I wondered if I should lie, but I decided not to. “Probably. It’s fed by a glacier. Even in midsummer, it’s still going to be chilly.”

“Can we get on with it then?” she muttered. “Before I decide this is crazy.”

“Ten,” the voice boomed out. “Nine, eight…”

The crowd started chanting the countdown. Kennedy met my eyes, smiling widely as she called out the numbers. When we hit one, a horn blared, and we raced into the water. I gasped as it hit my toes and splashed around my ankles, then cringed as the water drew up the insides of my thighs. I could almost feel my balls trying to crawl up inside me.

“It’s so cold!” Kennedy cried, leaping into my arms—presumably to escape the water, but it backfired, since she toppled me off balance and we crashed into the tarn together. Water closed over my head, and I struggled upward, panting as I broke the surface. I looked around and grabbed Kennedy, hauling her up with me. She spluttered, her eyes round with shock. Icy streams of water trickled from her hair over her shoulders and down her breasts. She clutched my chest while she caught her breath. When she’d finally recovered, she started to laugh. Her eyes crinkled with mirth, and I loved the sound of it so much, I joined in.

Then, all of a sudden, her mouth was against mine. Her cool lips pried mine apart, and I yielded easily, reveling in the taste and feel of her. I drew her closer, fit my body against hers, and tried to get more of her.

A wolf-whistle ended the moment.

We broke apart, staring at each other with a combination of need and surprise.

“Want to get out of here?” I asked, my voice rough. I wasn’t sure if it was too much too soon, or if the question would frighten her off, but she nodded eagerly and pushed me toward the shore.

“Let’s go home.”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

KENNEDY

Liam and I packed as quickly as we could and raced down the trail, away from the tarn and back toward the township. I wished I could snap my fingers and have us back at the cottage, but sadly, that didn’t work in real life. During the time between leaving the tarn and arriving at Liam’s Ute, I had plenty of opportunity to reconsider. Perhaps that was good because it meant neither Liam nor I would be able to say we’d been completely caught up in the moment.

As we reached the parking area, Liam stopped, drawing me into a brief, fiery kiss, then we hurried across the clearing to the vehicle. I shoved my stuff into the back seat and climbed into the front. Liam buckled up and got the engine revving in record time.

“To the cottage?” he asked.

I hesitated. “Yeah.”