Читать книгу Bedroom Seductions: Two Weeks in the Magnate's Bed - Nicola Marsh, Anne Oliver - Страница 14

‘WELCOME to paradise.”

They stopped beneath a coconut tree, the air fragrant with frangipani, the view picture-perfect.

‘How did you find this place?’ she whispered, reluctant to break the tranquility as they strolled towards the beach.

‘Raj brought me here with his family. We had a picnic, swam in the lagoon, lazed around. It’s great being able to relax away from the tourists swarming the island. I come back every chance I get, though I’m usually alone.’

‘So you haven’t brought a horde of women here before me?’

Though she kept her tone light, she knew some of her enjoyment would dissipate if he had brought countless others here.

He squeezed her hand. ‘You’re the first. I wouldn’t share this place with just anyone.’

Oh-oh—there he went with more of that defence-shattering charm. With a nervous smile, she slipped her hand from his.

‘More flattery. Aren’t I the lucky one?’

He laughed. ‘Come on, let’s go for a swim.’ He pointed to a row of palm trees. ‘Let’s dump our stuff over there. You get changed, I’ll test the water.’

A great suggestion, as getting undressed in front of him would have made her beyond uncomfortable. Crazy, as he’d already seen her in bathers, but disrobing in front of someone implied intimacy. Besides, she’d taken another step down the confidence road today and worn the new bikini she’d bought in Noumea, and if the way he’d been staring at her over lunch was any indication, she’d be blushing from head to foot the entire time.

She dropped her bag on the sand and whipped her dress over her head, kicked off her sandals and rummaged in her bag for sunscreen. Just as she started to rub the lotion on her arm, he touched her hand.

‘I can do that for you.’

She squeezed the tube so tight lotion spurted out in a noisy raspberry. ‘I’m fine. You go ahead. I’ll meet you out there shortly.’

He didn’t budge, and held out his hand for the tube. ‘Unless you’re a contortionist I doubt you’ll be able to reach your back. This sun can burn you in less than ten seconds flat, so let me help.’

He was right, but the thought of him rubbing any part of her body was already causing the skin behind her ears to prickle in that annoying way only he and strawberries could elicit.

‘Really, I’m fine—’

‘Damn, you’re a stubborn woman.’

He snatched the lotion out of her hand and squeezed a healthy blob into his palm, raising an eyebrow when she frowned. ‘Now why don’t you play nice and lie face-down on your towel?’

With an exaggerated huff, she plopped on the towel, rested her forehead on her hands and braced herself for the first cold dollop of lotion.

‘I suppose you want me to thank you?’

‘Oh, you will.’

He thoughtfully warmed the lotion between his hands, though his first touch was as shocking, as electrifying, as if he’d squeezed the entire tube onto her back.

She gritted her teeth and tried to relax under his hands, while her skin tingled everywhere he touched.

She’d never been touched by a man like this before. Jax hadn’t been touchy-feely, and his version of foreplay extended to a kiss and wandering hands.

She’d never experienced the luxury of a man’s warm, firm touch gliding over her skin, and as platonic as this was, she couldn’t help but enjoy it.

‘You’re very tense.’

‘Must be the extra aerobic classes.’ As if.

He didn’t let up the pressure, his hands stroking her back in long sweeps designed to be impersonal yet driving her just a little bit mad with the sheer pleasure of it.

‘Try to relax.’

How could she relax when he was stroking her flesh, his strong hands splaying over her back, her defences unravelling as fast as her muscles unwound?

His fingers kept snagging the tie of her bikini bra, though she didn’t dare suggest he undo it. That would be her final undoing. She might be immune to his charms, but her body, long neglected, was enjoying this way too much.

‘Why don’t you turn over, and I’ll do your front too?’

Just like that, her muscles twanged back to tense. The thought of him rubbing her stomach sent heat surging to her cheeks.

‘Not a good idea.’

She flipped onto her back and held out her hand for the tube.

‘Why not?’

‘Because I’m perfectly capable of rubbing lotion onto my tummy.’

His eyes glittered and she shivered at their taunting glint. ‘But where’s the fun in that?’

Her skin prickled some more and she itched behind her ear.

‘Give me the tube.’

He held it overhead and waved it around. ‘Only if you ask nicely.’

Clenching her jaw, she stuck her hand under his nose. ‘Please.’

He chuckled, and dropped the tube into her palm. ‘Actually, it’ll probably be just as much fun watching you do it.’

‘Pervert.’

