Page 14 of A Wedding Negotiation with Her Boss

‘I...’

‘I’m very sorry if I interrupted your enjoyment. Feel free to ignore me. I’ll sit here and take the weight off before I head in to work. What did you do about dinner?’

‘Gabriel, I haven’t eaten yet and—and I’m just about to head in.’

‘You haven’teatenyet?’

‘Gabriel...’

‘I blame myself!’

‘What are you talking about?’ Treading water whilst trying to ignore the movement of her body under the surface was exhausting but the man showed no sign of going anywhere.

‘You’re far too polite, Helen. There’s no need to feel awkward about ordering room service or going to the restaurant to eat!’

‘Whoever said anything about feeling awkward?’

‘Of course, I’m just glad that you decided to drop the work routine for five minutes so that you could enjoy this pool—and, I must say, you seem to be a very strong swimmer. But I hope you weren’t thinking of grabbing something from the mini-bar in the cottage and working after hours!’

Helen was beginning to feel a little cold now that she was no longer burning energy swimming. The light was fading fast and shadows were beginning to replace the dappling of the setting sun.

She began levering herself out, self-conscious and clumsy, feeling his dark eyes boring into her, and she was rudely brought to her senses when he reached out with his un-bandaged hand and effortlessly hoisted her to her feet. He simultaneously stood up and she stumbled into him as she lost her balance, trying to sweep her hair from her eyes and extract her captured hand at one and the same time.

She reached out, flattened her palm against his chest and almost passed out. His tough, masculine body was as hard as steel, his chest tightly packed with well-honed muscle and, in his nearness, came the fragrant aroma of whatever woody aftershave he used.

For a fleeting second, she breathed him in, nostrils flaring, swept up in a moment of searing heat and a hot, sexual awareness that shocked and terrified her.

She raised alarmed eyes to his and was ensnared by the glittering, dark depths of his, and the way they drifted from hers to her mouth and lingered there. He reached and traced the contour of her mouth in a shockingly intimate gesture.

It lasted a second then he dropped his hand as she sprang back, almost stumbling again. But, instead of releasing her, he held her arm, although at least their bodies were further apart and her addled brain had a chance to clear.

‘You okay?’

‘Of course I am!’

‘Good, because we don’t need another invalid.’ He held up his bandaged hand and waved it but his eyes were focused on her, deep, dark and riveting. And not obeying any of the parameters they had in place, trampling all over the work boundaries that were never, ever crossed.

Or was she just imagining that? Because, right now, her fevered senses could be getting up to who only knew what tricks of the imagination. She hadn’t imagined the touch of his finger on her mouth, though. That was seared into her mind with the red-hot burn of a branding iron.

She was breathing fast, as if she’d been running a marathon.

‘Let me go!’ She yanked her hand away and he stepped back.

Gabriel had never felt tension like this in his life. The charge flowing between them was electric. She’d been in his head, sending his thoughts in a tailspin, and now here she was and every pore in his body yearned to touch.

‘My apologies,’ he said huskily. His voice was cool and controlled but his thoughts were all over the place, and he could feel the steady pain of his erection shamelessly pushing against the zip of his trousers.

Helen spun round and ducked to fetch her towel. The swimsuit was clammy against her body and she was aware of the tautness of her nipples against the damp fabric, stiff, sensitive and achingly responsive.

She took a few steady breaths and reminded herself that this was her boss.Her boss!

She would do well to rememberthatlittle technicality!

‘I’ll head in now.’

‘Of course.’ Gabriel turned and began heading away from the pool. He couldfeelher tripping alongside him, but he didn’t dare look at her, because one more glance and that erection, which was thankfully beginning to subside, would barrel into life again. Had she noticed the bulge under the trousers? If so, she gave no sign.

He clenched his jaw. In his mind he saw the fall of her small breasts as she had leant to retrieve her towel from where she had hung it on the low branch of a tree by the side of the pool. What the hell had possessed him to touch her like that? It had lasted a second, but still—there was no excuse. Since when had he ever allowed his body to control his head?

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