Free Any Man I Want by Michele Grant

way as well.”
    â€œHow’s the water feel?” She squatted down and ran her fingers through the water slowly.
    I wanted some sort of award for my restraint in the face of overwhelming temptation. “Come on in and find out for yourself.”
    She stood, kicked off her heels, and twisted her hair up. “I do believe I will, Mr. Sexy.” With innate grace, she strode to the deep end of the pool and executed a perfect dive into the water. A few underwater breaststrokes later and she emerged next to me with a huge grin on her face. “I love the water, it feels awesome.” She leaned back and floated in circles around me.
    I grinned back at her. “You’re a water baby. I did not know that.”
    â€œI adore water. You don’t know everything about me, Carter Parks.”
    â€œNo; no, I don’t. But I’m aiming to find out. I’ll tell you one other thing. . . .” I scanned her form.
    â€œWhat’s that?”
    â€œI’m learning a helluva lot more with that bikini you are halfway wearing. Did you know it’s see-through when it gets wet?”
    Her grin turned salacious. “Is that right?”
    I shook my head, reached out, grabbed her around the waist, pulled her upright and up against me. “So you waltzed your fine ass out here in four see-through pieces of material and swam right up to me, huh?”
    â€œYeah, I did.” She wrapped her arms and legs around me. “What’re you gonna do about it?”
    â€œWoman, you are really asking for it,” I warned.
    â€œWhy, yes I am. Are you going to give it to me?”
    â€œHa!” I barked out a laugh and turned with her in my arms. I pressed her against the side of the pool and leaned in. I nuzzled her neck and bit lightly on her earlobe before whispering in her ear. “You’re not going to move me anywhere I don’t want to go, princess. Hot as you are, smart as you are, you don’t have to give me the hard sell, babe. I’m already on the hook.”
    â€œThen take a bite already!” She squirmed up against me.
    â€œWhen we’re ready,” I said through gritted teeth while holding her hips still.
    She rolled her pelvis once more. “I think we’re both ready.”
    â€œAnd that’s your problem, princess.” She was too used to getting her own way. Probably every guy she dated got wrapped up in her looks and her body and didn’t look any deeper. I wasn’t that guy. I wasn’t going to be the guy who hit, quit, claimed the trophy, and moved on.
    â€œWhat’s my problem?” She quirked a brow.
    â€œYou’re thinking below the waist instead of above the neck. What’s wrong taking our time? There’s a lot at risk here. We’ve been friends for years. Your brother is my best friend. I spend half my holidays with your parents. My grandfather fishes with your dad. If we implode and things get ugly, the fallout will be uncomfortable for so many people we care about. Is it really that big of an issue if we take it slow and get a little more comfortable with each other?”
    Her eyes were wide. “Good God, you are serious! This is really happening? After years of dancing around each other, I’m offering myself up on a platter and you want to get to know me better? Really? You sound like a girl.” She sulked.
    I slid my hands from the indentation of her waist down to her rear and pressed against her once more. “Do I feel like a girl?”
    She exhaled shakily. “You most definitely do not feel like a girl.”
    â€œAll right, then. You already know when we do this it’s going to be thermonuclear. We don’t have to rush it. We can take our time. Sex is easy; it’s the rest that gets twisted.”
    She unwound herself from around me with a dramatic sigh. “Let’s race. Two laps lengthwise. I win, we do the easy stuff. You win, we do it your