“Are we leaving the villa? Wh-what should I wear?”
“Whatever you have on is fine. We’re not going far.”
Her curiosity was piqued but nerves made her hesitate. If she didn’t know where they were going or what they were doing, how could she mentally prepare? What if she might need something and she didn’t bring it because he hadn’t given her a chance to make a quick list? What if—
“Stop thinking, squirt. Feel for once.” He bent low and scooped her into his arms. “Do you want to come…with me?” he whispered, his warm breath caressing her cheek.
His body was warm from the balmy night air, and she snuggled in closer. “Yes.” And it doesn’t matter where, she realized with a start. She would go anywhere if it meant another night in his arms.
Some of the tension seemed to drain out of him, and he dropped a kiss onto her forehead. “I’m so glad.” He carried her through the villa to the French doors leading to the pool. “Can you get that?”
She pushed down the lever, and he toed the door open. When he stepped out to the tiny pool area, she gasped. The small round swimming pool was surrounded by dozens of flickering candles, and a bottle of wine sat in an ice-filled bucket next to the steps. A snowy white comforter littered with deep red pillows lay on the patio stones.
The whole time she’d been stewing over his absence, he’d been planning this romantic tryst. She blinked back hot tears.
“I know our pool isn’t nearly as grand as Cyrus and Nikki’s, but you seemed to really enjoy the water. I was thinking we could finish what we started at their house that night right here.”
“Plus, you were afraid Cat would hear us in the other room.” She met his gaze and offered a teasing grin.
“She wouldn’t hear me. You’re the screamer.”
She started to protest when something next to the wine bucket caught her eye. “What’s that?”
He set her down and picked up the small wrapped box. “It’s a surprise for a little later.” The gleam in his eye set her heart thumping, and she resisted the urge to snatch it from him and look inside. “I know that look, control freak, but you’re going to have to wait.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and the tender expression on his face took the sting out of his words.#p#分页标题#e#
When he offered her wine, she nodded. He set the gift on the blanket and opened the bottle to pour them each a glass.
“To no regrets,” he said, clinking his glass to hers.
She mimicked his toast before taking a sip. It was icy cold and sweetly tart, and she sighed with pleasure. “Nice.”
He set down his glass and lifted a hand to the hem of his T-shirt, stripping it off and tossing it onto the chair behind him. After a week of seeing and touching him, she would have expected to have gotten over her initial obsession with his body, but that was far from the case. It was a jolt to her system every single time, and she drank in the sight, allowing her gaze to trip over his broad shoulders, down his chest, and past his sleek abs to the sexy smattering of hair leading to the button fly of his shorts. Shorts that were getting tighter right before her eyes. She dampened her lips, suddenly desperate to taste him there.
“When you look at me like that, I feel ten feet tall,” he said softly.
Emotion clogged her throat, but she swallowed it back. “Women must look at you like that all the time.”
“I’m not talking about what other women do. I’m talking about you and me.” Those dark eyes were intense, as if he knew she was trying to keep her distance and wasn’t going to allow it.
“You make me feel…special, too. It scares me.”
“You should always feel special, whether I’m around or not.”
She nodded, but inside she wanted to weep. When she tried to imagine what her days would be like without him, the sadness was unbearable.
“Are you going to get your skinny-dipping suit on or what? I’m not going to be the only one naked in the pool.” He strode to the steps and stripped off his shorts, kicking them to the side.
Even more determined to live in the moment, she soaked in the view, envying his grace as he walked down the stairs into the clear blue water.
“Come on in, the water’s fine,” he called with a wicked grin.
She didn’t hesitate. A few minutes earlier she hadn’t even been sure she would get another chance to be with him and there was no way she was squandering it. She set down her glass and straightened to slip her tank top over her head. Next came the boxers, and then she faced him. His hum of appreciation echoed across the water, and she fought the urge to cover herself, forcing her fisted hands to drop to her sides.