Breaking the Seventh Read online

  Just as the thought occurs to me, I feel a set of strong fingers closing around my ankle. He jerks me down so fast I don’t have time to even think about kicking him loose. Floundering my way to the surface, sputtering indignantly, I open my eyes to find the jerkoff grinning at me from only two feet away.

  “Asshole!” I snap, coughing into my hand while glaring at him. “You promised!”

  “Did I? Now that's funny, because I don’t recall having that conversation.” He tilts his head to one side and gazes at me with an intensity that I find unnerving. “Next time you really should get something in writing. Preferably notarized. You never can be too careful. Might be in your best interest to remember that.”

  “Idiot.” I can’t help but crack a smile, and to hide it I turn and swim over to the side. “No wonder you don’t have anyone else swimming over here, if you try and drown all your friends.”

  He follows, commenting, “Your friends seem…interesting.”

  “They are that,” I have to agree.

  “So tell me something. What’s with Simon’s unusual nickname?”

  “Oh, he’s had that since he was a kid.” I’ve heard this story a million times. Everyone always asks him about it. “See, when he was little he had this thing about taking baths. Somehow he got it into his head that he was in danger of going down the drain and ending up in the ocean, far away, where he’d never be able to find his way back home. No one could convince him otherwise. So every chance he got, he’d jump out of the tub and make a break for it, butt naked and covered from head to toe in Mr. Bubble. Of course his older sister thought it was hilarious and made sure everyone in the family knew about it. Their uncle started referring to him as the soapy streak and it caught on with everyone else. Eventually it got shortened to just Soapy.”

  Myles looks amused, which I expected since everyone I know finds that story hilarious. His response, however, is not what I expected. “And how long has the soapy streak been in love with the ballerina?”

  I stare at him in surprise. “What? How did you–”

  “Just a hunch.”

  Wow. Poor Soapy, apparently he’s more transparent than I thought. “You’re very perceptive, aren’t you? But yes, he’s been crushing on Willow ever since I can remember.”

  “And the feelings are not reciprocated?”

  “Willow lives and breathes dance. I don’t think she’s ready to let anything else into her life right now. Besides, she just opened up her own ballet studio, so she’s been too busy focusing on that to notice him.”

  “And Jessica Rabbit? What’s her story?”

  I might have known he would ask about Autumn. Not that I can blame him, of course. She’s always had that effect on men. They have a habit of following her around with their eyes popping out and tongues dragging the floor.

  She is also one of the most loyal and trustworthy friends I’ve ever had. When Brad made a complete fool of me before firing me from the newspaper office, she is the one who sat up with me all night and listened patiently, without judging, while I spilled my heart and my tears.

  “Autumn is – believe it or not – a kindergarten teacher,” I tell him. “One of the nicest people I know. And currently single, if you’re interested.”

  His expression is indecipherable. “No, thanks. Not my type.”

  And what is your type? I want to ask. But I don’t. For now, it’s enough to know that at least my flirtatious friend doesn’t qualify.

  “Were you really having a séance last night?”

  “It was Willow’s idea,” I point out defensively.

  “Are you sure? Because you don’t strike me as the type who spends her days off doing normal, everyday things like going to the movies or jogging in the park.”

  “So I’m a nonconformist. What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all.” He circles me like a shark before suggesting, “Why don’t you race me. Ten laps. First one to finish wins.”

  “You want to race?”

  “Unless you’re afraid of drowning in my wake.”

  “Oh, you’re on, Aquaman! Get ready to have your ass handed to you.” Smiling to myself, I paddle over to the side and wait for him to position himself beside me. “We’ll go on the count of three. Work for you?”

  “Works for me.”

  “Ready?”

  “Ready.”

  “Okay. One…” Suppressing a giggle, I prematurely shriek “Go!” before shoving off from the side and hightailing it in a brisk breaststroke. Hey, if he can thumb his nose at the rules, then so can I.

