He gazed at her triumphantly and before too long he’d stripped the clothes from her body and kissed her again in much more intimate places.
And if he was out of breath by the end of it, he didn’t show it. The only thing he showed was a passionate hunger for her that took her by surprise.
Sasha was in the pool when Nick returned early from work the following evening. She’d meant to be showered and changed by now but summer was almost over and she’d wanted to take advantage of the warm weather.
He sat down on the deck chair and loosened his tie, looking handsome but with dark shadows beneath his eyes. She felt guilty for keeping him awake last night, even if it had been mutually beneficial.
She trod water in the middle of the pool. “You look tired.”
He seemed surprised she’d noticed. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
She frowned. “All that driving into the city and back is taking a lot out of you.” Commuting to the city took an hour and a half each way, not to mention putting in a full day’s work.
He shrugged. “I’ll get used to it.”
“You shouldn’t have to, Nick.” She tilted her head at him. “Why don’t you get yourself a driver? Your father’s had one for many years.”
His brow creased in consideration. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea. I could hire a permanent driver and that way I can work while I’m in the car and not waste time.” He gave her a smile. “Good thinking.”
She gave a quick shiver as a late afternoon breeze skipped over her. “Thanks, but I’m sure you would have thought of it yourself.”
His gaze dropped to the water lapping at the top of her br**sts. “Probably,” he said, his distracted tone giving the comment less arrogance.
Her ni**les tightened beneath the pink bikini top at the sudden sensual look in his eyes.
He stood up and started undoing his shirt.
“Er…what are you doing?”
“Joining you.” He discarded shoes and socks, then his hand went to his belt buckle. Soon he had stripped down to black boxer briefs that fitted him like a second skin, leaving nothing to her imagination.
Her heart thumped erratically. “It’s getting a little cold in here.”
He gave her a wicked grin. “Then I’ll warm you up.”
He dove into the pool and she watched him come toward her in the water like a torpedo. The urge to turn and swim for the other side was strong. The temptation to stay and have her defenses annihilated was more exciting.
In one whoosh he came up close to her body and rose to the surface, so close she felt him like a caress. He shook the water from his face and smiled, his wet hair plastered to his head, his sooty lashes spiked with moisture.
“Fancy meeting you here,” he drawled, looking what he was: a drop-dead gorgeous male who’d caught the biggest fish in the pool.
Her.
Of course, she was the only fish in the pool.
“Yes, fancy that.”
The late afternoon sun showed a mischievous gleam in his eye and all at once she knew he was up to something. “Nick,” she warned, trying to escape, the water hindering rather than helping.
He laughed playfully and caught her by the waist, before lifting her in the air and tossing her backward. She took a breath just as she went under the water, her mind already on sweet revenge.
She’d get him back, she promised herself as she burst through to the surface. “Nick, you’d—” She gasped. “My bikini top’s come off!”
“Really?”
She ignored the relish in his voice and started looking around. Then she saw a pink blob of material near the edge of the pool.
“There it is.” She started to swim toward it, aware that Nick was swimming with her. She thought he was merely trying to help her, until they reached it at the same time and he snatched it up and threw it onto the concrete outside of the pool.
“Nick!” She glared at him as she covered her br**sts with her hands.
“What?” His eyes danced with the devil.
“How am I going to get out of the pool now?”
“No one’s around. Iris is in the kitchen and Leo’s gone into Richmond for supplies.”
“I’m not a prude but—”
“Yes, you are.” He chuckled. “Look at you. I know your body intimately now and yet you’re still covering yourself from me.”
“You’re still a stranger, Nick,” she said without thinking.
His smile disappeared. “Am I?” His blue eyes deepened in color. “Then we’d better do something about that.”
Without hesitation, he caught her by the waist and pressed her up against the side of the pool.
And then he kissed her.
At first his lips were cold from the water but they soon turned warm enough to have her melting against him. For long, languid moments she reveled in having his mouth take advantage of hers, but eventually he eased back from the kiss.
“Still think of me as a stranger?” he said, a very masculine expression of satisfaction on his face.
A minute ago she’d felt very feminine, but now his words brought her back to reality and she didn’t feel in the least like being coquettish. “There’s more than knowing a person physically, Nick.”
His face closed up. “It’ll do for now,” he said and turned away. “Stay here. I’ll get us some robes.”
Sasha watched him heave himself out of the water and stride over to the cabana, all male muscle and sinew. She swallowed hard. What on earth had made her say something so deep like that? Maybe she really was a prude and saying that had been her only defense?
He came out wearing a thick white robe and carrying one for her. “I’ll cover you as you get out.”
Thankful he was still being conscious of her sensitivity, she began climbing up the ladder. It was probably silly to be overreacting but she’d never been one to flaunt her body outrageously and merely because she was no longer a virgin didn’t change her way of thinking.
Just as she reached the top of the ladder she looked up in time to see Nick’s eyes flicking over her na**d br**sts. Unable to stop herself, she flushed.
“Put your arms in here,” he said huskily, and she did as she was told, feeling more secure once she had the robe cinched in at the waist.
Nick cleared his throat and stepped away from her. “It’s still balmy. Would you like to have dinner out here?”