Page 169 of Charming Deception

I go to pluck the bikini down, and I hear him follow; it’s dangling from one of the hooks. It’s a terra-cotta color, with little white flowers on it.

“Do you like it?” His hot breath teases my skin, and he presses a kiss to that sensitive spot where my shoulder meets my neck. One night and one morning of passionate sex and he’s already sussed out so many of my hot buttons, it’s insane.

I try to keep my cool. “It’s cute.” I hold it up. There isn’t much of it; it’s mostly string. It’s definitely skimpier than the one I brought.

“It reminded me of the sundress you wore the day I met you. You know, in the street.”

I laugh a little. “Oh. I’d hoped we’d forgotten about that by now.”

He turns me by the hips to face him. “Why?”

“Because, I was such a mess. That wasn’t exactly a good day for me, Jameson.”

A wounded expression flashes over his face, and I automatically encircle his neck with my arms, pressing my body against him. I love that I can touch him so freely now. It’s like a drug. Addictive and dangerous.

I know he’ll be impossible to quit.

I try not to think about it.

“Except meeting you, of course,” I clarify. “That was the highlight of my day.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not lying. That day was an emotional roller coaster for me. I was shell-shocked by meeting you in the street. I didn’t even know what hit me. But when Cole introduced us by your pool…” I sigh dramatically, as if I’m laying it on thick when I’m really not. “It was love at first sight.”

His lips quirk. “That was the second time you met me.”

“Yeah. But it was the first time I was calm enough to actually see you fully. And baby, you are a sight.” I reach up to kiss him, and his mouth melts into mine with a low groan. His tongue laps hungrily against mine, and when I moan, sagging into him, he growls and pulls away.

“Phone calls. Let me just take care of these. You change into that skimpy thing and meet me in the pool.”

“Okay.” I nip his bottom lip with my teeth, and he swats my ass yet again as I turn away.

I could really get used to this version of Jameson. Like stalker-hoarder obsessed with this version.

I wonder if he’s planning to stick around…

Because I definitely want to keep him.

Dangerous.

I go change in the dressing area by the showers, and when I emerge, Jameson is pacing in the little sunroom off the patio, on a call.

“Fucking seriously, Harlan,” he growls, as I wander past him, heading for the pool. “You need to bring someone. It’s a formal event.” He makes a grab for me, but I dance just out of reach, then linger at the edge of the room, eavesdropping. “Every seat at the gala dinner will be accounted for. Savannah expects you to—no, look, you’re just making stress for Savi. Just muster up a plus one and make sure she’s presentable.” He hangs up on his brother.

Then he throws me a look that tells me I’d better get my ass in the pool or he’ll be fucking me while he makes his next call.

I seriously consider sticking around for that, but then he says, “Hey, Savannah,” and since he’s talking to his sister, I decide to behave.

I go slip into the pool. I can hear him on the phone in the sunroom, where he watches me. I can’t hear the words as I glide through the warm water, but I can hear the timbre of his voice, low and controlled.

His business voice.

It’s even sexier than it used to be.

Everything about him is sexier now.

It’s kind of frightening, actually.

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