Page 18 of Too Good to be True

Chapter 8

“It’s after midnight. The pool is closed.” I say to Tim as we ride the elevator up to the rooftop pool.

“And?” He smirks.

“And it’s cold outside.”

Tim smirks, showing off his dimples, reaches for the lapels of my robe, and pulls me close.

“Then I guess it’s a good thing you have me to heat you up.” His lips brush against mine with a featherlight touch, making me yearn to feel more. To feel his body pressed against mine again.

The elevator stops, and the doors open. Afraid someone will see us, I move away from Tim like he’s on fire and look out onto the empty rooftop. Dim lights illuminate the vacated area.

“This is creepy,” I whisper when Tim steps out and holds the elevator doors open for me.

“Hurry,” he says. “You don’t want to anger the ghost that haunts the elevator.”

I lunge at him, knocking into his chest. Tim laughs as he catches me and wraps me in his arms. “You’re trembling.”

“Isn’t there anything in this town that isn’t haunted? The cemetery, the prison, and this stupid elevator.”

“I was joking.” He smiles, smoothing my hair.

“Not funny!” I narrow my eyes at him.

“It landed you in my arms, so I don’t regret it.” His teeth sink into his bottom lip as he looks straight down, not into my eyes, but at my cleavage. “I want to keep you as close as possible,” he whispers, untying the robe’s belt and opening it wide to expose me in my tankini.

Flames burn hot and bright in his eyes. I don’t know what he thinks he sees, but he must be looking through beer goggles. I pull my robe closed and step backward, away from him.

“What’s wrong?”

I shake my head and fold my arms across my chest. This is so not the time to hear Corey’s voice in my head. But it’s there. Loud and clear.

“Bailey,” he whispers, causing my skin to prickle with bumps as he closes in on me and opens my robe again. “You have a kick-ass body. Nice and curvy.” His hands slide over my shoulders and push the robe down so that the neck hangs down to my lower back. “I want to see you.” He snakes his arm around my waist and holds me against him. “I want to see all of you.” He whispers in my ear, his warm breath turning me to goo.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, searching for courage as I allow the robe to fall in a puddle at my feet.

Tim’s eyes crawl up and down my body, soaking me in. His pupils are large and dilated.

“The only thing better than looking at you in that suit,” he says with his hands on my hips, his voice thick, “will be seeing you out of it.”

I don’t say anything. How can I? I want to hold his attention, but I don’t know how to. I feel like a preschooler in a college class. I’m out of my element and way out of my league.

“I thought you wanted to go swimming.” I try to change the subject and get his focus off of my body.

“Come.” He leads me by the hand and stops in front of a hot tub next to the far end of the pool. “I said let’s go up to the pool. I never said a thing about swimming.”

“If you don’t want to swim— Oh.” I feel myself blush with the realization. He doesn’t want to talk to get to know each other. He wants to get to know each other in a much more intimate way.

“You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed.” Tim lifts his shirt over his head and tosses it on a nearby lounge chair. I have a hard time pulling my eyes from his sculpted body. He looks like an athlete. Strong, broad shoulders. Washboard abs. A narrowed waist. Without thinking, I stretch my hands out and rest them on the warm skin of his solid chest.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me close, dips his head down, and presses his lips against mine in a sweet kiss. I stand on my tippy toes and clasp my hands around his neck.

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