After the Rain by Lisa de Jong

since I was ten. It’s a little scary to think that Beau may have chosen my wardrobe for this trip. Who knows what he has picked out?
    After I slip out of my clothes, I open the bag and find my green bikini tucked into the side. I put it on quickly, eager to get back outside to Beau.
    As I open the door, I see him sitting on the edge of the water with his back to me. It’s a beautiful sight; he’s in nothing but swim trunks, and the sun is radiating off his tanned skin. He must hear me as my feet step over the tall grass because he peeks over his shoulder, giving me a glimpse of him in his aviator sunglasses.
    “Looks like you found it,” he says, letting his lips curl up into a sexy half grin.
    “I did,” I reply, stopping next to him.
    “Let’s use it then,” he says, standing up next to me. “First one out to that floating dock wins.”
    He doesn’t give me time to even get a word out before he jumps in and starts swimming through the water.
    I follow him in, enjoying how the warm water feels against my skin as I make my way to the dock. By the time I reach it, Beau is already lying on top soaking in the summer rays.
    I climb onto the dock and position myself next to him. “It looks like you won.”
    “I wanted the best view of this gorgeous girl when she swam in and water was dripping down her sexy body,” he says, sitting up on his elbows.
    “Did I make it in time to see that, too?” I tease.
    “Come here?” he says using his index finger to summon me.
    I comply, crawling up the length of his body until mine is perfectly aligned with his. “Is this what you want?”
    His hands grip my hips tightly before working their way up my sides to pull my body weight on top of his. “This is what I had in mind. I want to feel every part of you on every part of me.” Placing his finger under my chin, he tilts my head back to get better access to my neck and places kisses at the base of my throat.
    “Do you know what would be even sexier than you naked?” he asks, his lips still against my skin.
    “No,” I whisper as his mouth travels down to the space between my breasts.
    “You naked and wet underneath me.” He carefully rolls me onto my back and continues to shower my body with warm kisses.
    “Beau,” I moan, starting to lose control. I don’t really have the willpower to stop him. Beau Bennett is impossible to say no to, and my body is a traitor, craving his touch.
    “Not today, but someday after the sun goes down, I’m going to bring you out here, and we’re going to make love on this dock. You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about it, Kate,” he says, running his tongue up my bare stomach.
    “So you’re just teasing me?”
    “No, baby, I’m just preparing you for later.” His lips move back up my body, stopping with a few soft kisses on mine. “No one else needs to see what’s mine,” he says in his deep, sexy voice before lifting himself off me.
    Rolling onto his side, he props his head up with his arm and stares down at me. Now I know how guys feel when girls let them get to the brink and then stop … he got me all wound up, and now he’s going to make me wait for hours before he winds me back down.
    I don’t know how long we lay there, but by the time we decide to head back to shore my skin has a pink tint. The sun is starting to go down, and I haven’t eaten in hours. Beau pulls us each a sandwich and water from the cooler, and we sit at the small picnic table behind the cabin to watch the sun go down over the water.
    Neither of us says much as we overlook the water. This moment is peaceful and serene; it speaks for itself.
    When there’s nothing left but darkness and stars, I’m more than ready to crawl in the tent and call it a night. Before tucking ourselves in, we use the cabin to change into our pajamas and brush our teeth. It’s tempting to just stay in there and enjoy the comforts of a bed, but there won’t be any stars.
    I need the stars.
    “Are you