Billionaire Bad Boys of Romance 2(80)

In work mode now, I boasted, “We screen our members very carefully, both male and female.”

“I see that.”

“Of course, that means you’ll only be meeting the very best of the best on Friday.”

His eyes narrowed. “Hmmm. Fine. But you will be with me Saturday night. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock.”

Sure. Six o’clock. If he hadn’t met someone he liked better by then—something I was counting on.

He extended a hand. “Do we have a deal?”

“We do.” I placed my hand in his and gave it a shake while trying to ignore the tingles of sexual awareness sweeping through my body.

Wow.

I had experienced chemistry a time or two before with a man. But nothing like this. Nothing so powerful. I couldn’t help jerking my hand a little as I pulled it back. Then, I tried to hide my embarrassment by fiddling with my napkin. “That meal was delicious.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” He pushed his large frame out of his chair and circled me. “Shall we take a walk? We don’t have to get on the road for a couple of hours.”

“Sure.” I tried not to respond to his nearness as I stood, but it was impossible. He was so big and so sexy and…I just couldn’t help staring at him.

Girl, you need to stop this now. You’re going to get hurt. Remember, this man belongs to someone else.

I gave myself a mental shakedown and tried to firm up my resolve. This man belonged to some other woman. Someone who was like him. Educated. Attractive. Intelligent. Cultured. Beautiful. As the image of one of our better girls popped into my head, my stomach turned.

“The steps here lead down to the beach,” he said as he placed a hand on the small of my back, just as he had at the club.

“The beach,” I echoed as I shoved the image of that woman out of my head.

He led me to a wooden platform. Below the deck angled a set of wooden stairs that descended at least twenty feet down a steep, rocky slope. The railing, I quickly learned, was sturdy. I used it to balance as I slowly clomped down. Tevin followed, his footsteps sounding lightly, tap, tap, tap, behind me.

At the bottom stretched a wide wooden deck. And beyond the deck was an empty beach and water. Miles and miles of blue water.

I inhaled. Ah, the smell of water and sunshine and sand.

“Would you like to take off your shoes?” Tevin motioned to a set of chairs circling a metal fire pit on the deck.

“Might be a good idea.” While Tevin took off his shoes, I sat down and pulled off mine. They remained on the deck while I barefooted it down to the sand.

Ever since I was a kid I’d enjoyed the feel of sand underfoot. It was warm and soft and reminded me of days long gone by. So did the sounds and smells of the lake. The screech of the gull. The soft lap of the water. The distant growl of a motorboat.

“This beach is so private,” I mused as I glanced around. To my right and left walls of trees, shut off the view of the neighbors’ beaches. With the exception of the people out on the boats way out in the water, it felt like we were the only people around for miles.

Standing beside me, and staring out over the water, he said, “That’s one of the things I enjoy most about this property. I feel like I can really relax here, be myself.”

For some reason, that statement struck me as odd—be myself. “You mean you aren’t always yourself?”

“I didn’t mean that, no. I just meant…I don’t know.” Looking a little nervous, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and took a step toward the water. “People can be so judgmental sometimes.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, they see what you look like, what you wear, what you drive, and they make judgments based on that, rather than who you are on the inside.”

“I agree,” I said as I waded into the water with him.

“I just want to be known for who I am on the inside,” he said.

The water was chilly but not too cold. As the gentle tide rolled in and out, the sand underneath my feet washed away. I stared down, at the sparkling water as I walked. “I think most people feel that way. At least, they do when it comes to finding someone, a partner, a spouse.”#p#分页标题#e#

This was nice, this simple connection, honest conversation. I liked it. A lot.

“I suppose you’re right. I guess everyone is judged, perhaps unfairly.” His hand brushed against mine and a little tremor of awareness swept through my body.

“It’s happened to me, too,” I admitted.

“It has?” He turned to face me fully. “How could any man possibly misjudge you?”

“They all think, because I work for a dating service, that I’m looking for love.”