“I can think of an alternative.” With a delicate finger he traced the strap of my tank top before sliding it down my shoulder.

“Are you suggesting that we go skinny dipping?” My stomach did a funny little flip. He was right, no one ever came to this side of the lake, but the thought of swimming na**d with him was enough to get my juices flowing.

“Oh, I’m more than suggesting it. I’m asking really nicely.” Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to mine and I melted into his side. Carefully he laid me down on the rock and rolled over so that his body was partially covering mine. When he pulled back from my mouth, he pressed a kiss to the shoulder he had pushed the strap off of. “I missed you this week.”

My heart was beating a million times a minute, but when he said he missed me, it froze in shock. It didn’t take long before it started back again and I felt like I had melted into the rock. Touching his cheek, I made him look at me. “I missed you too.”

Hunger filled his gaze as he looked at my face. “Good.”

Propping himself up on one arm, he used his free hand to push the other strap of my tank top and then pressed a kiss to that shoulder. His mouth came back to mine in a slow, lazy kiss as his hand slid under my shirt to spread across my stomach. I slid my hands over his chest until I found the hem of his shirt. I tugged it up, forcing him to break our kiss and sit up so he could pull it over his head.

He looked down at me from his kneeling position, his eyes raking over my body. I took in a ragged breath when he stood and undid the button on his jeans. With slow movements he stepped out of the material and held his hand out to me. I let him pull me to a standing position and stood very still as he peeled my tank top up and over my head, leaving me standing there in my sports bra.

He kissed me again, still slow and tender, but with a barely restrained sense of urgency behind his touch as he traced the waistband of my shorts. Gently he pushed them down over my panties, his fingers tracing my skin as he did so.

Pulling away from me, he grabbed my hand and looked into my eyes. “Ready?”

“For what?” My heart beat in my chest so hard it hurt.

“To swim.” Smiling, he swung me up into his arms and ran to the water.

At first I was disappointed but it was quickly forgotten after a quick look at his face. He looked happy and carefree, and it released something in me that I had been holding on to. I needed to stop waiting for him to make love to me—stop expecting it every time we were together and just let it happen. It was a freeing thought. And when he threw me into the water I came back up laughing.

“Muearde!” I sputtered. “Il est frigid!”

“What does that mean?” He swam toward me with slow strokes.

“Cold!” I splashed water at him. “Shit, it’s cold.”

He tsked at me. “I don’t think a princess is supposed to use that word.”

“I’m not a princess right now.” I placed my hands on his shoulder. “I’m just Cathy right now.”

“I’m starting to wonder if you have a multiple personality complex.” He brushed some of the wet hair out of my face.

“You know, you might be right.” I laughed. “I do feel like two people sometimes.”

“Well, I have a confession.” His eyes searched my face while his lips twisted into a smirk. “I like you both. I’m not sure I can choose.”

“Luckily for you, I’m not a jealous woman.” Pushing with my legs, I shot out of the lake and used my hold on his shoulders to dunk him under the water.

He came up laughing and splashed me. “Sure.”

“Okay, I would be upset if it was a different woman, but technically, despite all of my moaning, they are both me.” I cut my eyes at him as I treaded water. “Though I’m surprised you like Princess Catherine.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” He swam around me. “All that self-control, just begging to be broken.”

My cheeks heated at the thought. He could do it so easily.

“And then there are those skirts you wear.” His next lap around me was a little closer. “What are they called?”

“The pencil skirts?” I raised an eyebrow.

“They kill me.” His smile turned darker, hotter. “I can barely keep my hands off of you.”

“Good thing you have some self-control. I hear the princess’s bodyguards are pretty serious.”

“And then there’s you.” He stopped in front of me. “Cathy. The girl that cracks jokes, hunts zombies, and practically begs me to take my clothes off.”

My head dropped back with a laugh. “That’s going to haunt me forever.”

“At least for as long as you keep letting me come around.” He grabbed my waist and slid my body against his. The feel of his slick skin against mine made me suck in a breath.

“Hm. We’ll see.” I could barely get the words out, but I didn’t want him to know how much he affected me. He was already obsessed with the fact that I had drunkenly asked him to strip.

His hand slid down to grip my thigh. He lifted it so that he was pressed against my center and I lifted my other leg to wrap around his waist. In a slow movement, his hand ran up my body and over my breast before cupping my neck.

“Just something to think about,” he whispered against my mouth.

His lips were teasing as he coaxed my mouth open. His tongue was soft and probing as I turned to putty in his hands. When he let go of my neck and moved his hand back down over my body, I sighed against him, but when he slid his fingers between where we were pressed together, I moaned gently.