She could barely breathe. “I imagined, too. Don’t make me imagine anymore.”

He kissed her mouth softly. “All right. Remember, if you want—”

She glared up at him. “Yep. Heard you the first time. I think I got it, Rafe.”

He chuckled then and slid down to kiss the hollow of her throat, the valley between her breasts.

She sucked in a breath, holding it. Waiting. And then his lips brushed her nipple and her lungs emptied on a quiet moan.

“Good?” he murmured, giving her a tiny lick.

“Yes. Oh God. Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.”

She could feel him smile against her nipple. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he took her into his mouth and she arched, closing her eyes and letting go. Letting herself feel. Hearing herself whimper as he lightly rubbed her other nipple as he sucked and licked.

By the time he’d changed sides, her hips were moving of their own volition and he paused, lifting his head. “Mercy. Look at me.”

She forced her eyes to open and nearly whimpered again. His eyes were dark and hot and his lips were wet. Color rode high on his cheeks and his pupils were huge. “Do you want more?”

She swallowed hard. “Yes.”

His hand slid down her stomach, over her pajama pants, cupping her between her legs. “Here?”

She arched again, getting some of the friction she needed, but not nearly enough. “Yes.”

His fingers curved, putting just the right amount of pressure on her clitoris, and she bucked up into his grip. “You like that?” he asked slyly, his expression almost feral.

“You know I do.”

“I like to hear it.”

She clenched her teeth, wanting more, but afraid to ask for it. “Yes. I like it. A lot.”

“Breathe, Mercy,” he teased, dropping kisses on both her breasts before kissing her mouth. “Or you’ll pass out and I’ll have to give you mouth to mouth.”

She laughed breathlessly. “Shut up.”

“Well, that’s just mean.” He kissed her again, smiling against her lips. “How much more do you want to dip in the water? Another toe or your whole foot?”

She laughed again, struck by the ease, the naturalness of all of this. Of him. “Touch me. Please. Still no cannonball.”

He grinned and slid his hand beneath the waistband of her pj’s, then toyed with the waistband of her underwear. “Touch you like this?”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Do you want to ever get to cannonball?”

He pursed his lips, trying to quell his smile. “Yes, ma’am, I do. Whenever you’re ready. For now, though . . .” He sobered, all serious now. “You’re so pretty. I can’t wait to see you. All of you.” He moved his fingers down and then he was touching her and it felt so damn good. “Like that?”

Her head rolled back, pressing into the pillow. “Yes. More. Please.”

Without a word he obeyed, sliding lower, and then into her, and she moaned.

“Looks like we both get a little wet today,” he said, his words hoarse and rough and playful all at once.