Page 8 of The Bride's Secret

“Hey, do you have clothes and things yet? I forgot you didn’t bring anything.”

He smirked. And called out to her, “You’ll be alright if I just swim in my boxers?” He peeked his head around the corner and laughed at her shocked expression.

“Kidding.”

“Oh, whew, okay.”

He stepped out in just a swimsuit and the flip flops the hotel shopper had purchased for him. “I’m ready.”

“yes you are.” She spit out and then blushed furiously. “I’m sorry. Wow, So you work out, obviously.”

Pleased at her reaction, he said, “I do, but I come by this naturally. My Dad was a big guy.” Her eyes travelled over him and he let himself enjoy every minute. He’d done the same to her, but when he was sure she wasn’t looking.

“Why couldn’t I have met you when Heath was just starting to call me?”

“Ho ho!” He opened the door for them to leave. “I haven’t seen Heath in years. We were much closer when we were young, We had the best of times back when baseball and tree climbing were all that mattered in the world.”

“I just can’t see you two together, like at all.”

They exited out onto the pool patio and headed for a couple lounges. Wyatt was pleased to see a lap pool. “Oh, and a high dive.”

“I’m just gonna make myself comfortable right here for the next full day.” She grabbed a towel from the attendant, ordered a drink and settled in with her book.

But as he walked toward the pool, he could feel her eyes on him and he decided he was okay with that, and okay if she liked what she saw.

Chapter 6

Carisa was secretly thrilled that Wyatt had come back. And then a tiny bit unnerved he had invited her to stay in his hotel room. But so far, he’d acted a complete gentleman, despite being obviously interested in her in some way. She couldn’t figure him out totally, but at least he was respectful. Though she wasn’t going to get more than five pages read.

“Carisa look!” He shouted from the top of the high dive.

She put her book down again and waved.

He jumped high and then did a beautiful double flip into the water. Impressive. He was quite the athlete. He’d started in the lap pool and must have swam twenty Olympic pool sized laps before taking a break. Spending time with him was so much like sharing a vacation with a brother. She kept telling herself that because standing next to him in all that skin, she found it very hard to access any brotherly thoughts. He was hot, plain and simple, charming, kind, protective, and sizzling. She fanned herself, thinking about him. The only thing keeping her from full out flirting was the reminder that she knew nothing about him really, and of course, the other obvious detractor, that he was the best man at the wedding she had just run from. So far, she didn’t think Heath knew where Wyatt was.

She lifted her book back up. But within minutes, drops of cold water began pooling in her belly button. “What?”

Wyatt towered over her, dipping his fingers in his ice water and drizzling bits of it on her skin.

“Hey, stop that!”

“Come get in the water. You can’t possibly want to just sit here all day.”

“I do, actually. Rest sounds nice, and I heard this book is awesome.”

“You can read when it’s dark. Come swim.” He widened his eyes and had the gumption to stick out his lower lip.

“You did not just do that.”

“Do what?”

“Pout like a little kid.”

“Did I?”

His brown eyes pleaded and then he flexed. “Come on, I’ll throw you in the air.”

This guy was ripped. But ugh, he was thinking full on dunk, head wet and everything. She wanted to relax, but she couldn’t resist his eyes, his smile, so she closed her book and stood up.

---