"I know that. I just thought you could use some rescuing."
Her back stiffened. "I didn't need rescuing."
She became intensely aware that her hand was stil nestled in his, but pul ing it away would draw too much
attention to the fact.
He shrugged. "If you say so."
She glared at him, but then realized she really hadn't handled herself well.
What had come over her? Shock, most likely. She had suspected people were as brazen as Karen and her
husband in a swingers' club—that's one of the reasons she didn't want her sister anywhere near a place like
this—but Melissa real y hadn't anticipated being approached in such a bold manner.
Damn it, the man had helped her out of a difficult situation. She should at least be gracious about it.
"Thank you," she said, the words strung tight.
Usually, she was the one taking care of others—her sisters anyway. It was a strange feeling to have someone
else looking out for her. As she walked along beside him, she realized it wasn't altogether a bad feeling.
"Apparently, Karen can be hard to escape once she's set her sights on you," he said.
For the first time, she realized how comforting his hand felt wrapped around hers. Tendrils of warmth coiled up
her arm into her body and spiraled downward. She remembered Karen's breast, pointed and aroused, Derrick's
fingers curling over the tip of her nipple. Melissa's nipples peaked, longing for a man's touch. This man's touch,
which made no sense at al . Wanting Shane's touch—that she understood. She'd wanted to make love with
Shane for a long time. But this man was a stranger. This man was a lecherous husband who frequented swingers'
clubs in search of lewd sex with other men's wives.
Actual y, he was a newbie, the voice of reason reminded her. Just like her. That meant he hadn't done this
before either. The difference was, Melissa wasn't really a swinger. She'd come here to find out what the club
was like so she could look out for her sister.
This guy was here for the sex.
And Melissa damned wel wouldn't be the one to give it to him!
People laughed nearby, then Melissa heard a splash.
"The pool must be close." Melissa glanced to the right and saw a clump of bushes. Probably on the other side.
"Do you want to check it out?"
She nodded and headed toward it, then suddenly remembered the swimsuits-optional rule. She slowed, but he
kept going. She peered around the bushes and there was a beautiful free-form pool with a waterfall at one end.
Colored lights reflected on the falling water and people reclined around the edge of the pool, several floating in
the aqua water.
To Melissa's relief, all of them wore bathing suits. Not a naked breast, or any other private body part, in sight.
"There's a hot tub over there." Ty pointed beyond the pool to a tub that seemed carved from stone.
"It's lovely."
As they passed another set of bushes, farther from the building, she caught sight of a second hot tub. She sat
down on a wooden bench by a flowering bush, enjoying the warm night air and the smell of the ocean. Ty sat
down beside her.
There were two women and a man in the hot tub, and another man lounging on the side. As Melissa watched,
one of the women, tall with short blond hair, stood up and Melissa realized the woman was topless.
The man slid his hands around her waist and drew her onto his lap. In shock, but unable to tear her gaze away,
Melissa watched him cup her breasts. The woman moaned as her head lol ed back, resting on his shoulder.
The other woman, a brunette, slid in front of the couple. The man released one breast, then slid his hand down
his partner's stomach and into the water. Melissa could guess its destination. The brunette leaned forward and
sucked the free breast into her mouth. The blonde moaned, then squirmed a little. The man on the side of the
pool drew his cock from his bathing suit and stroked the long, hard flesh.
Melissa's gaze remained glued to the scene, despite her embarrassment, which