lap, and a pile of paperwork beside me on an end table.

We’ve been working for the better part of the day, taking breaks to eat and stretch before jumping back in. Her work ethic staggers me.

I’ve watched her smoothly move from her Word document to her e-mail, answer a phone call, answer a question on social media, and then dive back into her project.

I have no idea how she doesn’t lose her concentration.

She also talks to herself, and her characters, while she writes, which I find absolutely hilarious.

“No, damn you, I don’t want you to say that until the next chapter,” she murmurs, then groans in frustration.

Completely adorable.

“I’m going to go outside and make a phone call, baby.”

She mumbles and waves me off, not paying attention to me as I chuckle and leave the room, then step out onto her front porch and call my friend Brad Hull, one of Cunningham Falls’ police detectives.

“Hull,” he answers immediately.

“Hey, it’s Ty.”

“What’s up?”

“I need a favor.” I take a deep breath, gazing out over the trees bordering Lo’s property. “I want to know everything there is to know about Lo’s ex-husband, Jack.”

“Did something happen?” Brad asks, his voice hard.

“He was an asshole at the charity gala, and Lo has said that he’s threatened her. I talked her into filing an order of protection, but I don’t trust the fucker. Just because there’s a piece of paper that says he can’t come near her doesn’t mean he still won’t.”

“So, the rumors are true.” Brad’s voice softens, taunting me. “You’ve got a thing for Lauren Cunningham.”

“We’re seeing each other.”

“I’m glad you talked her into filing the protection order, and that she has you looking out for her. I don’t have to run his background check. I already did that when she first separated from him.”

“What’s on it?” I prepare to hear the worst.

“Not a fucking thing,” he replies with frustration.

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. Never been arrested, no abuse or harassment suits. He’s squeaky-clean.”

“Not anymore.” I lean on the porch railing, scowling.

“He’s not going to be happy when words gets out around town that she filed that order and embarrassed him. Not to mention, he works with kids, so it could threaten his job.”

“Good,” I reply immediately. “We’ll keep our eyes open.”

“Thanks for the heads-up.”

I end the call and scrub my hand over my face. Fuck. It didn’t occur to me that the order could jeopardize Jack’s job at the school, but Brad’s right. Not that it matters. She needed to file, for her own protection.

We’ll deal with any aftermath together.

I return to Lo’s office and grin when I see she’s still sitting exactly as she was when I left. I turn my attention back to my own work, responding to e-mail and drafting letters to clients.

Suddenly my phone vibrates with an incoming text.

Lauren: You look hot sitting over there.

I glance up to find her staring at her computer screen, smiling while biting her lower lip.

“I’m right here, you know.”

She doesn’t respond and I go back to my e-mail. Within seconds, I have another text. She must be using iMessage on her Mac.

Lauren: I think you should work naked.

“I’m sitting in the same room. There is no need to text me.” My voice sounds stern, but I’m grinning. She is so funny. I love her playful side. She still doesn’t acknowledge my words, just pretends like she’s still working.

Lauren: Don’t be a killjoy. Take off your shirt. We’ll call it research.

I laugh and shake my head, then respond to her text: Heads up.

She looks over at me as I throw a pillow at her, making her laugh out loud uncontrollably.

“You did not just throw that pillow at me.” She laughs.

“I’m right here. Talk to me.”

“Okay.” She wipes tears of laughter from the corner of her eye. “Take off your shirt.”

“I will if you will.”

She raises her eyebrows in surprise and tilts her head in thought. “Hmm, that could be interesting. Okay.” She whips her T-shirt over her head, leaving her in a lacy, white bra. “Your turn.”

I reach over my head and pull my T-shirt off and throw it on the floor before leaning back against the cushion. “Happy?”