14. The Splash, Beau

One month later

Dallas, Texas

"Come on!" Dash's repetitive use of those words, and deep tenor of his voice, bounced off the walls inside the bedroom. "It's lonely out here."

I barely cast a glance at the swimming pool where Dash's head bobbed in the water. He was the ultimate mood-setter. Right now, he had romance on his mind. The sparkling twinkling lights and smooth music promised a good time. The pool heater held the temperature at a warm eighty-degrees. The inside pool lights were off. One bedroom window door panel was strategically cracked open to lure me outside. Of course, the scene designed for romance beckoned me, but my mind was preoccupied.

"I can't swim for an hour after I eat," I shouted loud enough for the crazy guy in the pool to hear. I was busy planning my future. On FedEx's secure site, I dug through the two-page list of different owners who had their trucks and routes up for sale. The prices encouraged me. All I needed now was time and credit building under my belt. My goals were set. Maybe by the end of the summer…I'd be able to beat Scott's income if I owned my own truck.

"Beau, that's just an old myth. Don't worry. I'll act as your personal lifeguard. I could probably get you out of the pool, and my CPR skills are rusty, but I'm certain I remember the basics." I heard a splash of water hit the closest closed window panel.

Man, he had no patience. I peeled my gaze off Dash's laptop screen to catch a glimpse of his blond head and shoulders poking out of an innertube.

"Stop ignoring me."

What an intriguing scene. The pool and backyard had their charm, but with Dash in the mix, it was pure magic. Why was I in here when he was out there?

A mischievous sneak attack began brewing in my head.

I'd been skipping my workouts, losing some of my bulk muscle. After nine hours of heavy lifting and loads of cardio a day, I didn't want to come home and spend hours of my evening lifting and away from Dash. So I sought some pretty weighted boxes to lift at work and used his limited in-home gym equipment whenever he did. I could feel the decline in my tone, but I also wanted it to happen. I'd only ever been this buff due to my father. Which was technically another really good reason to lose the muscle.

What I hadn't lost was my inner athleticism. With a sudden burst, I leaped from my chair, whipping off my T-shirt and tossing it away as I ran. One foot landed on the flower bed mulch, the other on the Cool-Crete freezing cold concrete. With no hesitation, I dove headfirst into the pool. The warmth of the water was as perfect as Dash kept saying. Since the inside pool lights were off, it allowed me to swim along the bottom until I reached Dash's feet and tugged him under. It required some muscle power due to the innertube.

I sprang up like a rocket, the innertube did too. Dash took longer. I had my hand poised to send a wave splashing when he came up. The way he sputtered around when breaching the water made me pause and reach out a hand to help steady him.

Once I determined that he'd live and got him back to the tube, an unexpected splash of water hit me straight in the face. Now it was my turn to cough and flail. He'd gotten it straight up my nose.

"Why did you do that?" Dash asked and whined at the same time. "Fuck, Brooks, my hair."

Of course, the hair. I rolled my eyes. He always kept it on point while I secretly preferred his natural look. His tousled locks only added to his charm. There was just something about a wet-haired Dash that got me.

"Why do you think we get along so well?" I asked, knowing anytime I brought us up, Dash lost focus on anything else. Besides, since Dash was always, always , on my mind, I'd been wondering about that question for the last few days.

The times of guarding my words, considering each one from every possible angle before saying them out loud was in the past. At least where Dash was concerned. He started for me until he reached my outstretched hand, allowing him to be drawn against my chest. We cozied up every time we were alone together. His body came flush against mine, his arm circling my shoulders, our faces inches apart. Love was such a beautiful connection.

"You know the answer," Dash stated. "We're a perfect match. Destined to be together."

"Hmm, I guess so," I teased, playfully poking at my guy's theories.

"You guess. How do you guess? It's clear. Couldn't be clearer," Dash shot back, not exactly calling me clueless, but his tone said it all.

I chuckled, sending the water lapping around us. "So how was your day? You were on the phone when I got home."

"Fine." His brow wrinkled as he circled back. "Why am I always the one to see we're meant to be? It's been obvious since the first day we met."

