Page 41 of King of Guilt

Inside, the warmed glass room was welcoming, like a tight hug from a long-lost friend. As my muscles started to relax, I began to drink more freely, snacking on gourmet nuts and popcorn.

“So, what do you think of the arrangement upstairs?” Dean asked as we floated about in the pool, his arms splayed out over the surface of the water.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m thinking of renovating the suites,” he explained. “They all have wider views of the garden, but barely of the pool.”

Wondering why he would care for my opinion at all, I stalled for a second, trying to picture the change he was suggesting. “But that way, even the hallway will have to change.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Well, then… I guess. Yeah.”

He chortled. “Okay? If you drink another Jack Frost, would you give me a more enthusiastic opinion?”

I shrugged, forcing a smile. “I just don’t know why you would ask me this—”

He was already out of the water, grabbing us another drink. “Because the decorators will expect Mrs. Allen to be the one in charge of the remodel, maybe?”

My eyes watched him descend back into the pool, holding the frosty teal beverages in his hands. “Come on, Dean.” My brain was starting to melt, just like that fine lining along the rims of the glasses in his hands.

“Come on, what?” Handing me my glass, he came closer, looking into my eyes. “Don’t you like to be included in these decisions?”

My gaze was defiant, determined to understand what sort of game he was playing. “Why?”

“Because…” He planted a quick peck on my lips. “You have really good taste.”

Taking a step backward, I watched him take a sip of his drink. “I do, don’t I? But soon, I’ll be gone, and you’ll be left with the decisions I made on your behalf.”

“You want to leave?” he softly asked, taking a step forward. As his lips reached for mine once more, I couldn’t help but smile. Yes, he was being juvenile, but I needed to exert more effort to resist those lips… especially when they tasted of coconut and sinful seduction.

“Wasn’t that our agreement?” I asked, fighting hard not to kiss him, keeping my eyes on his instead of those lips I craved so much.

“Agreements change. Look at us now. Did we expect any of this?” His voice was soft and soothing, almost mesmerizing. Insisting on reaching my mouth with his, he inched closer once more, teasing me as his hand grabbed my behind.

I felt my heart beat faster and harder, and I knew that my resistance would soon raise the white flag. He knew I had fallen for him, which gave him the upper hand. And now, every move he made was another nail hammered into the coffin of my endurance. When I finally said, “No, we didn’t,” it came out hoarse, the words scratching along my throat. As if to add insult to injury, my eyelids fluttered, and he caught it with a smile. To me, it looked a lot like triumph.

He chugged down the entirety of his drink in one go, tossing the empty glass into the water before throwing his arms around me, capturing me in his embrace. I didn’t want to break free, but I didn’t want to surrender, either. A thousand thoughts stormed through my mind, just as my eyes caught a glimpse of the rain starting outside.

“It’s raining,” I warned in a whisper.

Licking his lips, he smiled, his eyes fixed on my mouth. “There were no storms in the forecast,” he whispered. “Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, ” I lied.

“Then why won’t you kiss me?”

Mimicking what he had done, I downed my drink in one long chug before letting go of the glass. It sank down to the bottom of the pool, just like all my walls. My fighters were wailing, long cries of defeat as I let his lips claim mine.

To have claimed that nothing more magical had ever happened in my life would have been an understatement. Outside, it was winter, but the warmth and vitality of spring was blossoming deep inside me.

However, they weren’t without thorns.

When Dean and I were finally alone in the hallway separating his suite from mine, I placed my hand on the doorknob, and he leaned in to kiss me.

“Good night, Emma,” he said into my lips.

Dazed, I watched him turn away and go into his room, gently closing the door behind him.

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