‘Just interested. But you already know that.’

His low, suggestive tone had her squeezing way too much lotion into her palm, and rather than taking her time to ensure she didn’t miss any spots she slapped the stuff onto her belly and made a few half-hearted circles before leaping from the sand.

‘Right. Hope that water’s warm.’

‘It’s perfect.’

His heated gaze slid over her before meeting hers and she bit the inside of her lip to stop it quivering. He totally unnerved her, from his roguish smile to the devilish glint in his eyes.

He was toying with her, she knew it, but with every compliment she let her guard down just that little bit more.

She wanted to believe him, wanted to believe he thought she was perfect. But she wasn’t a fool. Not anymore. Objectively, how could he find her less-than-a-handful breasts—another Jax-ism she hated—no waist to speak of, and thighs with the first hint of dimples perfect?

‘Oh-oh, you’ve got that serious look on your face. Come on—race you there!’

He flung the words over his shoulder and took off, tearing across the hot sand before she could move. By the time she’d caught up he’d dived into the water.

‘Not fair. You’ve got longer legs.’

‘Nothing wrong with your legs, from what I can see.’

Rolling her eyes, she waded into the cerulean lagoon, sighing at the blissful feel of the water.

‘Now, if you hold off on the flirting for just a few minutes, I might actually enjoy this swim.’

He pushed her head under water in response.

She spluttered and spat salt water as she surfaced, clawing at him, trying to return the favour, only to have him slip out of her grip.

‘You’re in trouble, sailor boy.’

They tumbled in the water for the next few minutes, arms and legs flailing wildly, laughing so hard she got a cramp.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun. Her long work hours weren’t conducive to play, and when she went to the beach at the weekend it was to swim for exercise rather than leisure.

When they finally emerged, she clutched her side. ‘You’ve given me a stitch.’

‘Good. I’ve never seen you laugh like that.’

He touched her cheek, a brief, fleeting glance that had her fingers digging painfully into her side to stop herself reaching up and touching the skin he just had.

‘That’s because you’re not that funny.’

‘Ouch.’

He laid both hands over his heart and she chuckled. ‘The day I wound that enormous ego of yours is the day I’ll go skinny-dipping in the Pacific Ocean.’

‘I’m wounded! I’m wounded!’

He fell to the sand in a pathetic heap, writhing as if he’d just been stung by a lethal jellyfish, and she laughed.

‘I’m going to dry off. When you’ve finished with the theatrics, I’ll see you up there.’

She pointed to the palm trees and headed off, ignoring his call of, ‘You’re no fun.’

She knew he’d meant it as a joke, a fly-away comment, but the words echoed as she towelled off.

She wasn’t fun—didn’t know how to have fun. Not when she’d spent her whole life trying to do the right thing.

Beth had once called her a nerd, and she’d shrugged, pushed her tortoiseshell glasses up her nose and scuffed her sensible shoes, agreeing with the assessment but hurt all the same.

Everyone saw her the same way: no fun. People at work, her cousin, even Zac—and while his opinion shouldn’t matter, considering she wouldn’t see him after the end of next week, it did. As he joined her, and she watched water droplets run in rivulets down his muscular torso as he bent to pick up his towel, she really, really wished her newfound confidence extended to having a little fun.

‘I’m just going to dry off in the sun for a while,’ she said. And blink away the sudden sting of tears for feeling inadequate and inexperienced and inept.

‘Don’t be too long. These UVs can seriously burn.’

She grabbed her towel and laid it on the sand a few feet away—an ill-chosen spot, considering she had a clear view of him stretched flat on his back—his long, lean body, his abdominals composed of ridges of hard muscle…

She squeezed her eyes shut to blot out the tempting image, and must have dozed, for it seemed like an eternity later when his voice roused her.

‘Excuse me, sun goddess, you should come into the shade now.’

Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched, feeling rested and composed and completely tear-free.

‘Nice of you to be so concerned.’

She picked up her towel and flung it next to his, putting enough space between them to ensure no accidental contact.

‘I’ll admit my concern is altruistic. I don’t want to rub lotion on you again.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘I enjoyed it way too much.’

His gaze trailed over her body, lingering on every area he’d rubbed earlier and everywhere in between, and darn it if that prickly itch didn’t start up again.

She quirked an eyebrow. ‘If you enjoyed something as mundane as rubbing suntan lotion on my back, you must get out even less than I do.’

He leaned forward, too close, too masculine—too everything. ‘Go on—admit it.’

