The ice-cold soda can sweats in my hand as the sun beats down on the asphalt, making the world shimmer in a haze of heat. I lean against the beat-up truck, watching the neighborhood kids play a rowdy game of street basketball. The smell of BBQ wafts over from someone's backyard, mixing with the scent of freshly cut grass. It's the kind of scene that could be plucked from any suburban postcard, but today, it feels charged with a tension that wasn't there yesterday.

Amber's laughter cuts through the noise, and my eyes drift over to where she stands, chatting with her friends. She's changed. Gone are the oversized t-shirts and scraped knees. Instead, she's in a tank top and shorts that make it hard to remember she's just barely legal. She's become a young woman, and she knows it. She's playing it up, too, tossing her hair and biting her bottom lip in a way that's a silent invitation to every guy in a twenty-foot radius. Rage fills me with the thought of another guy touching her.

I can't ignore the way my chest tightens at the sight of her, the way my pulse speeds up. She's forbidden fruit, and she's ripe for the picking. Her brother, my best friend, would have my head if he knew the thoughts I've been having. But he's not here. He's off to college, leaving me to watch over her like some kind of overprotective guardian. But she's not a child anymore, and I'm not just her brother's friend.

The ball bounces off the pavement and rolls towards me. I catch it without taking my eyes off her. She glances over, our eyes lock, and she smiles—a knowing smile that sends a shiver down my spine. The heat of the day has nothing on the fire she's igniting within me.

"Hey, Jason" she says, sauntering over, all honeyed sweetness and seductive sway. "Care to join us?"

I toss the basketball back to one of the kids. "Nah, I'm good."

Her smile doesn't falter. "Your loss." She winks and turns back to her friends, the sway of her hips a silent challenge.

I force myself to look away, my throat dry and my heart hammering against my ribcage. This isn't supposed to happen. I've promised her brother, my best friend, to keep an eye on her, to make sure she doesn't get into trouble. But the trouble seems to have found me.

The game goes on, but my mind is elsewhere. I can't help but track her movements out of the corner of my eye. She's the kind of girl who's used to being the center of attention, and she laps it up like a cat with a bowl of cream. The way she laughs, the way she moves—it's all a dance, and every guy around her is a willing participant. Except me.

I've seen her grow up, and it feels like she's grown up just for me. But she's not mine, and that's the problem. She's off-limits in every way that counts. I take a deep breath, willing myself to get a grip. I've got to keep my cool.

As the day stretches on, the temperature rises, and so does the tension. The pool beckons, a cool oasis in this hot weather. I can feel her eyes on me as I peel off my shirt, revealing the muscles I've earned from hours at the gym. Her gaze lingers, and I can't help but feel a smug satisfaction.

Then she does it—she peels off her clothes to reveal a string bikini that leaves nothing to the imagination. The neon blue against her tanned skin is like a siren's call, and every head in the vicinity turns to watch. She's not just playing with fire now; she's dancing in it. The fabric clings to her curves, emphasizing the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips. Her legs, now long and lean, seem to go on forever. I'm torn between wanting to cover her up and claiming her for myself.

Rage boils in my gut as the other guys at the party check her out. They're like a pack of wolves circling their prey, and she's oblivious to it all. Or maybe she's not. Maybe she's enjoying it, reveling in the power she holds. Each look she gets is a silent victory, and I'm just another spectator in her game.

Before I know it, my feet are moving on their own. They're carrying me towards her like I'm on autopilot. My eyes are glued to her, and I can't seem to look away. She's all I can see, all I can think about. The closer I get, the more my heart races. The heat of the day feels like a sauna compared to the inferno burning in my chest.

And then, without thinking, I do it. I throw her over my shoulder, and she yelps. It's a sound of surprise, not fear, and the feel of her body against mine sends a wave of lust through me. She's light, lighter than I expected, but her curves fit perfectly against me, like she was made to be here.

"Put me down!" she yells, her fists pummeling my back.

I ignore her protests, a low growl escaping my throat as I stride towards the pool house. The crowd parts for us, a mix of shock on their faces. My hand finds the curve of her ass and slaps it lightly—a warning shot. She stills, and I feel a jolt of something primal, something that tells me she's feeling it too.

"Did you just SPANK me?" Amber whispers in a shocked voice, her warm breath tickles my ear and causes my cock to harden in my shorts.

"I sure did, princess, and you keep squirming against me, I'll do it again."

