Page 22 of Making Waves
“It really isn’t that far…”
Temper and impatience threatened to get the best of him. “If I have to come in there to retrieve you--.”
“I’d give you a run for your money and you know it.” She smiled beatifically. “But I’ll spare you the trouble since you’ve promised to pick up the pace on the journey.”
She swam toward the boat, her lean, toned limbs propelling her fast now that she’d made up her mind. Just seeing her handle herself in the water- from her swim form to the way she hoisted herself up onto the platform with ease- made him realize he didn’t need to worry about taking her farther from the coast. She’d grown up on the water- same as him. She was a strong swimmer. And she was smart about boats.
How many other ways had he underestimated her over the years?
The thought faded from his mind as she stood at the rear of the boat, her striped swim suit suspending all cognitive activity. The skimpy fabric molded to perfect curves like it enjoyed the feel of her and couldn’t get enough. Just like him.
Holy. Hell.
He’d just slept with her the night before, and it felt like light years since he’d touched her.
“Umm… towel?” She glanced around the boat while the water sluiced down her body to pool at her feet.
With an effort, he forced himself to move, to head down the stairs to the cabin below where he retrieved a blue roll of terry cloth from his brother’s well-stocked cabinet. Shaking it out, he jogged back up the steps and wrapped it around Alicia’s shoulders.
“You ought to do something about that temper,” he scolded her gruffly in an effort not to leer.
“I did,” she reminded him, unrepentant, as she bent to dry off long, slender legs. Her hair dripped on the deck beside her arched foot. “The swim cooled things off in a hurry.”
“Is that what you’re going to do when your guests at the bed & breakfast start getting on your nerves? There’s not always a boat to jump off, you know.” His eyes lingered on the swell of her breasts at the bodice of her suit tank, the damp fabric looking like it wasn’t up to the task of restraining her.
“Funny, no one’s ever ticked me off enough to make mewantto dive into the Atlantic before. I think my guests will be safe enough.”
Unlike her breasts, which were about to come under the siege by his fingers if he didn’t find something else to do besides stare. Hunger.
With an effort, he turned on his heel to take his seat at the helm and pull in the anchor. He wished there was a switch that would rein him in as quickly.
“You mean to tell me I’m in a class by myself of people who get under your skin?” He hit the necessary buttons to retract the anchor line and checked his gauges. “We’ve butted heads enough times that I always pictured you as having a temper.”
From his peripheral vision, he could see her wrap up in the towel again.
“Only where you’re concerned.” She padded softly along the deck, her bare feet silent on the hardwood. “No one else has ever walked away from me without a backward glance. I’m sure that makes me a little more sensitive around you than most people.”
Bending, she peered over his shoulder to study the fish finder—a sonar readout of shapes beneath the surface that helped locate different kinds of fish.
“You’re never going to forgive me for that, are you?” Maybe he hadn’t fully appreciated how much his defection had hurt her.
He’d always pictured her moving on soon after, dating other guys and immersing herself in her swim competitions.
“I will forgive you. But I have to confess it will be hard to forget about it.” Gently, she swatted his arm with the damp end of the towel as she stood beside him. “You went on to pursue your life and I chose my own path. That’s fine. But it’s strange to be here with you now after going for so long without a word. And it’s really, really strange to think how fast I could fall back into bed with you when I… probably shouldn’t.”
He had to bite his tongue to keep from telling her there was no going back now. And possibly kissing her senseless to reinforce the message. Because that would be a caveman thing to do.
Still, when he turned to look at her—really look ather,not just her smoking hot body and her competitive, take-on-the-world attitude—his throat closed up so tight he couldn’t speak if he tried. She was being honest and forthright with him while he… didn’t have a damn clue what he expected from this completely unanticipated window of time with her. All he knew was that he wanted another chance to explore the attraction.
Dark eyes swept over him, warm and probing, searching for answers he didn’t have. He might have acted on the tension between them and kissed her except that ariiinngpealed a few inches away. Again. And again.
“Um…” Alicia reached around him, her touch breaking through his thoughts more than the electronic chirping. “It sounds like your cell phone.”
She came up with the device a moment later, just in time for him to accept the incoming call.
“Hello?” He hadn’t even checked the caller ID since he’d been lost in thought about Alicia.
His gaze followed her as she turned to give him privacy. Dragging the excess towel along with her, she stepped up to the foredeck near the hot tub and tipped her face to the sun.