High Seduction

by Vivian Arend

  Erin smiled grudgingly. “Thanks. What I want to know is how you managed to end up in the middle of trouble.”

  “Like usual? Isn’t that what you want to say?” His eyes glittered brightly a second before he shivered, tugging his coat closer around himself. “You know me—trouble calls my name like a sweet siren, and I’m helpless to resist her.”

  There were all kinds of innuendo in that sentence, and temptation poked Erin again.

  Would getting him out of her system work as an inoculation? Or would it give her a full dose of the fever?

  She was saved from having to decide as Tripp patted her on the back. “Great job, but I’m nearly frozen. Take us back to HQ, then I’ll treat you all to a trip to the hot springs.”

  Oh lord, yes. “You are a gentleman and a prince.”

  Anders turned to Tim. “You coming with us?”

  She had to give him credit. He didn’t check her reaction. Ignored the potential danger—brave man—and answered Anders. “I’d love to.”

  Marcus eyed Tim as he paced into HQ with the rest of the team. “You again. Did I hire you in my sleep, or something?”

  “That would be a first.” Tim grinned. “Nah, I was out at the hill for an interview and to take in a little skiing, but it seemed the fates had other plans.”

  “He did great,” Anders commented. “He, Alisha, and Erin stayed very cool under pressure. Very impressive, actually.”

  “Credit where it’s due,” Tim offered. “Erin did her job, and Anders knows his stuff. Makes it easier to step off into the unknown when the support team is strong.”

  Marcus looked volumes at the mutual back-patting going on, then let them off without a long debrief. “We’ll talk about the rescue tomorrow, once Alisha and Devon return. You guys look like human icicles. Go get warmed up,” he ordered.

  They ended up at the Banff Hot Springs, Tim getting a ride over with Tripp. Erin distracted herself from thinking too hard by examining Banff with new eyes, trying to see it as a newcomer would. The decorative river rock covering all the buildings. Old-fashioned light posts lining Main Street. The mountains rising around town as a backdrop to the historic manors and castlelike hotels. It was beautiful and unique. A kind of medieval oasis mixed with rustic wilderness, the two meeting within inches of civilization.

  Even the pool entrance featured thick rockwork on the walls, steam rising invitingly from the water’s surface beyond the observation deck. It truly was a fascinating and beautiful location.

  By the time Erin had changed and persuaded herself to get her ass in the water, the three guys were already gathered in the deepest section of the pool, hanging on the wall and chatting. The curved surface in the northwest corner formed a semicircle for them to see each other’s faces while they floated.

  She stepped in slowly, the heat making her toes tingle as the cold in her extremities leached away. The icy-cold air was pleasant now that there was hot water surrounding her.

  Anders spotted her and gestured her forward, and she paced through the chest-deep water, relaxation wrapping around her physically and easing a little of the mental tension as well. It was hard to stay uptight when her body was melting.

  “So we’ve already got the line in place to drop the kid, but he’s suddenly all panicked.” Tripp paused his storytelling to move aside to make room for Erin at the wall.

  “We put you in the cabin with the shortest drop.” Anders frowned. “Was he that afraid of heights?”

  Tripp shook his head. “We had them harnessed up, but we’d told them to leave their backpacks in the corner to be recovered later. His reaction only got worse when I told him he could reclaim his bag from the base camp, and that the RCMP would be around to make sure nothing got stolen. I thought he was going to pass out right then and there. I had to promise to send it down when I could.”

  “Uh-oh. I see where this is going.” Anders rolled his eyes. “What was in the bag that he didn’t want found?”

  A grin escaped Tripp. “Some of BC’s finest-grown pot. He didn’t have that much—he wasn’t dealing, but yeah, if the kid had smoked that much pot all by himself he could have flown down from the gondola car without being rescued.”

  “Crazy kids.” Anders rested his head on the lip of the pool, nearly submerging himself. “What the hell do they need drugs for when they’re in the middle of that kind of terrain?”