"I was messin' with you. You were fumin' about your hair, so I switched the topic," I explained. My tiptoes reached the bottom of the pool, allowing me to use both arms to wrap around him. Dash's legs circled my hips, aligning our cocks. Where he'd seemed chill with the physical distraction between us, I still struggled with the passion swirling throughout my body, all the damned time.

"You picked a subject that fires me up more?" Yep, the tone sharpened. He was going to make a great trial lawyer. In direct contrast to what was coming out of his mouth, his hold around my neck grew firmer, drawing us closer.

"So, how was your day, really?"

"It's still fine. Better when you come home. I'm not looking forward to the holidays. I watch the clock waiting for you," Dash admitted, reiterating the same complaint of every day.

"You're really uppin' the ante for a casual conversation." I waggled my brows, hoping he understood I was teasing. "Have you told your family about us?"

"No, I'm keeping us in a bubble. I asked Chandler not to say anything." His warm breath sent faint foggy clouds in my direction. I'd moved us farther into the shallow end and bent my knees until only our heads stuck out of the water. "I want a favor."

The set of his eyes begged me to understand, signaling what was about to come. Dash encouraged my versatility on the daily—several times a day. Over the last week or so, his pleas had taken on a determined edge. I wasn't certain my pleasure mattered as much as Dash's desire to feel me surrounding him. To understand the intense satisfaction of being balls deep inside the one you love.

"You want me to bottom," I answered.

Dash planted a happy smooch, both long and wet, on my lips. It reminded me of the gold stars my mom used to use when I was young. "My fella's so smart. The water will help. I have lube on the lounger. I promise to go slow." His charming, handsome, happy face was as irresistible as always.

I'd already decided to throw in the towel, surrender to the lure, but negotiating was essential in the give and take of our relationship. "If I do this, I want to contribute to the bills around here. Let me handle the utilities. And you cash my mom's check—it's my inheritance. I want to pay for my truck."

His hungry gaze locked on my lips. "Money's not an issue for us. We're covered. The truck came from an account I've been saving money in for a long time. I see myself as the provider. Let me provide."

I opened my mouth to argue, but Dash turned it into an electrifying moment when his head suddenly angled and dipped, our lips colliding. He executed the perfect dance as we battled for dominance, working us closer to the loungers. He'd managed to take us from zero to a million in two heartbeats.

We moved instinctually. The kiss left me breathless, a beautiful devastation. For him, it was a calculated move—a means to an end. My end. He guided me to the shallowest part of the pool, the lounge ledge, and guided me onto my belly. His touches were both possessive and tender.

"I'll make this good for you." His statement hung in the air, charged with anticipation. He deftly removed my swim trunks, followed by his own. The water's warm embrace added to the solid grip desire had on me. "New rule. When we're alone, we don't wear clothes."

Words escaped me as his fingers lightly traced my crease before slipping inside. Desire pulsed through every fiber of my body when his thumb began circling my hole. He applied pressure, and I surrendered to the intoxicating sensation.

I gave myself over to the feeling. My ass became the focal point of my body. Only when I opened my eyes and glanced back to look at him did I realize how much this meant to him.

I pivoted to my back and drew him into my arms, kissing him like my life depended on our intimacy. Then his thumb pushed past my barrier. The latch I had on his mouth, released. A sigh escaped. My gaze shot to Dash's, desperately needing to share this moment with him. I took all of his thumb inside me and felt the exact instant he found my gland.

Oh fuck me. I was instantly lightheaded. My balls churned. I didn't come, which was shocking. My entire body hummed, wanting in on the action of this release. I'd never felt anything like it before. The intense pressure was all encompassing, running from the tip of my toes to the top of my head.

He grinned seconds before applying pressure, rubbing back and forth over the insanely sensitive bundle of nerves. Even after all the sex we'd shared, my orgasm was ready to fucking go. "I can see it on your face. It feels amazing, doesn't it?"

I dropped my head between my shoulder blades as I huskily whispered, "Fuck yeah." They were the only intelligible words I could think to say.

