Page 64 of Love on the Byline

Flipping the script over, he tried to pick up where he’dleft off, but all he could think of was Blake.

She’d been true to her word, giving Bran a chance to showher who he was now. So far, there hadn’t been any snide remarks or snap judgements,at least none she’d voiced out loud.

The morning had been nice, with the three of them exchangingstories and banter. He wished it could be like that all the time and couldalmost imagine it.

Ollie checked his watch. It was half past ten. He had to waitat least ninety minutes to knock on her door.

“Right,” he said to no one. “I’ve got this.”

Movement in the front windows of the pool house drew hisattention, and he watched as Blake drew back the curtains and opened thewindows.

She stood there, stretching, and his breath caught in histhroat. The blouse was gone, leaving her in the tiny bikini top and itty, bittyshorts, and… Christ. He tried to look away but couldn’t tear his gazeaway from her curves and—

Blake stopped and gave a little wave which he absentlyreturned, his swim shorts suddenly restricting. Mortified that he’d been caughtogling like a schoolchild, he tried to focus on the script. But his gaze keptdrifting to the window, hungry for another glimpse of her honeyed brown skinand unruly curls.

“Fuck.”

There was no point in trying to work, his brain was fixatedon one thing. One person. One gloriously attractive mind, body, and soul thatwas tantalizingly close and yet so very far away.

Ollie closed the script and stood, stripping out of hisshirt and kicking off his sandals on the way to the pool.

He needed to cool the fuck off before he did somethingstupid. Blake had put the brakes on anything beyond friendship, and he wasn’tabout to blow this second chance.

It was too early in the day for the sun to have warmed thewater, and it was a shock to the system when he dove in.

But it was just what he needed. Pushing off from the far endof the pool, he began his first lap, pushing hard.

The sound of the water lapping against his skin and the rhythmicmotion of his strokes was like a meditation, calming his racing pulse. Hepushed away all thoughts of Blake and focused on his breathing, moving throughone lap after another.

After several minutes, he stopped at the edge of the pooland looked up towards the pool house window, surprised to find her watchinghim.

Desire tore through him as their eyes met, but then sheoffered an adorably nervous smile and a little shrug before disappearing intothe shadowy interior.

She’ll be the death of me.

Defeated, Ollie sank under the water and called on everycell of his being to fucking behave for just a little longer.

14

It was official, Blake was a creeper.

She hadn’t meant to stand in the window and watch Ollie ashe swam, but she’d been passing the window when he stood and whipped off hisshirt, revealing a body that made her everything tighten with want.

Holy. Hell. Had he been that delicious in college?

He was cute back then. Sweet. Sexy in his nerdy little way,but this?

This guy was...

Climbing out of the pool, Ollie grabbed a towel from anearby chair and dried himself off thoroughly before reclining on one of theloungers.

Her gaze wandered the length of his toned, tanned physique.

“Damn.” She placed her palm on her chest, over her heart,and could feel it beating as fast as a rabbit.

Her phone pinged, forcing her away from her stalking, andshe was grateful for the distraction.

MOM: Hi baby, call me when you have a moment. xoxo

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