Getting involved with Beth had pretty much worked out as he’d expected. Trying to find time to spend together with the boys around made life very difficult. Oh, the two of them had met for coffee, and he’d joined her picking up groceries. They’d even managed to “accidentally” meet while walking a few evenings. But none of these circumstances offered any real time alone, and there were only so many things they could safely talk about in public or around the kids. While he was fine with taking his time to romance the woman, they weren’t going to ever get past this stage if he didn’t do a little wrangling.

Luckily, wrangling was something he was damn good at.

Beth pulled up in her SUV. The boys poured out as soon as the lights dimmed and the engine turned off.

“Daniel! Come on, hurry, hurry.” Excited beyond belief, the three of them had enough power to drag him off his feet without even trying.

“Hey, guys, let me help your mama for a minute, then we’re good to go.” Lance eyed him as he moved forward, offering a hand to Beth. The kid watched him like a hawk around Beth, and there was no way he wanted to be explaining anything to an eight-year-old when there still wasn’t anything to explain.

“Morning, Daniel.”

He loved how she blushed. “Morning. You ready for some fun in the water?” Oh hell, he hoped so.

She gave him a suspicious look. “Come on, boys. Let’s not keep Daniel waiting.”

Inside the doors the little guys scattered, pulling off their boots and bouncing outside the change-room door like grasshoppers. Beth laughed at them, a light and rested sound, and Daniel felt something inside turn over. The draw he felt toward her wasn’t diminishing, and it wasn’t only caused by sexual frustration.

“Sleep well?” he asked softly.

She flicked a glance his direction. “Like a baby.”

They grinned at each other. He’d phoned last night and suggested he should come over. When she’d offered another excuse, he’d gotten them both off again, talking about surprising her with wild sex out behind the barn. He was getting damn good at talking dirty, but it was time for something other than climaxes in separate rooms. Separate houses.

Daniel had to adjust his stance to make room to take the pressure off his rising cock. Fuck, getting into a swimsuit was going to be dangerous.

Beth swiped the boys’ pool passes. Daniel coughed to get her attention. He leaned toward to the attendant. “You still have room in the water-games program?”

She pulled a clipboard out and checked it. “Five slots available.”

Beth frowned. “What’s that about?”

The girl perked up. “Something new we’re trying out. It’s a drop-in program, and we’ve got instructors to supervise and lead the kids through all kinds of games and activities in the pool. There’s no extra charge, and they get to try diving and water polo, and use the equipment. It’s a lot of fun.”

“Mommy, can we do that?” Bouncing bodies surrounded them, hands clutching at Beth, three sets of eyes pleading. Daniel smiled at her expression, her sheer delight at seeing the boys’ enthusiasm.

“Of course you can. If you’re old enough.” Beth turned to the counter. “Eight, seven and six. Is that okay?”

The girl nodded. “Definitely.” She held up wristbands, and three little arms shot out to get tagged. She gave instructions while she fastened them on. “You need to get changed, have a shower then join the group in the kiddie pool. That’s where you’re starting in…” she checked over her shoulder, “…ten minutes. But remember to walk on deck, right, guys?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Excitement carried in their voices.

Nathan tugged on Beth’s arm. “Are you going to play with us too, Mommy?”

“I think it’s only for big boys like you guys. I’ll take it easy in the hot tub. Is that okay?”

He squirmed with excitement. “Daniel can play with you. That way you won’t be lonely.”

Yeah, that was exactly what Daniel had in mind. He glanced up to see Beth staring back as her sons tugged her awkwardly toward the change room, her face flushed.

Daniel winked before turning to double-check. “The program runs for an hour?”

The girl behind the counter shook her head. “An hour and a half. That okay?”

“That’s just fine.” In fact, it was fucking marvellous. He slipped his shoes off at the rack and made his way down the hallway to make sure the second part of his plan would work as well. Once the boys were happy and cared for, he and Beth were going to have a little alone time.

Chapter Eight

“You planned this, didn’t you?”

“I did.” Daniel put her crutches to the side and helped her down the stairs into the hot tub.

She took another glance around the pool area. Her boys were already having a blast, screaming and yelling and doing cannonballs with the group. Daniel slipped his hand off her shoulder and tugged on her waist, drawing her to his side. There were a few other moms sitting on the deck in the plastic chairs, noses buried in books or chatting quietly together. A few smiled her direction, but no one seemed to think anything of her and Daniel sitting intimately together in the hot tub.

“I saw the notice last week when we were here, and thought it might offer a solution to our problem.”

His lips hovered over her ear, the hand at her waist rubbing the bare skin of her back. She didn’t do bikinis, not after three kids in three years. She was glad that the mess on her leg didn’t seem to bother him at all either. The scars from the car crash were beginning to fade from her leg. The scars on her heart? Maybe they were starting to go as well.

Fingers fleetingly brushed her thigh, and she took a quick breath.

“Our problem?”

“Getting alone.”

Another stroke, higher this time. She shivered in spite of the heat of the pool. “Daniel, what are you doing?”

He leaned back, resting his head on the tiles. “Trying to decide what I’m going to do to you first.” His dark grey eyes bore into her and she swallowed. Her libido kicked up a few notches.

