“That was different. They love to forgive a reformed sinner as long as the sinner doesn’t go back for their fix.”

 Willa had wondered if Lucky knew how telling his statement had been by comparing The Last Riders to an addiction.

 Like an addict, Lucky was trying to stay away from the worst part of his addiction—the clubhouse. It was what drew them together and made them whole. It gave them their bonds that would be hard to break. Then again, Lucky seemed to be happy with his choice, and Willa didn’t want to keep dwelling on his decision if it was truly what he wanted.

 He still spent time with them, and when she saw them around town, they were all friendly, asking how she was doing since the children had left. During the holidays, they had even had a big party at King’s restaurant to celebrate, saying it was much easier to cook and fit everyone in there. However, Willa thought it was because they didn’t want to leave Lucky out.

 Willa blinked back tears, turning her head to look out the window at the passing scenery, trying to shake the thoughts from her head.

 “What are you thinking?”

 Willa gathered her composure before turning back to him. “I was just thinking it’s a beautiful day.”

 Lucky parked his SUV on the private land near the lake. Getting out, he took out the picnic basket she had placed in the backseat before opening her door.

 “Are you going to sit there all day?”

 His good mood was beginning to get on her nerves.

 “I’m thinking about it.” She was too embarrassed to tell him she didn’t want him to see her in her swimsuit.

 “While you’re thinking about it, I’m going swimming.”

 Lucky set the basket down on the picnic table before taking off his T-shirt, already wearing his swim trunks. He walked into the cool water until it was deep enough to dive underneath. When he came up, he shook his hair out of his face.

 “What kind of freaking pastor has tattoos?” she said to herself as she slid out of the SUV, tempted to start it with the keys he had left in the ignition and leave his butt in the lake. She almost giggled to herself, imagining his expression if she did.

 She sat down at the picnic table, taking a bottled water out of the basket. She began to get hot sitting in the sun, wishing the table was in the shade. It was only April, but a hot spell had fallen over Kentucky, and the temperature was reaching the nineties.

 Looking at the water, she saw Lucky floating lazily with his face turned up to the sky.

 “I hope his nose gets burned.” She had plastered a whole bottle of sun block on herself before he had picked her up.

 She saw the tats on his shoulder and back as he began swimming. Darn it, was she ever going to be able to see them closely? It was always a flash here or there. He would catch her looking at them and lift a brow, and she would look away quickly, but the jerk knew she had been staring.

 “I’m melting.” Willa brushed the dampness off her forehead. Glancing back at the water, she was determined to tell Lucky she’d had enough, only to see his body gone. Willa stood up, her eyes searching the lake. When she didn’t see him, she yelled out.

 “Lucky?”

 Willa didn’t hear a sound. Becoming more frightened, she began walking closer to the water.

 “Lucky?”

 The silence made her even more frightened. She began running into the water, searching frantically for him, going deeper and deeper. How long did it take someone to drown? Wouldn’t he have called out if he had a leg cramp? Could he have hit his head when he had gone under water?

 A hand wrapped around her ankle, pulling her under the water before letting go. Willa gasped when she came up, seeing the mischievous look on Lucky’s face.

 “You ass!” She hit him on his chest with her fists. “You scared me to death! I thought you drowned!” Furiously, she put her hands on his head, pushing him back underneath. If the asshole wanted to pretend to drown, she would freaking help him.

 Arms circled her waist, lifting her up into the air before tossing her backward. Her squeal was cut short when her mouth filled with water. She came up, sputtering water, her eyes narrowed in determination.

 Her hands gripped his shoulders, and she used all her weight to sink him to the bottom of the lake. Lucky’s body twined with hers, his mouth finding hers in a passionate kiss that had her not caring if she drowned. Finally, he pulled them to the surface, releasing her mouth.

 “Are you trying to kill me?” she sputtered.

 “I’m trying to get you to have some fun.”

 Willa slung her wet hair back from her face. “You seriously think this is fun? Is our next date at the dentist’s office?”

 Willa couldn’t help joining in with his laughter as he pulled her closer to him. His hands went to her waist, tugging at the large T-shirt she had put over her swimsuit.

 “What are you doing?” She tried to wiggle away yet was unable to before she found her T-shirt swimming away.

 “Taking off that raft.”

 “Are you insulting my clothes?”

 “Just that T-shirt. It’s ugly as shit.”

 Willa hadn’t thought the bright yellow shirt was that bad. She had found it on the clearance rack at a high-end store. She hadn’t believed her luck when she had found one in her size. Well, it might have been a little too large, she thought to herself, seeing it float away.

 “Aren’t you going to get it for me?”

 “Hell no. Just think of how many lives it will save,” Lucky replied with a grin.

 “It’s a good thing I’m a good Christian, or I would let you have it,” she said, not liking the fixed gleam in his eyes as he moved closer. “Don’t you dare.”

 As his hands went to her waist, tugging at her shorts, she screamed in frustration.

 “I’m going to kick your butt, and I’m big enough to do it,” she threatened to no avail, seeing her black shorts float away seconds later.

 His laughter was cut short when she splashed water into his face. Before he could react, she began swimming toward the bank.

 “I’m going to see your ass when you get out of the water,” Lucky yelled at her back.

 She quit swimming.

 “Darn it.” Her fist hit the water angrily, spraying it into her face.

 Lucky’s arms circled her waist from behind, pressing his chest against her back. His hand flattened against her stomach. Then she felt it curve around the bulge that several hours on her treadmill wouldn’t get rid of, making her self-conscious.

 She felt his lips exploring the side of her neck as he pressed even closer to her backside, and her hands clutched his at the wrists, trying to pull them away.

 “Siren … You’re so beautiful.”

 Weakly, her head fell back against his shoulder, wondering which was burning her worse—the sun or Lucky. Both were going to burn her alive and leave their mark if she didn’t move away from his touch.

 “Lucky…”

 The tips of his fingers slid under the band of her swimsuit, not moving farther. The small intimacy made her shake in the shallow water as he tugged her back into the deeper part of the lake before turning her around to face him. His hand glided around to her back, his fingertips brushing at the top of her butt.