Page 33 of Her Forever Billionaire

She glanced at the skateboard under his foot and simply had to try to break the ice. ‘Does it help with your snowboarding?’

‘Actually, no,’ he answered with unnerving gentleness. ‘It’s completely different. Snowboarding, your feet are fixed to the board. I just skate to relax.’

Oh. Lucky him. She’d give anything to relax right now.

He studied her. ‘You’re walking to work?’

She nodded. ‘I thought it would be a good idea to get a little bit fitter.’

As far as Jack was concerned she was fit already. But he nodded for form’s sake. Torn inside about how erotically her dress clung, despite the way its length swamped her and made her seem even smaller. On the one hand he wanted to kiss her desperately, on the other hand he wanted to put her in a cocoon and make sure she was going to be all right. ‘You’re not walking in those heels?’

She rolled her eyes but then lifted her skirt a couple inches and he saw the Converse All Stars on her feet. Amusement surged in him at the sight of the ultimate skateboarder shoes. So incongruous under her silky old-style skirt. So new they positively winked at him.

‘Oh, they’re cute,’ he said, unable to stop walking right up close to her. ‘But they need breaking in.’ He slid the skateboard with him lazily, challenging her.

She looked down at it and got what he meant. ‘I don’t like skateboards.’

But that little smile was there again. He liked that smile. He wanted more of it. It made all the anger of the night before disappear. ‘Like you don’t like the beach?’

Her teeth crushed her lip.

‘Dare you, Kelsi,’ he whispered.

The hesitation didn’t even last that long. ‘Just really carefully.’

Naturally.

‘Hitch up your skirt or you’ll trip on it.’ He’d love it more if she took it off. He knew this was playing with fire, but how could he resist? That was the whole thing about Kelsi: he couldn’t resist her at all.

She hitched her skirt giving him a glimpse of her neat ankles and the slim pale shins. Hell, he was that sex-starved he thought an inch of skin was something to celebrate.

He got her to stand on the board, holding it carefully so it wouldn’t slide out from under her. Then, when she had her balance, he carefully towed her. Just a little. Slowly. Watching her feet to make sure she was okay. Then he looked up—and saw the laugh in her eyes that made him want to pull her right on home to him. He couldn’t hold back his hunger to look over her body or drink in her fine features.

‘I must look ridiculous,’ she said, her gaze breaking from his.

He shook his head and tugged her along that bit faster so she had to concentrate. ‘You look like you’re having fun.’

Her grin blossomed—cheeky, devilishly tempting—spurring him to go faster still. It was stupid—going round and round the concrete pad, but he didn’t want to ever stop. But then she wanted a go on her own.

She hitched her skirt even higher, an endearingly serious expression on her face now. She pushed along, steadily building her pace, keeping it straight. He watched her, pleased with how quick she’d figured her footing. He stood in the middle of the yard and watched her slowly circle round him. She was good—maybe her height was a benefit, lower centre of gravity giving her an easier balance. But he didn’t expect her to speed up this much—not so soon. Nor did he expect her to change the angle of her board and take on one of the ramps he’d set up.

‘Kelsi!’ he shouted, spurting forward to catch up with her.

Oh, God, she was airborne. Years of speed and fast reflexes and sheer grit pushed him forward. His hands reached out to grab and catch her, hauling her to safety. Snug right against his chest.

‘Watch your knee!’ She shrieked as he swirled around with her in his arms, the skateboard careering off course and smashing into the ragged brush at the side of the path.

He didn’t give a damn about his knee. The blood roared in his ears.

‘No jumps while pregnant,’ he said hoarsely, holding her closer, his heart thudding as if he’d come close to death. The visions in his head shaking him up even more. But as he turned a few more steps the horror faded and he looked down at the woman he was clutching so tight to him.

She was laughing, her head thrown back over his arm, her limbs trembling as she giggled. Her whole body reaction reminded him of how absolute her response had been that day on the beach.

His whole body reacted in kind. His whole body was killing him. He froze. Desperate to control it.

Finally she calmed enough to speak. ‘I’m doing that again.’

The protective telling off he’d wanted to shout went unsaid as more primitive urges flared. It would take nothing to hold her that bit tighter and bend his head and kiss her. He could sink to the ground with her in his arms and make her body tremble in even greater pleasure.

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