Free Everybody's After Love by Lyssa Layne Page B

a seat beside her at the bow of the boat. Without permission or care about what my friends or sister thinks, I sit beside her and mindlessly brush my lips across her bare shoulder. She tenses beside me but I don’t pull away. My hands move to her hips and I pull her back against me, letting my arms encircle her and rest on her taut stomach and I feel her relax into me. I’ve never been this forward with a woman before, but then again my ex and I had been together since high school. I’m not going to move too fast with Jules because I don’t want to lose her, but I’m not going to hide that I want her either.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 10

     
    The day is shaping up to be almost perfect. The cool breeze blowing off the lake is the perfect contrast to the hot sun rays shining down. Jason turns the boat in a circle as Bri skies behind it expertly. Bentley’s arm is hanging over my shoulder as we sit at the front of the boat, his finger lazily dragging back and forth along my collarbone. His touch makes me feel warm inside, but gives me goosebumps on my skin and I snuggle closer to him to warm up.
    He nods toward the back of the boat. “You’re up next, Jules.”
    My arm tightens around his torso as I shake my head. “Um, I don’t think so.”
    He raises his eyebrow and immediately I know it’s his mission to get me to ski.
    I sigh. “I suck at skiing. I don’t have the arm strength to pull myself up.”
    The boat slows and we turn our attention to Bri, who gracefully lets go of the pull rope and sinks into the water. Bentley gives her a thumbs up and turns back to me.
    “She’s a show-off, been skiing since she was five. She even used to do ski shows with pyramids and everything out in Lake Saint Louis over her summers in high school.”
    Paulie and I grew up right beside Lake Saint Louis, but we’d never heard of those ski shows. Then again, most of our summers were spent working with very little time to play, but I won’t mention that. I’ve already stuck my foot in my mouth one too many times about financial situations that aren’t my business.
    Bentley stands up and takes my hand, pulling me up behind him.
    “What are you doing?” I ask, a hint of nerves in my voice.
    He grabs a life jacket and wraps it around my shoulders, pulling my arms through the holes. “We’re going to get you to water ski.”
    I laugh and shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. I told you, I’m awful at it.”
    A boat races past us, sending waves across the water causing me to lose my balance. Bentley grabs my hips as my hands land on his chest. His finger moves under my chin and he smiles. “I’ll be out there with you, Jules. I promise we’ll get you up.”
    Bentley told me he always keeps his promises so we’ll see if he’s telling the truth. His fingers move to the zipper of the life vest and he pulls it up and tugs at the strap to make sure I’m secure. Reaching behind me, he grabs another life jacket he puts on himself and sets his visor and sunglasses on the dash of the steering wheel. Turning back to me, he asks, “You ready?”
    Taking a deep breath, I nod, because what else is a girl supposed to do when a man flashes his sexy dimple at her. “Good,” he says and in one quick movement, he picks me up and tosses me overboard, jumping in right alongside of me.
    The shock of the freezing cold water takes my breath away as I surface. Bentley’s right beside me laughing and I splash water in his direction.
    “Not cool,” I say as I laugh and push my hair out of my eyes.
    “Sorry,” he apologizes, not sorry at all as he chuckles. “I always thought it was like a Band-Aid, just rip it off to avoid the slow torture.”
    Bri, back in the boat, glides the skis out to us and Bentley grabs them. Both skis now in hand, he looks at me, laughter gone and completely serious. Seeing him so focused makes me smile.
    He looks up and notices I’m staring. “What?”
    Shaking my head, I grin. “You’re kind of