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Turning away, she gripped the hem of her dress and slid it up over her head. Using the material as a shield, she moved closer to the shore and gave it a toss. Pulling in a deep breath, she rounded back and froze.
Mac’s intense gaze was on hers, his hand extended, inviting her to join him.
Just friends.
Every now and then that reminder crept back into her head.
But there was something very intimate about being in a remote location with your friend, wearing nothing but your underwear.
No matter what happened today, this would be a memory she’d keep forever.
Twelve
What the hell was he thinking, inviting her to take that dress off? He’d slept in a damn hammock last night to avoid temptation and here he was begging for it to be rubbed in his face.
Jenna was absolutely breathtaking in her simple pink bra and panty set. Women threw themselves at him, purposely wore the sexiest of lingerie to entice him, but nothing got his attention more than a self-conscious Jenna wearing cotton. She moved him...so much that he had no idea what label to put on his emotions.
But he’d turned her away for a reason and he needed to keep in mind that, after this week, they both would return to Miami and the life they were used to. As friends.
Between thoughts of her in bed last night and texting Ryker, Mac hadn’t gotten much sleep. Ryker was still playing cat and mouse with Shane. Unfortunately, Braden was still MIA and Mac was starting to worry. He was also growing concerned he’d have to make a decision about Shane in short order.
Not something he wanted to think about while holding Jenna’s hand in a place that could rival paradise.
“I know I keep saying it, but this place is so amazing.”
She slid her hand free of his and ran her fingertips through the water. She dunked down so the water just skimmed the tops of her shoulders and Mac knew she was trying to keep her body hidden from him. He wasn’t going to say anything. He didn’t want to call her out or make her even more embarrassed. All he wanted was for her to see herself the way he did, the way any man with breath in his lungs would see a voluptuous woman.
“We probably shouldn’t stay long, though.”
Mac shook his head and slid onto his back to float.
“In a place like this, time doesn’t exist.”
“You’re right. But I almost feel guilty for leaving and just—”
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked, coming back up to face her. “Don’t feel guilty. The flowers are coming along so don’t even think about those. And as for Martin, if I keep seeing him staring at you, I can’t guarantee I’ll hold myself back again.”
Jenna laughed. “Hold yourself back? You punched him.”
Mac nodded. “In my head I did more. He’s lucky.”
A sadness slipped over her features as she glanced away. “I wish you wouldn’t be so cavalier about violence. You’re too good of a man for that.”
Mac clenched his teeth. He wasn’t a good man. Moments ago he was contemplating making a call to end a life. There was evil in his family, though Braden was doing his damnedest to move away from that aspect of their activities. If Mac had to make the call, he would do so without a shadow of a doubt. He didn’t make mistakes and he sure as hell wouldn’t jump into a decision like this without fully analyzing every possible angle.
“You’re my priority here,” he told her. “You called me to help, and this is me helping. I don’t like how he looks at you, how he treated you. He doesn’t even deserve to be here, but that’s not my call. I will protect you from getting hurt again, though. That much I can and will control.”
Jenna’s eyes widened; she bit down on her lower lip before turning away and diving into the water. She disappeared for a moment and popped up closer to the waterfall. With her dark hair slicked back, she looked like some type of dream rising from the waters. She was glorious, she was perfection...and for now she was his. He would resist temptation and give her this day of relaxation, no matter the cost to his feelings.
But taking his eyes off of her was not even a possibility. She floated easily on her back, her face tipped up to the sun, her mouth curved in a subtle smile that took his breath away.
Splashing water up onto his bare shoulders didn’t help cool him off. Mac wasn’t too certain anything would at this point. The sound of the rushing waterfall seemed to drown out everything else. Well, everything but his thoughts.