The connection we shared was pure electricity, charged with something deeper, more substantial. The crisp night air wrapped around us. Dash's lips came back to mine, soft and insistent, tracing my mouth. Man, I liked when he licked me. They gave me a silent plea to let him back inside, and I did. His thumb never left my ass, relaxing me open while providing immense pleasure.

"Let's go inside and do this the right way," Dash said, barely lifting from my mouth.

His words sizzled in the air around me. Lust hung heavy. My hips rolled against Dash's hand.

"You like that, don't you?" I lost Dash's thumb, making room for a tag team of his index and middle finger, sliding in and out, scissoring my hole open.

There was an unmistakable scent of pure male surrounding me.

He rose from my hold, his free hand caressing the sensitive bud of my nipple. My body turned into a human furnace as Dash gave a solid shiver. Half his body was exposed to the cold night breeze.

"Let's go inside," I murmured, dislodging his hand.

"Good call," Dash agreed. He dunked under water, probably to warm up, then executed the perfect jump and lift from the pool. I did the same. "I'm freezing."

In the same fluid motion I used when lifting from the pool, I bent down to Dash, and tossed him over my shoulder. My guy yelped as I took a direct line into the house, flower beds be damned. Midway to the bedroom, I swiped a towel from the stack and tossed it over him.

"Beau, put me down. I can walk." Certainly, he could walk. That was never in question. I chuckled and swatted his ass with the palm of my hand. I wasn't sure I'd ever have enough of this guy. Pausing just inside the still open window panel, I swatted Dash's ass again. The towel covered his butt, denying me the satisfaction of the quick slapping sound. "Shut the panel."

"Continue spanking me like that and it'll become a frequent part of our bedroom time."

Of course, Dash was into a degree of rough play. He liked me to toss him around. I rolled my eyes. When I heard the click of the lock, I started for the bed. At the edge, I carefully flipped Dash over, landing him on the soft mattress. "Hey. The bed'll get wet…"

Damn, if my dick didn't get harder from him giving a small bounce. Dash was everything. His body was toned and fit. His hard cock bulged out, lengthy and hard.

"Fuck the bed," I murmured.

"Language!" Dash teased as I leaped on the mattress, close to him, watching him bounce again. I grasped Dash's neck and jaw, tilting his face to me. Honestly, he didn't stand much of a chance at resistance. My tongue delved inside his mouth. My ass was ready for his thumb again.

Oh man, bottoming was already hotter than my wildest dreams. The breach of my ass was both intimate and personal. It consumed me. I needed to ride this out, see how it ended.

Breaking from the kiss, I rubbed our cheeks together and inhaled deeply. Leather and spice, the room, the man. My dreams. "I want you to keep goin'. It feels good."

"I told you that you'd like it," Dash purred, pushing my shoulder until I landed on my back. Good, I wanted to watch him. His fingers crawled over my belly muscles, down my treasure trail, finally to fist my cock. One knee pushed between my legs, spreading my thighs apart.

"I like you this way. All natural," I whispered, staring at his disheveled hair and strong five o'clock shadow. "You're handsome."

"I'm unkempt," he murmured.

"You look real…" My eyes bugged out of my head as Dash bent, swallowing me whole. No test run, just taking me to the back of his throat in one sure move. Jolts of electricity ran rampant, sizzling a path straight to my balls. My love began worshiping my body as if it were made to order. His special treat.

The air hummed with sexual tension. If Dash continued, I'd certainly come in his mouth. He could give a master class in how to give a great blow job. My balls seized as I desperately tugged him off me. The pop of release was audible, vibrating through my head.

Dash drew in breath, his chest heaving. He looked like a wildcat poised to pounce on its next meal. He trailed wet, openmouthed kisses along my body, up my neck and over my jawline. He circled the shell of my ear and whispered into the path he'd just made wet. "You taste so damned good. So fucking sexy. My man. I'll never get enough." His wicked tongue lavished my ear before pushing off me again. The delight in his gaze sent my desire even higher. "It's gonna be so good. I need to get the lube."