  My head start is ineffective, of course. He’s skimming past me in no time, his long arms propelling him in smooth, balanced strokes while I, in comparison, resemble a salmon trying to make its way upstream. He’s faster and one helluva lot stronger than I am, gliding effortlessly through the water like a torpedo. By the time I’m into my seventh lap, he’s already ahead by at least two and I’m collapsed against the side, out of breath and ready to concede defeat.

  Myles coasts up alongside me, tossing his head to shake the wet hair out of his face. “Cheaters never prosper,” he informs me with a victorious smirk.

  “It’s easy for you, Paul Bunyan,” I scoff. “Doesn’t take long to get to the other side when you’re the same size as the pool!”

  “What was that?” Widening his eyes, he pretends to be affronted. “Was that…by any chance, could that have been…a backhanded reference to my height?”

  “Nothing gets past you, does it, skyscraper?” I snicker. Letting go of the edge, I quickly turn around and sink down self-consciously. I wonder how much he can see beneath the water’s surface. Not much, I hope.

  “After we had an agreement?” He drifts a little closer to me, a gleam of mischief sparkling in his eyes.

  “Don’t come any closer,” I warn him, splashing his face playfully.

  He turns his head to avoid the spray. “Or what?”

  “Or you might wind up singing an octave higher than you’re used to.”

  “How you gonna manage that? You’d need a stepstool just to reach it, shorty.”

  “Shorty...oh, now that’s original. You’d think a monument as iconic as the Eiffel Tower could come up with something a little more creative.”

  Heaving a theatrical sigh, Myles shakes his head. “How do you like this? I’m being insulted by someone who isn’t even tall enough to go on any of the adult rides.”

  There are so many ways I could respond to that, I don’t even know where to begin.

  I’m mentally scrolling through the long list of possibilities when he surprises me by suddenly lunging forward. Startled, I suck in a sharp breath as he grips the edge of the pool on either side of my head and hooks me with his intense gaze. He is so close, I can see the deep blue of his irises even in the darkness.

  “Then again...” he murmurs softly, “...it would be a shame to deny you the pleasure of a thrilling ride.”

  Oh, sweet seven-pound baby Jesus.

  Breathe, Leah.

  “No touching, remember?” I remind him in a raspy voice.

  “Am I touching you?”

  No, he isn't, but fuck all if I'm not wishing he was. I didn't think it was possible to get any wetter than I already am, but guess what? I was wrong.

  His lips twitch slightly, as if he's trying to hold back a smile. “Is any part of me touching any part of you right now?”

  “Technically? No...”

  “Then it's all good. Right?”

  I hitch my shoulders in what I can only hope is an indifferent shrug.

  “What's the matter? Run out of snide remarks?”

  “Clearly you don't know me very well,” I retort.

  “You don't know me very well either, blondie. Which bodes the question of what made you do something reckless like stripping and jumping into a pool with a virtual stranger.”

  “Because you didn't think I would.”

  “Do you always do things just to prove a point?”
>
  “Yeah, pretty much.”

  “Which makes you easy to manipulate then, doesn't it?”

  “Oh, you can try.” I bite my lip to stifle a nervous giggle. “But I wouldn't advise it.”

  His eyes stray down to my mouth briefly before catching my gaze once again. “Well, you're just a blazing little ball of contradictions, aren't you?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “Aren’t you afraid of what I’ll do to you, now that I’ve got you naked and cornered?”

  “Not really. We had an agreement, so I expect you to act like a gentleman and honor your word.”

  “Darlin’, if in any way I come off as a gentleman, you can be assured that acting is all it is.”

  “I’m sure you can fake your way through it just fine.” Damn, but this is getting interesting! I’m not sure who I have to thank for the stick-from-assendectomy but I’m really digging this flirtatious, less uptight version of Myles.

  “Uh-huh. So tell me, little mermaid. What was that you were saying earlier about the underwater jets?”

  I can’t help but blush at the reminder. “Ah…I was just teasing.”

  “I see. And do you think teasing a poor unsuspecting man is a nice thing to do?”

