After that, I couldn't quite make my touch clinical. As my hands slid over his skin, I thought I heard his breath catch a few times. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one affected.
Allan turned when I finished and gestured at me. "I'll get yours."
"Sure."
I pulled off my shirt and threw it on top of his, then paused as I caught the look in Allan's eyes. Predatory, fixed on me, and more than a little intense.
Things tightened low in my stomach, and I was pretty sure he could tell his look had sent my heart racing.
I was in so much trouble.
He gestured for me to turn around.
Gratefully, I wrenched my gaze away from his and stared at the floor of the boat, balancing lightly as it moved on the water.
Allan's warm hands caressed my back as he spread the sunblock on. If I'd had any doubt about his interest before, it was gone now.
Victoria's comment about dating all three of them surfaced. I couldn't even think about how that would work. I also remembered Allan telling me just to enjoy myself.
Right, just enjoy myself.
Allan took the time to get my arms too, though he relinquished the bottle of sunblock so I could get the rest of myself.
He balanced in the boat behind me, seeming to wait until I finished before getting in.
"You can swim right?" His breath tickled my neck, and I gasped. I hadn't realized he was standing that close. All three of them moved really quietly.
"Yes. Of course."
"Good."
Before I could figure out what he meant, strong hands gripped my waist. I shrieked as I sailed through the air and splashed into cool water.
I let myself sink, enjoying cooling off from the heat of the sun, and the heat of Allan's gaze.
Someone grabbed me around the waist and dragged me to the surface.
Laughing as I broke into the air, I twisted and splashed Doc in the face, though he didn't let go of me.
After studying me for a quick moment, as if trying to decide if I was okay with the rough handling, he grinned and tossed me toward Ed.
I was a good swimmer, but I couldn't keep up with the guys. I didn't expect to be able to, either. Maybe someday, if I learned to use magic, I could do something that would give me an edge. Until then, I was physically outclassed. I tried to keep away from them, and they traded off roughhousing with me until my abused body protested enough that I finally listened.
I swam back to the boat and hung off the side, gathering energy to hoist myself over the edge so I could dry off.
Doc came over and hooked his arm over the edge behind me. He still wore his beaded bracelets, and the water didn't seem to be bothering them.
"Having fun?"
I grinned. "Yeah, I am."
"Good. Want a hand getting in the boat?"
"Sure. I'm pretty tired."
He held out his hand under the water. I put my foot on it and he boosted me up so I could scramble over the side. I flopped in the bottom and stared at the bright sun. Doc managed to make getting back into the boat from the water look graceful, and he sat on one of the seats next to me.
"You should put on some more sunscreen. You've got fairly dark skin, but you're starting to look a little red in places."
"Probably." I didn't move.
He stepped over me and dug in the bag Allan had put onboard, pulling out a beach towel. He spread it out on one of the benches and gestured for me to lay there.
I groaned and held out a hand. He took it and pulled me to my feet. The boat rocked, sending me toward him faster than I had intended. Doc caught me and held me close.
"Ed," Doc snapped.
I laughed and unsuccessfully tried to ignore my racing heart.
"You wouldn't let her fall, Doc." Ed stood in the back of the boat, water dripping everywhere. Allan wasn't far behind, and Doc held me until both were on board.
When he finally released me, I laid down on my stomach on the bench. I just barely fit without having to drape my feet over the edge of the boat.
Doc knelt next to me and rubbed sunblock on my back while Ed and Allan dug in the bag. I suspected they were going after food.
His touch soothed me, while still setting my heart racing.
Once he finished with my back, I turned over and reached for the sunblock, though I had to shut my eyes because the sun was overhead. Instead of getting a bottle of sunblock, Doc took my arm and covered it in sunblock as well.
Now my heart absolutely pounded in my chest. The poor thing was getting quite the stress test this weekend, between the fear from last night and these three today.
My breath caught as he leaned over me and started on my other arm.
"Doc," I whispered, eyes still shut because of the sun.
"Hmm?"
I couldn't get anything even remotely intelligent formed in my mind to say, so I remained quiet until he finished with my arm.
"Want me to keep going?"
I finally turned my head and opened my eyes. His obsidian eyes studied me with a similar predatory look to Allan's. A slight smile curled the corner of his lips. He knew exactly what his touch was doing to me.
"I..."
A spray of water splattered over us and Doc glanced over the side of the boat in annoyance, releasing me from his intensity for just a moment. I hadn't noticed Ed or Allan get back in the water, but they weren't in the boat, and it
