I cross my legs at the knee and lean back, supporting my body weight with my arms. I'm wearing a tourist T-shirt with fish on it, dirty panties, and I've got filthy feet from splashing through the puddles in the parking lot while wearing flip-flops. But when Gill looks at me like he's doing right now, I feel like the sexiest woman alive, like my body's waking up from a long, long sleep and it's ravenous.
I breathe in deep and lean my head back, closing my eyes for a moment.
“Okay,” I say before I let my thoughts run away with me. Honestly, I could use a few more minutes to collect myself before Gill and I have yet another 'talk'. That's all we seem to be doing lately—having serious discussions. I kind of feel like I should just sit him down and we should play Parcheesi or something. “But on the way back to the room, I'm going to stop by the front desk and grab some playing cards from the gift shop. We need to do something normal, Gill.”
“Something that doesn't involve jewelry heists, heartbreaking familial revelations, or wild and crazy bareback sex?”
I drop my chin back down and open my eyes, giving him a look.
“That's going to stop,” I say and Gill smiles.
“Is it?” he asks, moving over to me and leaning down, putting a hand on either side of my hips, not touching but so close I can practically taste it. “It's your choice, of course, but I don't think you want it to stop. I know I don't.” When he leans in to kiss me, I turn my head to the side and his lips connect with my cheek.
The feel of his hot mouth so innocently pressed to the side of my face makes me crazy. I get all sick and twisted inside, and a warm flush hits my cheeks like a sudden storm, rolling in from God only knows where.
No!
This is so much worse than a hot, lusty mouthful of tongue. I can see why I'd react to that; Gill's a good looking guy and I'm an adult woman with wants and needs. But this? This is …
“What do you plan on swimming in?” I ask suddenly, voice breathy and soft. “It's not like you have a bathing suit on hand.”
Gill chuckles and turns his head away, brushing his cheek against my own and letting it rest there for a moment before he pulls back and stands up, tucking his hands in his front pockets. His eyes rest on mine and a lazy smile curls his lips.
“Want to drop by the gift shop first? You can get your cards, and I'll grab a pair of swim shorts with the word Seattle scribbled on them. I don't think the hotel would appreciate it if I swam in the nude.”
I snort and push myself into a sitting position.
“Depends on who you ask. The girl at the front desk probably wouldn't mind so much.”
“And what about you?” he asks me as I stand up and smooth my hands down the front of my fish shirt. It's so ugly, it's almost growing on me. Maybe I'll keep it to sleep in?
“What about me?” I ask coyly, raising my eyebrows at him. Gill laughs again and watches as I move over to the table by the window to grab a bottled water from the tray of edible amenities. “If you're asking if I'd like to see you nude, I think we both know the answer to that question.”
“Then it's a yes?” he asks, and even though he keeps his distance, I feel like he's right behind me, breathing against my neck, sliding his arms around my waist. I hate that I want him to. I wish I could call Leilani. My fingers tighten on the water bottle until it crinkles.
I turn around suddenly and lean my thighs against the side of the table.
“Just pray to whatever gods above that the gift shop also sells underwear,” I tell him with a tight smile, trying to keep the mood light. If Gill and I managed to devolve into rutting animals in an SUV in a parking lot, then what might happen to us while sharing a room with actual beds?
“Clean panties,” he says, a distinctly masculine smile twisting his lips. “If I get them for you, then you'll come to the pool with me?”
I imagine that it might be slightly dangerous to see Gill bare chested and dripping, but I can see the tightness in his shoulders, the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He's pent up and needs to burn some energy; I get it.
“It's a deal,” I say, wondering what kind of trouble I might be getting myself into.
I lean back in the white plastic lounge chair, a folded pool towel behind my head as a pillow and a book under my palms, resting on my bare thighs. I managed to snag some new underwear (with the Space Needle on them, no less), as well as some black pj shorts that I decided to wear down to the pool. Gill managed to grab some hunter green swim shorts with Emerald City scrawled across the ass. Like he needs more attention drawn to that particular asset. I'm not counting or anything, but no less than three women did serious double takes on our way down here.