  “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not in the habit of playing nice.”

  “Then we do have something in common.” He leans his head in a bit, and his breath is warm against my cheek as he murmurs, “It’s too bad, though. I was starting to enjoy the visual of you getting yourself off right in my back yard.”

  “Were you now?” Whew…is the temperature in here rising or is it just me?

  “Mm-hm. Thank you for putting that image in my head, by the way. Nothing says insomnia like a perpetual hard-on.”

  “Aw, poor baby. Are you sexually frustrated?” I may sound unaffected, but it’s hard to keep my snarky voice steady when all I’m doing right now is picturing him in my mind. Sprawled out across my bed with a stiff, throbbing boner – oh, yeah. That one is getting filed in the spank bank for later. And by later, I mean soon. Very soon.

  “I wouldn’t be so quick to mock me, dollface.” The velvety baritone is low, hovering just above a whisper. “You see, I’m quite adept at interpreting body language. And as tense as you are right now, I’m guessing I’m not the only one here who could use a little stress release.”

  “What makes you think I’m tense?”

  “I can feel it.”

  “And you’ve reached that conclusion without even touching me?”

  “I don’t have to touch you to feel you.” He continues to watch me intently, making it that much harder for me to keep my cool. “You aren’t touching me, but I know damn well you can feel me. I can prove it. Close your eyes.”

  “Why-y?” I drawl skeptically.

  “Just do it. Word of honor, I promise not to lay a finger on you.”

  Too bad, I think to myself, but I do as he requests and obediently shut my eyes.

  “Now then…” he breathes close to my ear. “Keep in mind that I am mere centimeters away from you. Close. So close. Close enough that if I were to move forward just a fraction of an inch, the head of my cock would be brushing up against you. And as you might imagine, the beast is very much awake.”

  I might have burst out laughing at the way he referred to his schlong as the beast, had I not seen it for myself when he flashed me the other night. Frankly, he’s spot on with that description.

  “But I’m not going to move,” he continues. “I’m forbidden to touch you. So I’ll leave it all to your imagination. You’re aware of me, but I want you to reach beyond simple awareness. I want you to feel me. In your mind, I want you to feel me sliding into you, inch by long, hard inch, slowly at first. Slowly. Stretching you. Filling you. Taking you. Waiting patiently for your body to adapt to mine. Can you feel it?”

  “N-no.” My God, what is he trying to do here? “Not really. I don’t know. Maybe.”

  “Don’t give me maybe. Of course you can. You can because you want to. You want to feel me buried inside you, deep, so damn deep, pounding that hungry pussy until you can’t take it anymore. Until you’re out of your head with lust.”

  My chest hitches slightly as I try to steady my runaway pulse. I manage to suppress a moan just in time. Every part of me is tingling with anticipation as he persists relentlessly in a smoky whisper.

  “Inside you. Moving. Stroking. Wet and warm. So tight. You want me. I can feel how much you want me. Your legs are wrapped around me. Your thighs are quivering. We’re picking up the pace now. Getting close. Both of us, each of us, getting close. Faster, harder, faster. Frantic. Thrusting. Fucking. Thrusting…can you feel me, Leah?”

  “Myles…” I mean it as a protest, but his name comes out sounding more like a breathless whimper.

  “Feel me.”

  “Please stop…” My mouth forms the words, but they never materialize into anything audible. The pulsing ache between my thighs is becoming almost unbearable.

  “Do you know what I’ve been wondering?”

  Words fail me. All I can provide in lieu of a response is a helpless shake of my head.

  “I’ve been wondering what you would look like when you come.”

  Oh…

  I wet my lips while once again reminding myself to breathe. “I’m afraid I couldn’t tell you. I’ve never watched myself come.”

  “Maybe someday you’ll give me the opportunity to find out.”

  He’s a lot closer to finding out than he realizes.

  “I thought you said dating wasn’t a ‘viable option’ for you right now.” Opening my eyes, I lift my hands out of the water and make air quotes with dripping fingers.

  “Never said anything about dating, now did I?”

