Page 57 of A Reclusive Heart

CHAPTER 28

“What is wrong with you?” Jamie demanded once she managed to make it to the surface.

“You wouldn’t answer my question,” Nick said, shrugging off her question as he tossed his leather shoe aside before reaching for the other one.

“So that means that you had to throw me in the pool?” Jamie asked, shaking her head in disgust as she swam to the other side of the pool.

“Damn straight,” Nick said as she awkwardly climbed out of the pool and headed towards the door. She just made it past the corner of the pool when she spotted Nick, naked, hard, and looking really determined for some reason.

For a moment, Jamie was so stunned by the sight that she couldn’t move and it cost her. Before she could make a run for it, she found herself thrown back over his shoulder, but this time, he was pulling her shoes and socks off.

“What are you doing?” she couldn’t help but wonder when he put her down.

In answer, he practically ripped her pants off. When she let out a surprised squeal and went to stop him, she stumbled back and fell into the water. This time when she resurfaced, shedidn’t stop to have a conversation. She began making her way to the other side of the pool, but unfortunately for her, Nick was quicker.

Just as she moved to climb out of the water, he yanked her back in and had her shirt off within seconds. Her bra quickly followed after that. When he went for her panties, Jamie somehow managed to swim away, but not before she felt her panties rip, and then, she was left naked in the pool, apublicpool, where anyone could see her, she realized.

“What is wrong with you?” Jamie snapped as she swam to the deep end and moved into the corner to hide.

“I’m just helping you with your list, Jamie,” Nick calmly explained as he swam after her.

“You could have asked!”

“I could have,” Nick murmured in agreement as he joined her. “Now, tell me what’s going on.”

“Nothing,” Jamie mumbled sadly, unable to look him in the eye while she lied.

“If nothing’s wrong, then why does it feel like you’re pulling away from me, Jamie,” Nick asked softly as he gently cupped her chin between his thumb and finger and raised her face until she found herself looking into his beautiful green eyes.

“I’m not-” she started to lie, but he cut her off.

“Don’t lie to me, Jamie,” Nick said, pushing a strand of wet hair out of her face. “I know you’re pulling away from me. I just don’t know why.”

When all she could do was struggle not to cry, Nick pulled her into his arms and held her. “Baby, what’s wrong? What did I do?”

She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. “Look, I know Holly said something to upset you-”

“I don’t like her,” Jamie mumbled against his neck.

He chuckled softly as he pressed a kiss against her cheek. “She’s not my favorite person at the moment either. Tell me what she said to you that had you so upset that you actually passed up chocolate.”

“She said that you were just using me,” Jamie admitted softly.

Nick went completely still against her. “How exactly am I using you?” he asked as he pulled away to look at her.

“To get my cooperation on this tour,” Jamie said, hating the way that all the tenderness in his expression disappeared.

“And you believed her?” Nick bit out as he moved away from her.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Jamie mumbled pathetically.

“I don’t need to sleep with a woman to get her to do what I want, Jamie, especially a pushover like you,” Nick said, making her wince. “We both know that it wouldn’t have taken much to get you to do what I wanted, so why the hell would I have to resort to sleeping with you to get your cooperation?”

Jamie opened her mouth to argue but realized that he was right. Even when she was mad at him before he’d promised to help her with her list, she would have fallen in line quickly with a few well-placed glares.

“I’m pathetic,” Jamie muttered, not realizing just how pathetic she really was until that moment.

It was one thing to know that she was a pushover, but another to have it thrown in her face. She moved to climb out of the pool when he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her back against his chest as he reached over and placed his other hand on the edge of the pool to help keep them afloat.

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