Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Searching for perfection like that must be exhausting.”
I squeezed his hand. “Why does it seem like you’re the one who’s ten years older?”
Laurie started to speak, then hesitated.
“Go ahead and say it. I promise you won’t offend me, and it won’t be worse than anything my friends say to me.”
“I’ve had to live in the real world, and you’ve lived a life where it could seem like everything should be fun and easy.”
That hit hard. He was right, though. I needed to try to see things from outside my bubble occasionally. “You really are spot on today.”
18
LAURIE
Ismiled at Worth, glad he didn’t seem offended by my reality check. “I guess I’m better at reading emotions than I am at shopping.”
“That’s not true. You had a great eye for what would work for you.”
“You love clothes. Have you ever thought about running a fashion company?”
Worth nodded. “I have, but I don’t have the design skills myself, and until now, I haven’t met an artist I could trust to share my vision.”
My heart raced as I realized the implications. I wanted a career in an art field. I had the skills. He liked my fashion sense. I could bring his vision to life.
I turned to look at him, and our gazes met. I was sure he was thinking the same thing, but neither of us spoke.
“Maybe we should just enjoy the sun for a little while.”
He smiled as he polished off his cocktail.
“Would you like another?” He indicated my also empty glass.
I did, but I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. “Maybe a little later.”
He settled in his chair and gazed out at the ocean. I closed my eyes to keep me from staring at his beautiful body.
We tried our best to keep our hands off each other and cut down on the flirtatious comments and innuendos for the next few days. We went to dinner together. Worth took me to a museum, and we had several long walks on the beach. But every time I saw him, my pulse accelerated, and my dick reacted. I knew we couldn’t keep this up.
On the third day after our night of dancing, we were sitting by the pool, both sneaking glances at each other but pretending we weren’t. Once I’d even caught him reaching out, about to touch me. He’d jerked his hand back and looked down at his phone.
Between the hours I’d spent in the sun and the heat of Worth’s gaze, I was overheated and ready to cool off in the pool. “I’m going to get in the water, but don’t feel like you have to join me.” In fact, it would be much safer for him not to.
He looked me up and down. “I might watch for a few minutes, then join you.”
“You’re flirting.”
He shrugged. “Apparently, I really can’t turn it off.”
“It’s no wonder you can have any man you want.”
“When it comes to men, I do always get what I want.”
“Do you?”
He seemed to be pondering the answer to that as I walked away.
I walked down the steps into the pool. The water was so much warmer than it would likely ever be back home, but it was still a shock after lying in the sun.
I decided moving in slowly wasn’t going to work, so I plunged under the water, swam a little way out and emerged, flipping my hair out of my eyes. Even before I looked his way, I was sure Worth was watching me. When I turned to look at him, even at that distance, I could tell he was giving me a look that said he wanted to devour me. I lifted my hand and motioned for him to join me.
Clearly, I just wanted to keep torturing myself. The farther I stayed from him the better, but I wanted to see him in the pool, to watch the way he would move through the water, to see the droplets run down his chest. I was so fucked.
Worth rose from his chair and walked slowly toward the edge of the pool. Never breaking eye contact, he walked with long, slow strides, looking like a predator. A shiver ran over me that wasn’t from the breeze whipping over my wet skin. It was all about being prey, caught in his gaze, unable to run, not even wanting to.
He walked around the edge of the pool, giving me the chance to watch his back muscles shift and his ass tighten. When he reached the deep end, he dove in, swimming underwater and coming up right beside me.
“That was so hot.” The words were out before I could stop them.
“You’re playing with fire.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off you.”
I frowned. “Maybe we shouldn’t swim together.”
“Maybe not.” He moved toward me, and I took a step backward until I was pressed against the side of the pool.