  “Who knows? Maybe the adrenaline rush of stepping off a vertical cliff with a snowboard strapped to their feet isn’t enough.” Tim slipped off the wall and stood in the open space in front of them, working his fingers over his shoulder muscles.

  Erin couldn’t look away.

  “Like I said, crazy kids.” Anders chuckled. He cracked open one eye. “You put something out during the rescue today?”

  “Just tight. Been a while since I did that many buckles and lifts in a row.”

  “Move over here,” Tripp offered. “If you’re not squeamish about a guy giving you a rubdown.”

  Tim slipped in front of the other man. “Hell, no. I’m not an idiot.”

  The hot water had already taken the edge off the dreaded cold that had settled in Erin’s veins during the time they’d spent in the air. The changing expressions Tim offered as Tripp dug his thumbs into tight muscle spots, the occasional groan of affirmation as Tripp hit tender spots—

  Erin wiggled in one spot and tried to put a name to what was rolling inside. It wasn’t that she wanted to be the one squeezing Tim’s biceps. She didn’t want to be easing a thumb along his neck muscle as he tipped his head to one side and Tripp traced the long, strong line.

  Liar.

  Jealousy? Of Tripp touching Tim?

  She joined in the conversation as it continued, but what she wanted was to face away instead of being tormented as the realization sank in that yes, she was feeling a little of the green-eyed monster.

  Turning away, though, was impossible. There was something mesmerizing as strong masculine fingers drifted over the sculpted curves of Tim’s upper body. He moved in obedience to Tripp’s tugs and direction, muscles flexing smoothly, bulging and elongating in a finely choreographed dance. The slick of water clinging to his skin only highlighted the shadows, making the cuts deeper, harder, his lean body showcased like some exotic production.

  “What do you think, Erin?”

  She blinked herself alert only to discover his gaze fixed on hers, laughing blue eyes catching hold and freezing her in position. She had no idea what the guys had been talking about.

  Was it too much to hope she hadn’t been noticeably drooling?

  To cover her tracks she deliberately yawned, stretching her arms overhead. “Sorry, I was snoozing on my feet. What are we discussing?”

  Tim’s gaze dropped from her face to trickle over her body as she stretched, and once more the urge to get up close and personal with the man rode her hard. He wasn’t hiding his admiration even as he pressed into the massaging hands on his shoulders. “You’re a miracle worker, Tripp,” he breathed. “Thank you.”

  They separated, floating into more distant positions as Tripp shrugged. “Years of cross training—I bet we’re all pretty good with our hands.”

  Tim’s hands are fabulous in all sorts of ways. Erin caught the flash of fire in his eyes as his lips twisted into a secretive grin. As if he’d heard her private thoughts.

  “We were talking about Tim joining the Lifeline team,” Anders offered.

  “She already put in a good word for me.” Tim pushed himself up on the deck edge, water streaming off his torso and tight abdominal muscles. “I’ll wait to see what Marcus thinks.”

  Tripp nodded. “Well, you get my vote of confidence, if you can face other rescue call-outs as well as you did today. That was a scary situation that developed out of the blue with that snapping cable, and you got out just fine.”

  “Thanks to Erin and Anders.” Tim gestured toward them. “I call it like I see it. Nice to know I could drop in and instantly feel the confidence I
did working with you. You should be proud of that.”

  There was such magic in the man’s charisma. There was no denying its strength as both Tripp and Anders beamed. Erin enjoyed a good pat on the back as much as the next girl, but Tim’s comments were made even better because they were sincerely meant.

  What a mixed-up conundrum she faced. Torn between fresh emotions and a fearful mix of old ones.

  She didn’t know which way to turn, and the literally steaming-hot man sitting on the pool edge seemed determined to give her far too many options that led to only one destination.

  * * *

  Tripp headed out with a comment about picking his partner up from work. Anders left the pool soon after, covering a yawn and offering to get together soon, no matter what Marcus decided about Tim joining the Lifeline team.

