Page 22 of Landen

“Can you box?”She sent him a flirtatious smile as he took her hand.

“I learned incollege. You are practically naked, darling.”

“That’snot true. Coming?” She nodded to the water.

She was an excellentswimmer, and for the next hour, they did laps and dived beneath thesurface. At first, she had told him she did not want to get her hairwet, but that had been a mistake.

As soon as she saidit, he dunked her, soaking her all over.

“You are payingfor that.” She warned, splashing water into his face.

Dragging her under,he caught her from behind as they surfaced. His lips found the spoton her neck; his fingers splayed on her stomach.

“What are youdoing?”

“If I have totell you, I am not doing well.”

Turning her to facehim, he cupped her cheeks, green eyes turbulent. “You know whatwill happen tonight, don’t you?”

She was drowning inhis eyes, her body pressed against him so close that she could feelthe evidence of his desire. He had changed into cargo shorts and hadon a white T-shirt. The water had soaked through, allowing her aglimpse of the hairs on his chest.

“Yes.”She swallowed the lump in her throat.

“And youagree.”

“I .” Herdo.” Harms came around his neck as they bobbed on the water,ignoring the people galloping around them.

“We are leavingas soon as possible.” Instead of taking her lips as sheexpected him to, he kissed her cheek before releasing her.

Grinning at thestartled look on her exquisite face, he stepped back.

“Liam’sguests will get a show if I do anything else. And I need to cool offbefore I step foot out of this pool.” With that, he dovebeneath and stayed there for a few minutes. Treading water, shehauled herself over the lip, accepting the towel someone handed her.She was definitely in trouble.

*****

She was nervous. Someminutes before midnight, they had left the party still in full swingand decided it would be better to go to his place as it was nearer.

He had keyed in theinformation in the GPS and spent the remainder of the journey mostlyin silence.

Her heart was beatingso fast that she was surprised he had not heard the pounding.

“Nice area.”Her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the silent car.

“I think so.”Turning his head, he glanced at her and noticed how tightly shegripped the wheel. He was about to make a teasing remark about herstate of mind but decided against it. He was bloody nervous, too, herealized in surprise. He had been looking forward to this momentsince he had laid eyes on her.

But something hadchanged. At first, it had been just a lark, something to occupy histime in this country and a kind of defiance to his parents, but itwas much more than that. He liked her, and their attraction was likedynamite, ready to go off.

“It’s abeautiful building.” When he opened the door, she stepped outand concentrated fiercely on the towering glass building.

“It’sjust you?”

“Yes.” Hewas aware that she was not looking at him and knew why. “Itbelongs to our company and is reserved for when people come over onbusiness.”

“Sweet.”Taking a deep breath, she took her overnight bag from him and slungit over her left shoulder.

He was about to takeher hand when she stepped ahead of him. Walking past her, heprogrammed the code to unlock the glass doors that led them into alarge foyer with elevators on both sides.

Nodding to the left,he preceded her to the car and punched the button. The car opened itsdoors swiftly, and they stepped inside. Moving to the corner, shehugged her bag and stared at the buttons as if they were the mostexciting things she had ever seen.

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