Her grip tightens around my neck, and she's silent for a moment, as if processing my words. Then she giggles, the sound sending another wave of heat through my body. "You're so bad," she says, and it's like a dare.

"You have no idea," I growl as I kick open the pool house door and her delectable body slides down my body while I set her on her feet.

Istand in front of her, my eyes roaming over her almost-bare body. "What the fuck do you think you're doing, wearing this this sad excuse for a bathing suit?"

Her eyes flash with defiance. "What does it look like?" she asks, her voice dripping with innocence that's belied by the way she licks her lips. "I'm cooling off, like everyone else."

The air in the pool house is thick, crackling with the electricity between us. I can see the goosebumps pebbling her skin, and I know it's not just from the air conditioning. "You're not going out there wearing that," I say, my voice low and gruff.

Her grin widens, and she cocks an eyebrow. "Maybe I should just take it off then," she says, her voice a sultry purr that sends my blood racing. She reaches behind her neck, and I see the challenge in her eyes as she starts to untie the strings of her bikini top.

Panic and arousal war within me, a potent cocktail that clouds my judgment. "Amber, don't," I say, my voice strained.

Her eyes light up with mischief. "Why not?"

My hand shoots out, grabbing her wrist before she can remove the last string. "Because your brother would kill me," I say through gritted teeth, trying to keep the desire out of my voice.

Amber looks at me, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Is that the only reason?" she asks, her voice low and husky, challenging me to admit the truth.

I swallow hard, my throat thick. The reality of the situation crashes down on me, and I realize just how badly I want her. How badly I've wanted her for what feels like forever. "Yes," I lie, my voice gruff. "It's the only reason."

But she doesn't buy it. Her eyes narrow, and she yanks her wrist free from my grip. "You think I'm stupid, Jason? You think I can't tell when a guy wants me?" She takes a step closer, the gap between us closing to almost nothing. "You've been watching me all day. I've seen the way you look at me."

"Amber, you're playing with fire. You don't know what you're doing." I grit my teeth, "I'm not one of those stupid teenage boys your'e used to."

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm doing," she smirks. She takes another step closer, her breasts pressing against my chest, the fabric of our swimsuits the only barrier between us. "And I know exactly what you want."

I can feel her hard nipples through her bathing suit, poking into me like two tiny bullets. It sends a jolt through me, making my cock throb painfully. I want to groan, to give in to the temptation, but I hold back. "This is wrong," I say, but it sounds weak even to my own ears.

Amber laughs, the sound luring me closer to the edge. "Why?"

"Because you're his little sister," I reply, my voice strained. "And I'm supposed to be looking out for you, not... not this."

She runs one manicured finger down my chest, "But my brother's not here, and we are."

Her voice is a sweet temptation that I've been resisting for far too long. I reach up and caress her cheek, feeling the heat of her skin, the softness that belies the fiery spirit I know is hidden beneath. Her eyes widen slightly, pupils dilating, and she leans into my touch, her breath hitching in her throat. It's a moment of pure connection, and for a split second, the world outside this pool house doesn't exist.

"You're so soft," I murmur, the words slipping out before I can stop them. Her skin is like silk under my calloused fingers. "Are you soft everywhere, princess?" My voice is like gravel and her eye lids flutter.

My hand travels down the column of her throat, and my heart hammers against my ribs as I reach the back of her neck. She's so close, her breath hot against my skin, her eyes wide and filled with a hunger that matches my own. With a flick of my wrist, I pull the string to her bikini top, and it gives way with a soft pull. The fabric falls away, revealing her full, firm breasts. They're perfect, plump, begging to be touched, Her nipples are already hard, my mouth waters at the thought of sucking them.

For a moment, we stand there, frozen, the only sound our ragged breathing. Then she reaches up, her hand wrapping around the back of my neck, and she pulls my face down to hers. Our lips meet in a kiss that's explosive and full of need, her tongue sliding against mine like it's been waiting for this for years. I can't help myself; I groan into her mouth, my hands moving to cup her breasts, feeling the weight of them, the heat of her skin.

Her hand slips down to the waistband of my shorts, her touch light but insistent. She's not playing games anymore. She wants me as badly as I want her. I can feel it in the way her body presses against mine, in the way she's grinding her pelvis into my growing erection.

My self-control snaps like a rubber band, and I give in to the desire that's been simmering between us for what feels like an eternity. I kiss her deeper, my tongue exploring the warm cavern of her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Her breasts fit perfectly in my hands, and I squeeze them gently, feeling her nipples peak even more against my palms.