She bit her lip, inched back. ‘Admit what?’

‘You enjoyed it too.’

His grin was pure temptation, and she waved her hand in front of her face as if swatting away a particularly bothersome fly.

‘The only thing I’ll admit is finding your incessant flirting extremely tiresome.’

His smile faded at the same moment the sun ducked behind a cloud. Both left her slightly chilled.

‘Do you really feel that way?’ he asked.

Her heart stuttered as she searched for a suitable answer. What could she say? That she didn’t believe his compli-ments? That her self-confidence was so shot by a guy who’d used slick words before that she couldn’t trust easily? That she wished she could believe one tenth of his attention was real and not just his natural instinct to charm? That she hid behind sharp retorts, using them as a barrier against her insecurities?

She settled for semi-truth, feeling a tad guilty her barb had tarnished what had been an enjoyable day.

‘Honestly? I’m not used to the attention.’

He couldn’t have looked more surprised if she’d stripped off in front of him.

‘You said things ended with your ex three years ago, but you date, right?’

Heck, look what she’d got herself into now. She could lie, but she’d always been lousy at it. Beth said her mouth had pursed into a strange prune shape the few times she’d tried it, and she already had him staring at her as if she was nuts.

‘My last date was with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon.’

He smiled. ‘Ocean’s Eleven fan, huh?’

‘Oh, yeah.’

He reached out, touched her hand. She flinched, silently cursing her reaction.

‘Hell, Lana, I’m not some kind of monster. I like you. I want to get to know you better.’

She shook her head, using her hair as a shield to hide her face. ‘What’s the point? I’m off the ship next week, so why get to know each other?’

‘Because it could be fun.’

Her gaze snapped to his. She was surprised by the serious glint in those deep blue eyes. She’d seen him cheeky, teasing, even wicked, but it was the first time she’d seen this solemn expression fixing her with concern.

‘Fun? The only fun a guy like you would be interested in over the next week is a fling. And I’m not that kind of girl.’

His eyes darkened to midnight, disappointment flickering in their depths. ‘You don’t have a very high opinion of me, do you?’

She shrugged, hating that they were having this conversation, hating that she’d put a dampener on what had been a lovely day.

‘You’re a guy. You’re a sailor. You meet women all the time. You’re a master at flirting. The only reason you’re paying me any attention is because of that stupid challenge I threw down the first night on the spur of the moment, because I couldn’t think of anything else quick enough to get rid of you.’ She took a deep breath, a steadying breath, clenching her hands to stop them from shaking. ‘It’s nothing personal. I understand that. You see me as some sort of challenge because I’m not falling at your feet like the rest of the female population probably does. You—’

‘You’re wrong. Dead wrong.’

He leaped from his towel and started pacing the sand with long, angry strides that showed he was wrestling with something. The truth, perhaps?

‘Am I?’

Her almost-whisper stopped him dead and he swivelled to face her, dropping down on his knees in front of her.

‘Damn straight. Want to know why you’re here with me today, on my one day off a week?’

She waved her hand. ‘Go ahead. I’m sure you’ll tell me anyway.’

His hands shot out, cradling her face in their warm, firm grip before she could blink.

‘Because I like you. You. Not your clothes, or your will-ingness to help me out, or because I want you to sleep with me. You. You’re funny and smart and you make me laugh.’

‘So now I’m a clown—’

‘Shut up.’

He kissed her—a soft, tender kiss that reached down to her soul, shattering her defences along the way, scaring her beyond belief.

‘Now, it’s time to head back. And I don’t want to hear another word.’ She opened her mouth and he pressed his finger to it. ‘Not one word. Not another character assassination. Not another assumption. Not one word unless you agree to play nice. Got it?’

Her lips twitched, and his answering smile made her heart sing.

He wasn’t asking for anything, didn’t expect her to sleep with him, and hadn’t belittled her when he’d heard the sorry truth about her inexperience with men.

So what should she do? Spend some more time with him? Get to know him better? With the aim to do what?

He had his life on the sea. She had a great apartment in Sydney, a few colleagues she could call friends at a pinch, and a good job at the museum. They didn’t have a future, no matter how well they got to know each other.

‘Come on. Stop thinking so much.’

He held out his hand, and for the second time in as many hours she silenced her voice of reason and took hold of it.

‘How about we go with the flow, see what happens over the next week? How much trouble can we get into in seven days?’

She raised an eyebrow, and he grinned as a scary thought flitted through her mind.

Plenty.