“Do you want me to get you some binoculars?” Julia asked, only mostly teasing. “I didn’t realize this was your thing.”

“This is not my thing,” he hissed, affronted. “I was curious,” he admitted. “I wanted to see if Clyde has a … um…”

“Thing?” Now Julia was curious, too. She joined him in scrutinizing the action. “Hm. I’ve never thought about bird peen before, but a few minutes ago I was trying to remember if fish could pee, so I suppose it’s just that kind of day.”

“What about fish pee?” he asked, the question vibrating with barely checked laughter.

Julia met his gaze. He was smiling down at her, humor in his eyes as well as his voice. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of their position in the sand. How she was flat on her back, in nothing but a too-small bikini bottom and his T-shirt, and he was sprawled on top of her. “That was very noble of you, by the way.”

“What was?” he asked, mouth drifting closer to hers.

She licked her lips. “How you were ready to sacrifice yourself to try and save me from a bird attack.”

“I’m just full of chivalric deeds today,” he murmured. He dipped his head, kissing her first in one corner of her mouth and then in the other.

It was a teasing kiss, one that made her ache for the real thing. She pressed her palms into the sand and arched up, bringing her lips to his.

He groaned in response, wrapping his arms around her, grinding his hips against hers. Things seemed to go from zero to sixty when the thick ridge of his shaft pressed between her bare thighs, hard and aroused. Mouth never leaving hers, Luke rolled, shifting their position and pulling her on top of him. His hands skimmed over her scantily clad bottom, fingers gripping the hem of his T-shirt.

Pressed against the warmth of his chest, acutely aware of the fact her breasts were bare beneath the thin layer of cotton, her nipples tightened. He broke off the kiss, inhaling sharply. Julia sat up, and his gray eyes followed the movement, eyes sparkling when they focused on her chest. The way he was looking at her … Whoa. Heat coiled inside her.

He lifted a hand and brushed the outline of one breast, thumb stroking over the taut peak. The sensation of the soft fabric rubbing against her skin was so intense it was almost painful. His hand shifted to her other breast, and then his mouth was on her as well. She could feel his tongue, hot and wet through the cotton, and then, Oh, God, his teeth. Julia moaned, head lolling back, eyes drifting closed.

Just when things were getting really good, he abruptly stopped.

“Luke?” Her head snapped up and she blinked. “Is something wrong?”