Secondary Colors by Aubrey Brenner Read Free Book Online Page B

cleans the rest away. “I think it’s time for that swim,” he suggests softly.
    “I think you’re right.”
    He stands and strips off his blue shirt. Offering me a hand, I admire his bare Abercrombie & Fitch chest and the gym-grown muscles of his extended arm. Once he assists me to my feet, he dives into the lake. I perch myself at the end of the dock, my toes coiling over the edge. I slither out of my dress, tear the tie out of my hair, and leap into the blue, taking relief from the blazing high noon sun. We swim and talk and float and swim some more.
    After we’re clean and cool, we climb out, me taking the lead on the ladder, him following close behind. As I grab the top posts to pull myself up, he stops me and turns me around carefully. He leans in, a hand finding my hip, his lips parted. Mine mimic his as they unconsciously move toward them.
    “Aidan,” I breathe, my fingers clenching the waistband of his swimsuit, his body pressing mine into the ladder.
    “Evie,” he whispers back, the breath of my name crossing my lips.
    Out of nowhere, a scramble of black fur and paws fly over our heads, knocking us back into the lake. When I realize it’s Max, I splash water at him. He swims in circles, paying me no mind, huffing with a narrow stick clamped between his teeth.
    “That’s a bad boy, Max,” Holt reprimands from the dock, a pleased smirk quirking his lips. The guilt I felt last night from his scars is replaced by annoyance for the ruined kiss and his satisfied air.
    “Can’t you control your dog?”
    I love Max. He’s a sweet boy. His master on the other hand—
    “He wanted to cool down. I couldn’t deny him alleviation in this heat, could I?” His innocent tone, as if this wasn’t planned, churns my stomach. He enjoys getting a rise out of me. He admitted it. “I think I might join you both.”
    “Don’t you have work to finish?”
    “Nope.”
    He kicks off his boots and sheds his shirt. Before the pants come down, I redirect my eyes away from him, but they drift back. He’s standing there, allowing me to watch him. He’s smiling. He’s amused!
    He jumps into the water, making sure to splash Aidan and me. We climb out and dry off while I direct a scowl at Holt for ruining our moment.
    “I should probably get going,” Aid suggests.
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yeah, I have plans at my parents’ club tonight.” He dips down and gathers his clothes. “May I call you soon?”
    “I’d like that.”
    I love Aidan’s old-fashioned etiquettes. He isn’t pushy, which works for me. I’m not ready to rush into anything.
    “I should clean up this stuff before I go,” he says, referring to the plates and plastic containers from our lunch.
    “I’ve got it.” I stop him when he kneels down to pick them up. He pecks me on the cheek and then turns toward the house. When he disappears around the front, I focus my sights on Holt in the shallows, trying to pull a stick out of Max’s mouth.
    “You did it on purpose,” I accuse him.
    “I had no idea you and your boyfriend were swimming.”
    “He isn’t my boyfriend.”
    “Whatever. Anyway, Max ran toward the water and I didn’t stop him. Disturbing you was an added bonus I hadn’t counted on.”
    “You didn’t have to be so smug about it. What has Aidan ever done to you?”
    He stares at me, the answer somewhere in his ochre eyes. Max swims to him near the shore, nudging his nose into Holt’s hand to get his attention. He takes the stick from his mouth and tosses it out onto the water again, the black Lab bounding toward it.
    Why is a guy with a dog so hot?
    Wait.
    Whoa.
    Time out.
    I clean everything quickly, not wanting him to see the flush of attraction on my cheeks. I hate to admit it, but he is pretty hot. He’s downright beautiful. That was evident from the start. This makes me despise myself. Usually, it takes more than a handsome mug to send me over the moon.
    It doesn’t matter anyway. If he decides to act on whatever’s going