  Erin . . . hovered. As if she wanted to go home, and wanted to stay, and both desires were so evenly balanced she’d gotten stuck in limbo.

  They moved into the cooler section of the pool, thoroughly heated by the past hour. The colder water around them was still a perfect contrast to the air temperature, and they found a place on the gentle slope of the concrete beach where they could enjoy both the water and air.

  He rolled to his side and let himself admire her all over again, the one-piece swimsuit she wore clinging just right and offering a more seductive view than if she’d been naked. Nearly.

  Erin lifted her head off her arms and damn near growled. “Do you have to do that?” she whispered.

  “Do what?” He stroked her with the words, tempted to stroke her with his fingertips as well, but knowing it was too early.

  She narrowed her gaze. “Don’t play coy, it doesn’t suit you.”

  “What does suit me, kitten?” he asked. “Or shall I tell you what I’d like to be doing instead of simply admiring you?”

  She opened her mouth, anger or frustration rising once again.

  He spoke quickly to finish his thoughts before she could lambast him. “Your flying is the best I’ve ever seen, and you’ve sculpted your body into a strong tool for your job. You’ve done well over the years. I’m happy to see it.”

  His final words took the wind out of her blustering sails, her lips twitching into a smile. “You haven’t changed much yourself. Still able to charm the savage breast, and win all people to your side.” She grinned hard for a moment. “Tripp has a boyfriend, by the way. So don’t get your hopes up.”

  Minx. “He told me on the drive over to the pool. I wasn’t planning on seducing him, just enjoying the man’s skilled touch. That is possible without wanting to become lovers.”

  She pulled in a ragged breath, her dark eyes glittering as she fought to match his gaze. “Pleasure without emotional attachment.”

  “Oh, I’m very emotionally attached already,” Tim insisted, knowing that they weren’t talking about the man at all anymore. “Physical and mental and emotional connections are always mixed up, kitten. You can’t have one without the others, or it’s like masturbation. Even the best private session is missing something vital.”

  Another crack appeared in her untouchable façade as a smile escaped. “What is it with you and talking about jerking off? I remember you doing that at the worst possible times, as if you were trying to see who you could freak out.”

  “And if I remember correctly, you always laughed. Said you didn’t mind if a few uptight eavesdropping cranks got a bit of the stuffing knocked out of them.”

  She nodded slowly, glancing to see who was near this time, but the closest person was out of earshot. Erin rolled to her side, her lean body only inches away.

  When she spoke it was in a low, husky voice that scraped his spine as if she’d applied her fingernails to his skin. “And are you trying to knock some stuffing around?”

  “Just saying that emotion doesn’t have to be all or nothing. I got to see Tripp in action today. I talked to people who admire him, and I’ve formed an opinion, which is I like the man. I don’t want to fuck him, but I’d go out of my way to make him smile.”

  His blandly spoken honesty drew out a snort of laughter. “Like I said, you haven’t changed.”

  He made an instant decision and shifted closer, connecting their bodies at the hip and shoulder, daring her to move away. There was nothing intrinsically intimate about the gentle brushing of bare skin.

  Far, far too intimate at the same time.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. I have changed, a hell of a lot. I’m here to prove that to you.”

  She took a quick breath in, a pulse beat visible at the base of her throat. “I thought you were here for a job.”

  It might be too soon, but part of having grown up meant he was not going to lie, not even by omission. “That as well, but I’m really here for you. I want you back, Erin, and I’m willing to work for it.”

  Between them the water rippled as a family swam past, the small waves cresting over her skin and his where they lay side by side. A minor tremour, miles apart from the tsunami of passion that could flood over them soon if he had his way.

  Erin lifted her gaze to meet his. Stared silently for a good sixty seconds. Nothing but the gurgle of the pool gutters and low voices.

  His breathing.

  Hers.

  She rolled toward him, increasing the contact points between them. His arm rested between her breasts, her knee slightly over his thigh, and he tensed. She was solid muscle and soft skin. A combination of strength and feminine beauty that he could hardly wait to experience all over again.

