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“If you bring it into the pool, it’ll get soaked, and you won’t be able to use it to return to the hotel room. I’d lend you my clothing, but I only have a thin white undershirt.” He studied her intently. “Considering the situation, it might make things worse.”
She bit her bottom lip, but the turn invisible thing still wasn’t working, so she hadn’t a choice. “Fine, but don’t look.”
He raised an eyebrow, but turned away. As if a shark suddenly appeared in the water with a fork, knife and menu, she jumped forward, grasping the salvation of the towel. She wrapped it around herself, released an endless breath of release. Then… she caught sight of herself in the mirror.
Jason stared back at her.
“Why you little–”
“I’ll walk you back to your room.”
She pulled the towel so tightly, she felt like a stuffed sausage. It was large enough to cover her, but it was still a towel. If only she had her clothing from before, but the boutique clerk offered to have them laundered. If she had known being half-naked and running into Jason was on tonight’s bingo card, she would’ve kept them. “That’s not necessary.”
“It’s the middle of the night, and you’re wearing a towel. I’ll accompany you.”
Walking to her hotel room in a towel: awkward.
Walking to her hotel room in a towel with Jason Sterling next to her: Mortifying.
Walking to her hotel room with a towel with Jason Sterling next to her and then kissing him because she just couldn’t stop herself: Delicious.
No, bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.
She tried once more. “But you just got here.”
“I’ve had enough exercise for now,” he rumbled. She’d had more than her share, as well. The air conditioning switched on, and she shivered. His frown deepened. “Let’s get you to your room.”
His touch heated fire as he grasped her, and they traveled to the elevator. Lightning flashed in the sky beyond the glass elevator wall, electric white spider webs scored by roaring thunder. It lessened only slightly as they headed down the short corridor to their rooms, as they passed his room and walked to hers. She reached in her purse for the key card, and almost lost the towel in the process. She grasped it just in time. “Thank you for escorting me,” she said formally, as if bidding farewell from a fancy gala. “I better go.”
He opened his mouth, but then hesitated. Didn’t say any of the words hovering between them. “Let me know if you need anything.”
With a jerky nod, she slid in the card and pushed the door forward. Despite her stage of undress, the inexplicable urge to invite him in was nearly irresistible. Instead, she backed in. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He nodded and shut the door firmly behind her.
The towel dropped to the floor, as Dara held an arm against the door to steady herself. What did this man do to her? He elicited excitement as wild as the electricity lighting up the skies, cast desires she could never afford. She needed a warm shower. That, a cup of tea and a cozy mystery should at least help take her mind off Jason. She walked to the bathroom, stripped off what was left of her scandalous suit and turned the tap to extra hot. After a minute, she stepped into the misty stall, sighing as the warm liquid soothed tense muscles, inhaling the steamy air. This was exactly what she needed.
Thunder rattled overhead, so strong it overtook the noise of the shower. The storms tonight were supposed to be especially severe, but she had no plans beyond burrowing into a warm king size bed and trying to decipher the villain in her latest whodunit. She squeezed vanilla bean soap on a fluffy pink loofah and squished it into a rich lather. She washed herself from head to toe twice, then used gardenia conditioner to soften her long hair. She ducked back under the water, escaping into pure cleanliness. Even though Jason still occupied her mind, the warm water was divine.
Then a boom sounded, and the world plunged into darkness.
Startled by a sudden blackness as pure as the stroke of midnight, Dara yelped. Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the room in blinding light only to be plunged to the totality of darkness an instant later. Banging sounded, then the cadence of broken glass. Suddenly, the wind whipped at her, far too strong to originate from the air conditioning. She reached for the shower curtain, only it was flung away before she could touch it. Lightning flashed again, illuminating a towering, masculine figure.
Jason.
CHAPTER 9
Jason stood like a warrior from a fantasy novel, towering, authoritative, a portrait of pure power. Bare from the chest up, with endless muscle cording every plain, blazing eyes staked his claim of possession. That it was him and not some random stranger should’ve brought relief, and yet Dara’s heart beat like the never-ending thunder, set to the cadence of her shallow breathing. She fought for strength, and finally found the ability to speak. “What are you doing?” she gasped.
“Are you all right?” His scrutiny painted every inch pink, from the top of her head and down every bare limb. “I heard you scream, and then you didn’t answer the door. Did the broken window cut you? There’s glass all over your room.”
“There is?” Her heart thundered quicker. He wasn’t attempting anything inappropriate – instead he was playing hero. It was just what he did. “I didn’t hear you.”
“When I saw you in the shower, I thought you’d been hurt. What I imagined… ” He took a deep breath, betraying raw emotion. “I’m just glad you’re all right. We need to get you out of here.”
Then… he reached in.
Dara jumped back. “What are you doing?” she gasped the same query as earlier, only this time it emerged breathless and thin, like an invitation for what she wanted him to do. An invitation for what they couldn’t do.