  “So what you’re saying is, what you’re in the market for is a quick fuck.”

  The hazy blue eyes continue to appraise me with interest. “Never said it would be quick, either.”

  Taking a deep breath, I gather my shattered senses and struggle to pull myself together. His little experiment has affected me more than I care to admit. I’ve never been so turned on in all my life, but that doesn’t mean I have to make this effortless for him.

  “All right. Listen up, Lurch,” I tell him firmly. “I may look like a fast and easy piece of ass to you, but I’ll have you know this girl doesn’t crawl between the sheets with just any swinging dick. What makes you think I’m going to lower my standards for the likes of you?”

  A shadow of a smile tugs at one corner of his mouth. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

  “No. You’re very persuasive – I’ll give you that.”

  “I warned you, didn’t I? You’re in over your head, little girl.”

  “Don’t underestimate me, Myles. Had the timing been different, I might have called your bluff.”

  “Timing?” he echoes, puzzled.

  “Never mind. I should go. I have…things to do.”

  “Would any of those things require double-A batteries, by any chance?”

  “I’ll just leave that to your imagination.”

  “Go ahead, then.” He drops his arms from either side of me and drifts backward with a sly smile. “I’m not stopping you.”

  I know what that shit-eating grin is all about. He thinks he’s making me uncomfortable by watching me. He’s full expecting me to demand, for modesty’s sake, that he avert his eyes while I get out of the pool and get dressed.

  Honestly. You’d think by now the guy would know better than to challenge me.

  Bracing my weight with both arms, I pull myself up deliberately slowly, then pivot and sit on the edge for a moment before folding my legs up and rising gracefully. If he is at all surprised, he is hiding it very well. That impassive expression never falters.

  Eyeing him defiantly, I gather my hair to one side and squeeze the water out. It trickles down in a crooked trail over my left breast. “Well, it’s been fun. Thanks for the invite. Catch you on the flip side, moose.”


  I don’t even bother gathering up my clothes. Instead I leave them right where they are on the diving board, simply turning to stroll off in the direction of the gate with just a hint of swagger, unhurried and calmly composed. Lady Godiva would’ve been proud.

  “Hey, Goldilocks.”

  I pause to glance back over my shoulder. It gives me a small measure of satisfaction to see his eyes trained on my ass.

  But all he says is, “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

  Chapter Seven

  That mutt is over here again.

  Wiping my hands on a dishtowel, I scowl at Charlie through the kitchen window as he hunkers up next to an azalea bush.

  Great. Real classy. My front yard is now officially a doggie toilet. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear his Twinkie-headed owner trained him to do that. He probably gets a reward for every turd he unloads over here. Bonus treats if he drops a deuce someplace where I’ll be sure to step in it.

  Muttering under my breath, I abandon the dishes and head outside to scold the dog. I fully expect him to take off when he sees me, but that doesn’t happen. Instead he toddles on over with his tongue lolling out, brown eyes shining. He doesn’t even have the civility to look ashamed. No, the fuzzy wiener schnitzel is wagging his tail and looking up at me as if he expects accolades for taking a dump on my lawn.

  I crouch down and scratch behind his ears in spite of myself. “Now why did you go and do that, buddy? Tell me, what did I ever do to you?”

  He merely pushes his soft head against my hand, encouraging me to pet him more.

  “You're not spoiled at all, are you? Nope, didn’t think so. Not even a little bit.” I rub his head for a few more minutes before straightening with a sigh. “Well, let's go see if we can find that fruitcake you belong to. You know, I oughta scoop up your little 'present' and leave it on her damn doorstep. That might teach her to keep a better eye on you.”

  When the front doorbell goes unanswered, I walk around back to the patio to find Leah stretched out on a chaise lounge, sunbathing. Her barely-there bikini isn’t leaving a lot to the imagination. I can see the outline of her perky nipples pressed against the thin white fabric, and my subversive dick stirs to life. The erection-inducing scenery is conjuring up flashbacks of last night.