  “You’re awfully confident. What if I don’t want you back? What if I told you that while you’re a part of my past, I don’t want you in my future?”

  “Not even as a co-worker?”

  She trickled her fingers over his chest and he held his breath, fascinated by this new side of her. Bolder, more determined. He loved it, and wondered how long she’d hold that stance.

  Erin tilted her head as she dribbled water over his skin. “I could work with you. You are talented, and the team could use you.”

  “I have talents in other areas as well,” he teased.

  “So do Devon and Alisha, but I don’t sleep with them.”

  “Touché.” He crossed his arms under his head, tightening his abdomen as she continued to drive him mad. “So you won’t sleep with me. I can handle that. Until you ask.”

  She snapped her fingertips against his stomach, the tiny blow stinging on the wet, bare skin. “You’re such an ass.”

  “You just earned a spanking,” he warned.

  A low laugh escaped her. “See? There’s that old Timothy I knew so well. The new Tim, if he’s changed, wouldn’t try to dole out punishments I haven’t agreed I want to earn.”

  He set his teeth to stop from growling as those damn fingers went lower, teasing the top line of his swim trunks. He bent a knee to hide his rising erection because her touch was setting him on fire.

  “So, let me get this straight.” Erin leaned all the way over, folding her hands on his chest and resting her chin on top. “You think you’ve changed enough that you’d agree to fool around with me at my speed, within my limits. You won’t attempt to steer us toward something stupid like what happened years ago.”

  “I apologized for that at the time,” Tim pointed out. “While it was wrong, it was also a misunderstanding, and I knew it as soon as it happened. We both did.”

  “And now?”

  He walked that fine line between the complete truth and what she needed to hear for them to move forward. “I will go at your pace,” he promised.

  Nothing mentioned regarding how far they would eventually go, or what type of pleasures, because while he’d allow her to dictate how fast they moved forward, they both knew they weren’t talking about chaste kisses and hand-holding.

  She stared into space as she considered his offer.

  Did she have any idea she was still stroking him? The repetitive brushing of her fingertips sent flickers of electric desire over his skin
, offering a taste of the heat to come.

  Erin sat up suddenly, shivering for a moment in the icy air. “If this thing between us gets . . . awkward, I want you to leave.”

  He blinked in surprise. “What?”

  “I have a good thing here, Tim. With Lifeline. With my friends, and my home. I’m happily established. If things don’t work out, I’m not the one going wheels up this time.”

  “You’re playing hardball.”

  “Damn right, I am. I think I deserve that assurance after the crap you pulled years ago.” Erin adjusted herself until her shoulders were submerged again, her chin raised high. Determination in her expression.

  Tim loved it. He didn’t want a woman who would cave in and let him run roughshod over her, no matter what she’d mistakenly thought before. “You have yourself a deal.”

  It didn’t matter that she was back in the heated water, Erin’s shoulders still shook briefly. He liked knowing he affected her that hard.

  “I have a request of my own,” Tim added.

  She raised a brow, the exquisite arch making her look positively edible. “And that would be?”

  Tim flipped on the charm to flash his brightest smile. Turned up the accent and gave her a dose of his best Irish-slash-Newfoundland drawl. “Now, kitten, I’d be needing a ride home, if you would.”

  She laughed, then impulsively swooped in and gave him a hug. Tight. Friendly. As nonsexual as the earlier pat on the back he’d received from Tripp. “You are one of a kind, Tim. One of a kind.”

  CHAPTER 6

  She took her time getting dressed, partly to mess with him, partly to consider exactly what she’d agreed to.

  This was not a situation to go into without a game plan or she’d end up fucked, and not in the good way.

  It was tempting to phone Alisha and beg for an intervention, but she refused to allow herself to lose control like that. She had been the one to accept his challenge. She could do this.

  If their relationship stayed on the surface, there was no reason she couldn’t slowly work them toward some hot, satisfying sex. The man used to play her like a Stradivarius violin. She could imagine he’d only gotten more talented in the years they’d been apart.