He felt her smiling against his skin. “We were made for this exact moment, right here, right now. Together.”

He stilled, steeling himself against the voice in his head that wanted to agree with her and the bone-deep pain it caused. “Don’t say shit like that. You know where we stand.”

“I…I know,” she said softly, lifting her head to look at him. “I wasn’t asking for more.”

He couldn’t tell if the shadows in her eyes were hurt or acceptance of reality, but either way, he had to be clear with her. “You sure? Because if you’re catching feelings, we’ve got to end this.”

“I’m not,” she said sharply. “That’s the last thing I want. I just meant the sex was amazing, and we fit together perfectly. This kind of pleasure is a first for me.”

“Good, because you’re a sweet girl, and I don’t want to break your heart.”

With an expression of pure resilience, she said, “You can’t break a heart that you don’t own.”

Her earnest words hung between them. The thought of her with anyone else made him crazy. He wanted to claim her, but he had nothing to offer other than a rap sheet and a promise that one day soon he was going to drive off the Cape and never return. But he wasn’t leaving yet, and he didn’t want to think about any of that negative shit. Shoving it down deep, he said, “You’re shivering. Let’s get you out of the water and warmed up.”

“It’s not just because I’m cold. Don’t let this go to your head, but you kind of rocked my world.” She slid down his body, and as they waded toward shore, she peered up at him with a devastating smile.

His chest constricted, and those unwanted thoughts tried to creep back in, but he kicked the motherfuckers to the curb and put a chain on the fucking door, refusing to get sucked into the darkness when all the light he could ever ask for was right in front of him.

“Too late. It’s already gone to my head.” He hauled her over his shoulder and slapped her ass again. She squealed with laughter as he carried her out of the water and set her on her feet in the sand. He reached for the towel to dry her off, and she crossed her arms, shivering harder. He wrapped the towel around her, and then he gathered her in his arms. “Your lips are blue.”

“Then you’d better kiss me.” She went up on her toes, looking so sweet and sexy, he wanted to build her a fucking fire and stay there all night.

He lowered his lips to hers, and she snaked her arms around his waist, pressing her cool, bare breasts against him.

“Mm. You’re nice and warm.”