AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Too much fun.
He sighed as he set the treadmill to a faster pace and harder angle than usual.
An hour later he walked in through the kitchen all hot and sweaty but feeling better. Yet feeling bad too. He’d been rude to her again and she didn’t deserve it. He could be civil until she left, couldn’t he? Didn’t she deserve that little at least?
She glanced up from where she was stirring a pot on the hob. The room smelt delicious. It was insane the way she could cook. Her gaze raked over him, that wariness in her eyes that he hated seeing. He’d been the one to put it there.
But to his surprise that dimple suddenly appeared and those sea-green eyes turned impish.
‘You’ve not gone and turned that beautiful glasshouse into a home gym?’ She arched her brows at him.
He was so pleased she was smiling, but still felt vaguely ashamed.
‘You haven’t.’ She began to laugh at his expression, lightening the intensity of the atmosphere completely. ‘It’s so beautiful.’
‘There might be a treadmill in there,’ he conceded reluctantly, rubbing his hand through his hair, his chest aching—and not from the exercise.
She looked at him. ‘And?’
‘And a rowing machine.’ A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth because she was too astute. ‘And maybe a stationary bike.’
‘Maybe?’
Her tease was too cute. And was just asking for retribution of the best kind.
‘Maybe you should come and have a look at it,’ he invited, fresh energy firing him. ‘You shouldn’t leave without seeing it.’
There was a moment of stillness as they both absorbed what he’d said and what it meant.
But then she lifted her head and her shoulders straightened. She looked him right in the eye. ‘Then I’d love to see it.’
He held out his hand and she took it. Bittersweet peace settled within him as he walked with her along the snowy path through to the centre of the garden. The sun was setting, sending the last of its golden light through the masses of window panes.
‘You’re not cold?’ She glanced at his shorts and tee.
‘No.’ Never around her. He stood back to let her go into the glasshouse first, then moved alongside so he could see her reaction.
‘Oh. My.’ Her jaw dropped.
He grinned, appreciating her incredulity. Pleasure rippled along his muscles, priming them for more.
‘You’ve put a pool in.’ She walked forward, gazing at it in frank admiration. ‘Tomas...’
He really liked the way she breathed his name like that. ‘There was a pond, but we excavated it further. You like it?’
‘I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.’
‘So it’s not an awful, boring home gym?’
She sent him a look. ‘You know it isn’t.’
‘This is the only part of the estate I made significant changes to. I’m sure everyone will disapprove once they see it.’
‘No, they won’t,’ she protested loudly. ‘There are still all the beautiful plantings.’ She stepped deeper into the verdant room. ‘And the pool design is so sympathetic to the style of the building.’ The Grecian-style marble looked as if it had been there for centuries. ‘It really is just the perfect place for a party.’ She sent him another look.
‘You’re not going to give up on trying to socialise me, are you?’
She giggled.
‘I hate the thought of cocktail parties and polite chat,’ he said bluntly.
‘Are they too boring and shallow for a deep-thinking loner like you?’
He smiled at her sass and found himself being utterly honest.
‘It’s more the awkwardness of people knowing things that I don’t. Things about myself. Things I’ve said and done that I have no recollection of. I hate them having that over me.’ It made him feel weak, unable to hold his own and fight back. He loathed that feeling. He never wanted to feel that way again.
‘So what?’ She lifted a shoulder and let it drop in an expressive shrug. ‘There’s so much in general that I don’t know about. I’m sure I always seem a fool. It’s just too bad.’
He chuckled. ‘I don’t think so. You’re inquisitive.’
‘Yeah, well, we all know what happens to the curious cat.’ She smiled wryly, but then sobered. ‘I think if people knew about you, it would be awkward at first, but then...’ She trailed off hopefully. ‘They’d forget about it after a while. You’re so smart and so up to date, you could converse on any subject better than most people ever could anyway.’
It was nice of her to say so, but it didn’t change the incontrovertible. ‘It’s not possible, Zara.’
‘Maybe in a while?’
She just wouldn’t give up hope, would she?
She looked away from him back to the green foliage. ‘I don’t really like parties either,’ she said softly.
‘You’re always in the kitchen?’ He offered a weak joke.
‘Pretty much.’
He didn’t want this to get serious again. He wanted to escape with her for a little while longer. ‘I guess we could have a pool party of our own.’
Her smile came back—sinful and sweet at the same time. ‘I don’t have my swimsuit with me.’
‘No?’ He reached out and wound his arm around her waist. ‘Gosh, nor do I.’ He mulled the problem with a faux serious expression. ‘Whatever will we do?’
‘Oh.’ She smiled again as she caught his eye. ‘I think you’re a little bit wicked, Tomas Gallo.’
‘Only a little bit?’ He tugged her closer, enjoying the way she blossomed with him. It satisfied him in a way nothing else had. ‘I’m going to have to work on that.’
His playfulness entranced her, seducing her all over again. But her heart ached at the same time. This was so fragile. So close to finished.
She forced herself to shut her mind from that imminent future. She’d make the most of this moment. It was almost all she had left.
‘Promise me it’s heated?’ she asked as he deftly undid the fastening of her jeans.
‘Of course.’ He laughed again. ‘The lengths aren’t long, but the distance adds up and the weightlessness feels nice. It was to help my recovery.’
She nodded.
‘You go first,’ he dared as he released her.
‘You want to watch me?’ Surprise flooded her, followed swiftly by anticipation. And pleasure.
‘Yes,’ he admitted unashamedly.
He wanted to look at her. He liked to.
Well, she liked the way she affected him. That he took pleasure in her body pleased her. Because she very much liked looking at him.
She pushed her jeans down her legs and stepped out of them with a little shimmy.
He stood stock-still, his attention utterly focused on her.
‘I’ve never skinny-dipped before,’ she admitted shyly as she flung off her T-shirt and then unfastened her bra.
‘So you’re a bad influence,’ she teased, bending to peel her panties down.
‘I wouldn’t say...’ he breathed in deep as he looked at her ‘...bad.’
She blew him a little kiss and stepped towards the water. She slowly stepped in—to her ankles, her knees, her upper thighs. Then she stood still, her legs slightly apart.
It was warm, but not too hot, still refreshing on her super-sensitive skin. She glanced over her shoulder and saw he’d moved right to the edge, his hands on his hips as he kept his hot gaze trained on her. She cupped the water with her hands and lifted them to sprinkle some over her tight, bared breasts and down her belly. A little rivulet ran down from her navel. She shivered despite the civilised temperature of the water. There was nothing civilised about the need coiling deep within her. She arched her back a little as she repeated the water sprinkling. As the water trickled over her hot skin, she couldn’t help rocking her hips. Back and forth. Back and forth.
‘Zara?’
‘Yes,’ she breathed.
‘Are you turning yourself
on?’
‘No.’ Licking her lips, she faced him. ‘You’re doing that just by watching me.’
‘Holy hell,’ he muttered. ‘You know you’re a natural born seductress.’
She’d laugh if she weren’t so aroused. ‘What do you want me to do?’
He closed his eyes for a moment, clearly pulling himself together. ‘Come here.’
‘That’s not going to be a problem.’ She smiled at him impishly.
‘Come here now.’
She dived, feeling the water wash over her hot body, then swam over to him. He took her by the hand and pulled her—not gently—from the pool.
