Page 82 of Contention

He says it loud enough that his voice carries on the boat, loud enough that some of the other men look their way, even as they screw around with their putting green, aside from Terry, who is drying like a limp noodle on a chaise lounge. Kara nods nervously, feeling their eyes on her. “Uhuh...”

Dietrich disappears back up to the sundeck. Gale is scribbling something on one of her documents, looking serious. “Aren’t you smart? I tell you he loves being taken care of and you take it literally.”

Kara flushes. “What?! I mean, I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t have an ulterior motive.” She lowers her voice. “He’s…scary.”

“Dieter’s a lotta scary,” Gale replies coolly, like it isn’t nearly ninety out. “But the thing with getting him water melted him like a popsicle in a heatwave, so you diffused him rather well.” She gestures to the ladder. “You’d better get up there before he comes back down. That phone call is bothering him and he’s impatient.”

Glancing at the ladder, Kara feels herself getting nervous. Alone? She grabs a bag of chips and a water bottle, heading to go up. Then, she pauses, quietly asking Gale, “Was he…was he really trying to hurt that man? Terry?”

Gale, still not looking Kara in the eye, murmurs, “Be careful up there. I can’t always be with you and that’s by his design.”

Oh, great. That inspires confidence.

Feeling like she’s walking the plank, Kara makes her way up to the top level, heart pounding. Dietrich is lying on his back, shirtless now, on a lounge chair. His shorts are riding low,really, really low. Making some noise, so he knows she’s arrived, Kara settles herself on the chair some feet away from his, trying to keep from fiddling nervously.

“It’s eighty-seven degrees out,” he says in a smoky tone, not looking towards her, sunglasses covering his eyes. “Take that stupid blouse off.”

Clutching her hand to her chest, Kara leans away from him, feeling cornered. “I’m fine the way I am.”

A slow, predatory smile shapes his lips at her words. “Are you afraid I can’t control myself? I promise, I won’t look.”

She’s wearing a bikini underneath her blouse, but that isn’t the point. With a huff of irritation, she unbuttons the blouse and lets it fall off her shoulders. It’s sweltering in the direct sunlight, almost unbearable.

True enough, he doesn’t move his head to look at her. Kara tells herself she shouldn’t be embarrassed; it isn’t like she has anything to be embarrassed about. It’s just the act, the way he told her to strip, just because he wanted her to. She’s alone with a man she barely knows and she’s half-naked.

So is he. And; he looksreallygood.

Cracking open her fresh water bottle, Kara glances at the edge, where someone else could climb up and join them.

“No one is coming up.”

Kara frowns, gazing over at him, noting the relaxed frame he’s in. He saw her glance at the ladder entry and clearly knew she felt likemaybeshe needed saving. He’s probably been watching her from under his shades. The sneak. “Why? How do you know?”

His chest, athletic, sleekly muscled, rises and falls with his breathing. There’s an elaborate tattoo of a crown and sword disappearing under the top of his low-slung shorts and Kara quickly looks away from it, trying to not wonder what the rest of it must look like. “Because,” he exhales softly. “They think we’re fucking up here.”

He pushes his sunglasses to the top of his head so he can meet her gaze. His eyes are lazily hooded, unreadable.

Standing up, Kara feels her mouth drop open in mortification. Oh, fucking no. “Why would they think that!? Is that what you do? Just…bring women up here to screw?” She looks at the chair she just vacated with disgust.

Dietrich makes a vague gesture with his hand, unfazed. “Why do you think Gale is so uptight about you being here?” He says it casually enough. “She doesn’t like the idea of you being my chew toy.”

“Is that what I am?”

“You tell me.” Cruel amusement rides his tone.

“Oh, God. I have to go back down,” Kara feels her face heating in humiliation, mortified. “What must they be thinking? I’m going to be sick. Thanks, you ass.”

He grabs her wrist. “Stay here,” Dietrich says calmly, a hint of an order in his voice. “No one is going to say shit to you.”

“Bullshi-”

He sits up, pulling her down onto another seat. “I ammeand you are my guest. Everyone knows what happens when things don’t go my way.” That dangerous glint is back in his gaze, the look that has Kara breathing shallow. “Now, you know it, too.”

Oh, my God. He enjoys it. Knowing everyone is afraid to set him off!

He must see something in her eyes, because he chuckles good naturedly. “Okay, calm down. Let’s be friends.”

“Friends don’t give each other backhanded threats,” Kara snipes back, hunching her shoulders in discomfort.

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