Page 33 of The American

Thad sat down across from her. And disappointment jabbed that he was so far away. She chastised herself but then gave up. Of course she noticed he was handsome.

“So, Zachary.”

Her gaze snapped back to his face. “Zachary.”

“He’s quite a character.”

She considered him. What was he saying?

“I’m afraid I won’t be with him much longer.” The words came out before she had even thought her decision through, but as soon as she said them, she knew that was the direction she had to take.

His eyes narrowed. “Just take your cut and run?”

“What?” Her anger rose. “Is that what you’re gonna do? Sell out, take an unfair percentage as the buyerandthe seller and then retire in luxury?”

He laughed. “I’m already retired in luxury. All I do is “retire in luxury.”

She pressed her lips together, considering. She didn’t know anything about the very wealthy. Everyone she knew was always out to get more, to increase their portfolio and their total wealth by as many million as they could. And here was someone who laughed at the idea?

“Sage. I don’t have to work. The Valdez family fortune is solid for generations upon generations, with a steadily growing wealth none of us will ever use in any Valdez lifetime.”

She paused to consider all he said. “Then why are you considering such an unethical sale and purchase of those properties?”

“I’m not.” He grinned. “And if Zachary fed you those lies, then he also fed me the lie that you are taking a forty percent cut of the profit so that you stay quiet?”

“He told you that? What a weasel.” She was ill to think she had supported that man, stood on his arm at any event ever.

“So he played us both, played us off each other.” She wanted to slap his face.

“And all he ever really wanted from any of this was a chance at those properties.” Thad shook his head. “He talked to me about it even before I came. There is one the crown would like to sell actually, but to a good buyer.” Thad shook his head. “Not Zachary.”

“So you aren’t trying to blackmail me into keeping your secrets?”

“Well now, I didn’t say that. I’d love to blackmail you into keeping my secrets.” He moved across the water to come sit beside her. “But, I’d have to tell you my secrets first.”

“That could be fun. What kind of secrets do you have Thad?”

He lowered back in the water in the middle of the hot tub and then turned so that he could put one arm down on each side of her. “My secrets are the kind I only tell a special woman.”

Her heart moved up closer to her throat.

He moved closer to her mouth and face, but mostly mouth.

The steam rose up between them and she was mesmerized by his closeness and the lovely hot water. It lapped between them, tickling her neck and soon he was a breath away, his mouth hovering over her own. “I meant what I said in our free fall.”

She thought for only a moment and then gasped. He covered her lips with his own and pulled her off the bench and up against him in the water, cradling her body against him. She responded to his attention with equal urgency. While she kissed him, a great light filled her. If he wasn’t involved in anything unethical, then she really had no reason not to pursue whatever they had between them as long as she wanted. And he loved her? How could he mean that? Or know that?

But she didn’t care. She wrapped her arms around his neck and sank lower while he moved his mouth over hers.

With swollen lips, she pulled away, laughing. “That was a long time coming.”

He reached for her hand. “You’re not kidding. I’ve been wanting to kiss you soundly since I first saw you.”

“Oh really? While you were up hand checking and fist bumping the audience?”

“Exactly. I saw you and thought, now, there’s a woman who needs to be kissed soundly.”

She smiled. “MMM. I like the sound of that.”

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