The Claiming by Cooper

The Claiming by Cooper Book 4

The Contest by Cooper (Jaxon & Evangeline)

Chapter 18 Evangeline

The lake is packed with people when we arrive. Apparently, everyone had the same idea we did.

From what I understand, this land used to sit idle throughout the year until it was time for that year’s claiming. Since the claiming ended years ago, no one has been here, and during that time, mother nature has staked her claim on this lake. The edges of the lake are lush with plants and flowers and the water is pristine, clear. The waterfall finishes off the image of a tropical getaway hidden deep within a forest, and that’s basically what this place is.

Makayla goes racing into the water and I turn to Alejandro. “Are you on watch duty since dad’s not here?” I ask him.

“How’d you guess?” He asks me, rolling his eyes.

“Who knows, maybe a cute brunette will come to the lake today.” I say, teasing him about the time he’s been spending with Teagan.

I should have known better. “Yeah, and maybe her brother will show up too.” He says, teasing me right back.

“You know Alpha Jaxon is already 18.” He says to me.

“I do.” I say, not looking at him and pulling towels out of our bag.

“And you’re nearly 18.” He says, watching me closely.

your

other than

and look at

a pull to Teagan and I’m not even 17 yet. She’s a year older than I am and she says

this contest. I came here intending

comes walking up to the lake with his family. From the shadow of the overhang where I’m currently sitting on a rock ledge, I have a birds-eye view of his fantastic body. He’s wearing swim shorts and nothing else. His skin is golden brown, his chest and arms defined by muscle, sliding down to a narrow waist and

immune, but when it comes to Jaxon, I’m nothing more than a drooling

narrow and he begins searching the area surrounding the lake and finally,

Rowan smack him and he startles, frowning and looking at her before handing her their bag. I guess she was trying to get his attention and he wasn’t paying attention. Neither was I, my focus is

as he hands over the bag, he’s moving, heading straight for me. The butterflies

says hello to several people before diving under water. I try to follow his progress, but I’m too low in the water to see

“Oh!” I exclaim.

“Hello, Eve.”

his face, his long eyelashes are clumped together by the water and his

he slowly moves closer to me. I feel my heart begin to race. Damn this man

graze my hips under the water. I shiver at the contact, and I watch

you?” I ask, reaching my hand out to touch the muscles on his stomach. I gently slide my fingers up the squared ridges of his stomach, feeling him quiver at my touch. Oh

I can tell by the way he says it that they

ask, feeling his hand follow the path on my stomach that my fingers took on

idea.” He says,

again enjoying our little game. I take a finger and slide it between his pectoral muscles just until my finger gets to the surface

immediately, his finger slides between my