Page 10 of The Bride's Secret

He grabbed them a couple towels. “I’m also starting to shiver.” A shudder ran through his body which made her laugh. “Where’s that hot tub?”

They made their way and slipped into the hot water. “Oooh. This is just what I need.” She lowered herself until the water came up to her chin. She didn’t realize how cold she was.

He sat across from her, his back to the jets, and closed his eyes.

Carisa took the time to study his face. He was handsome, so handsome. Not in a Heath kind of way, not crisp and pressed into a suit. Wyatt was rugged, thick, strong, and gentle. His jawline did things to her stomach when she thought about it. And he was comfortable. He rested with his eyes closed, not a care in the world, after inviting an entire resort full of people to play freeze tag. She shook her head. She’d never met anyone like him. He excited and terrified her all at the same time.

“I can feel you checking me out.” He opened one eye.

“I’m not checking you out. I was just, looking at you.” She laughed. “You have a nice jaw.”

He sat up and then moved across the water to her.

She swallowed in anticipation as his face grew nearer.

When he was inches away, he rumbled, “You were checking me out.”

“All I could see was your face.”

“Well, then you were checking my face out.”

She laughed. “Okay, okay. I was checking you out.” She leaned back. “You were checking me out too, earlier.”

He tipped his head. “Fair.”

She sat up. “You were?”

He eyed her. “I would have to be blind not to notice you. Of course I was checking you out in this little thing you’re wearing. As was every other guy here.”

Deflated, she shrugged. “I guess it serves its purpose then.”

“Did Heath like it?”

She tensed. “He hasn’t seen it.”

He nodded. “New suit for the honeymoon.” His thigh pressed up against hers and then stayed. “It’s perfect.”

She swallowed. “Thank you.” When she turned to him, his face was still close, his eyes intent, watching her. “I saw we could rent scooters if we want.”

His warm eyes lit before his mouth smiled. “Oh yeah?”

“Mmm. Hmm. And I think I’m gonna go do that before our first excursion tomorrow.” He rubbed a hand along his scruff that was just starting to make an appearance. “Want some company?”

She leaned closer to him. “I do.” Her face was so close, her lips near his, the air between them magnetized. She closed her eyes and then settled back against the hot tub again. She was too used to a man in her life, too used to intimate conversations. She’d have to be careful not to just transfer her relationship habits to Wyatt without knowing him. She shook her head. How could they ever have a thing, a real thing, having met the way they did?

“What?”

She opened her eyes. “Did I say something?” She really hoped she hadn’t spoken her thoughts.

“No, but you shook your head. You having some kind of inner dialogue?”

Her face heated. “Oh, uh.” Racing thoughts offered themselves as an explanation. She laughed. “No, well sort of. If I really think about it, I’m just still amazed that here we are. Especially when I think of how we got here.” She shrugged. “Sometimes it makes things a little awkward.”

He tipped his head. Then he appeared to consider her for a moment. “I have an idea.”

She sat forward, an interested spark in his eyes intrigued her.

“Why don’t we pretend like we just met, or better yet, pretend like this is the honeymoon like we’re telling everyone else, then we won’t keep getting weirded out by the situation, and you can relax and heal a little bit before you have to deal with everything at home.”

---