“First? Here?” The words squeaked out of her. Oh. My. God. “Daniel, we’re in public. We can’t…” He grabbed her foot and tugged it into his lap, rubbing her insole hard with his thumbs. “That feels good.” She adjusted her position until she sat across from him, propping her other foot on him without any hesitation.

He chuckled. “You mean I only needed to offer a massage all this time to get you into my evil clutches?”

She returned his grin and winked. “I’m easy that way.” The instant heat that smouldered back made her sex ache. Beth closed her eyes and sank into the water, enjoying his touch far more than any massage she’d gotten since the accident.

The last couple of times they’d come to the pool, Daniel had been all about the kids. Oh, he’d been courteous and helped her get where she needed to go, but he’d kept most of his attention on the boys, enticing them to try a few floats and swimming strokes. Playing tag and generally wearing them out. She’d relaxed in the warm water of the kiddie pool, clapping and waving every time the request “Look at me, Mommy” echoed.

Something warm had sprouted in her heart as she watched him with her sons, seeing him without any agenda except to have fun and enjoy their company.

It gave her hope, far more than she wanted it to.

Now he turned all that focused attention on her. He rubbed and caressed her feet, one at a time, then switched back and did her calves. By that time she was boiling alive between the heat of the water and the heat of his touch. Her breasts ached, and the core of her body felt hollow and empty. When he tugged her by the hand, she shook herself alert, slightly dazed.

“Come on.” Daniel helped her out of the hot tub, draping her towel around her neck before offering his elbow. She limped at his side, leaning on his arm for balance. He carried her crutches in his other hand, the ones she used to get around in the change room until she put the brace back on.

“Where are we going?”

“For some non-vanilla.”

She stumbled and he steadied her quickly. “You’re not serious,” she hissed.

“Never been more serious in my life.”

Holy cow, he was too.

He nodded politely at the ladies as they manoeuvred past the deck chairs. One woman eyed him hungrily, and Beth wanted to hang a sign around his neck saying Taken.

Where the hell had that come from? She beat down the feelings of jealousy as fast as she could. Daniel and her were…friends…although it appeared they were about to enjoy some benefits. Sweet Jesus. The heat racing over her skin had nothing to do with the hot tub they’d just left.

Daniel took the side hallway between the men’s and ladies’ change rooms, glancing behind them cautiously before opening a door and leading her in. It was one of the family change rooms. The rectangular room held a small wall-mounted bench and a larger shower enclosure at the far end. He leaned the crutches against the far wall then closed the door. The click of the lock echoed loud in the room.

“Daniel, what—?”

He spun her in his arms, and swallowed the question. He took control of her lips, clutching their bodies together tightly, kissing her madly. She gave in, the need for him having built too high over the past days to try and deny anymore.

Teeth and tongues, wet touches, simmering need. All she could do was feel, all she could think about was the way her body reacted. He peeled off one shoulder strap of her tank-top suit and fastened his mouth to her breast. Sucking the tip hard, he nipped and licked and drove her mad. He leaned her back on the wall and peeled down the other strap, one hand cupping the round of her breast before feasting on it in turn. Every nerve in her body sang. The constant ache in her leg faded to nothing as pleasure rose higher and higher. She ran her fingers through his hair, holding his mouth to her intimately. The repetitious tug of his lips teased and ramped up her need.

It only took a second for him to strip away the rest of her suit, and her hands flew upward in an attempt to cover her torso.

“Darling, you’re gorgeous. Don’t hide, don’t let yourself doubt how fucking incredible it makes me feel to see you naked in front of me.” Daniel spoke quietly, his hands clasping her fingers gently and tugging her arms to the sides. Beth planted her palms against the wall for balance, her legs spread wide.

“Sweet mercy, woman.” He drew a finger down her torso as he knelt at her feet, and her belly fluttered under his touch. He leaned closer and took a deep breath in through his nose. “I can smell your desire. You’re wet just thinking about what we’re going to do, aren’t you?”

Her legs trembled. “What are we going to do?”

His wicked grin flashed. “I already told you. Non-vanilla. We’ve got forty-five minutes left.”

With one hand he separated the curls of her body, touching her slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. Again and again he circled a finger along the sensitive skin of her sex, her labia and her clit pulsing in time with her heart. A single finger slipped into her depths, and he licked her clit and she moaned.

“You can make some noise, but no screaming, okay? I’ll take you somewhere for the screaming sex another time.”

“Jesus, Daniel, shut up already and…hell.” He bit her clit and the top of her head nearly blew off, it felt so damn good. Another finger joined the first, and he stroked and teased her, inside and out now, his tongue moving rapidly against her throbbing clit. His fingers plunged into her faster and faster until there was no hope of holding back, and her orgasm flashed like a wild fire. He slowed his strokes, drawing out the waves until she grasped his head and dragged him away from her now-too-sensitive center.

He rose, and those eyes caught her in his spell. He stripped off his swim trunks, and she swore at the size of him, his erection slamming into his belly as he stood. He pulled a condom from the towel on the counter, rolled it on and stepped closer.

“Daniel, how are we going to—?”

He kissed her wildly, that massive cock caught between their bodies, the heat of it branding her belly. When he finally pulled away, they both gasped for air.

“Fucking need to be inside you. Now.”

“Yes, please…yes.” She would have begged for longer but there was no need. Her desperation was reflected in his eyes as well. He stood her on her good leg and took hold of her injured one.