Page 10 of Hot Water

“Oh.” She nods, her eyes lingering on mine as she redirects the conversation. “Back to your tattoo. I have to ask—do you regret it?”

For a moment, I ponder her question, then shake my head. “Not really. Every stupid decision and ridiculous bet helped shape who I am today. Even the scary clown on my back.”

CHAPTER 4

AMELIA

I stare at Sinclair for a long moment, his words still ringing in my ears. I’m not surprised he came and found me. Honestly, I expected him earlier. But I’m a little surprised he didn’t lead with the fact that his family owns Midnight Industries. The fact that he didn’t immediately throw that out there to win my forgiveness is, in an odd way, exactly the thing that earns it.

Anyone else would have done precisely that. It would have been the simple thing to do. But I’m beginning to suspect there’s nothing simple about this man. He’s as complicated as those beautiful blue eyes.

“So, you’re really a cop, huh?” I ask, unable to help myself. The job suits him and the authority that hangs in the air around him. He’s got cranky cop written all over him. Even dressed in khaki shorts and a blue polo that matches his eyes, he’s fierce… and fiercely beautiful.

He dominates the small living room in my bungalow, eclipsing the space. His presence will linger long after he leaves, as will his delicious scent. It’s mint, spice, and Sinclair—utter perfection.

“Surprised?”

“Not even a little bit,” I say, smirking. “Just curious how a small-town cop ended up here.” I glance around with big eyes. “Barbados doesn’t exactly seem like your kind of place. No offense.” I pause before adding, “I mean, you did almost drown like five feet from the shore.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “You’re asking for it, mermaid.”

I laugh quietly. Teasing him is fun. He’s hot when he’s grumpy. “Why Barbados, Sinclair? The beach is obviously not your style.”

“It’s not. My brother’s asshole assistant decided I was too fucking cranky and needed a vacation, so they bought me the trip for my birthday. He fell in love recently, so he’s more psychotically happy than usual.” He grimaces. “I think Sterling went along with it just to get rid of Sullivan for a week and sent me along to babysit.”

I cock my head to the side, eyeing him. “Um, isn’t Sullivan a grown man?”

“You’d think so.” He hauls himself to his feet, moving way too gracefully for a man his size. “But the fucker can find trouble anywhere.”

“Oh, really?” I arch a brow at him, a smirk dancing on my lips. “So, that was him I hauled out of the ocean today, huh? Not you?”

He takes a slow step toward me, his eyes locked on my face. “You being a smartass, mermaid?”

I hold my finger and thumb an inch apart, unable to resist messing with him. He’s had me stressed out all day. If I’m messing with him, he deserves it, at least a little bit.

And maybe I like the way he looks at me when I do it. No one ever looks at me the way he does—like he’s dying to know what I taste like. He hasn’t stopped looking at me like that since he walked through the door.

Frankly, I wish he’d get on with it already because I haven’t stopped thinking about him all day. He played through my mind on a loop even when I was mad at him.

“Why did you pick Barbados, Amelia?” he asks, taking another step in my direction.

“My boss sent me.”

“Your boss?”

“Mmhmm.” I tip my head back, watching him from beneath my lashes. “I’m a literary agent in Los Angeles. I just helped a client option the rights to her book series for television and made her and the agency a whole bunch of money. So, my boss decided I deserved a vacation to celebrate.”

“Nice.” Sinclair takes another step toward me. “What kind of books do you represent, baby?”

“Mostly romance, YA and adult.” I pause. “Some fantasy, depending on if it’s any good or not.”

He smiles at that. “You like what you do?”

“I love it.” I beam at him. “Books are magic.”

“Your mom is a writer.”

I narrow my eyes at him.

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