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Silence between them stretched for a heartbeat. A moment in which hers fluttered in anticipation of his answer.
‘Business, of course.’
Her shoulders slumped a fraction. No, she wasn’t disappointed. Not at all. It was relief she felt. Blissful relief.
‘No rest for the wicked, then,’ she said. Except he didn’t look wicked, he looked angelic, standing there half-naked, his hair drying in the warm breeze to the glorious blond gossip magazines raved about. Only soaring wings and a blazing halo could complete the picture.
Gage Caron. Golden Boy. Voted USA’s most eligible bachelor three years running.
He smirked and she wanted to wipe that look of disdain from his beautiful face.
‘No rest for you, at least.’
His words made her feel reckless when faced with all this potent masculinity. And she didn’t care that they were enemies or that he loathed her. All she cared about was showing Gage that he might be a little affected by her, too. So she eased out of her reclined position, stood and took a few steps towards him.
‘All work and no play makes Gage a dull boy.’
Another step and the pupils in his fathomless eyes blew wide as she let the front of her wrap fall open. His gaze dropped to the slice of body it showed.
‘You wanna play, cher?’
His voice was like midnight and sin and she desperately wanted to ignore caution and sell her soul to him, if only for the afternoon. Instead, she slid her wrap from her body. Tossed it behind her onto the chair she’d just left. She was close to him now and his eyes burned on her, his nostrils flaring, jaw clenched hard. Part of her was gratified she could still do this to him, that despite everything there wasn’t indifference but an incendiary desire that threatened to consume them both.
It was her turn now to look him up and down. Long and slow. The bulge behind his towel was unmistakable. The power of that roared through her, making her feel as wicked as he accused her of being. If that’s what he thought, that’s what he’d get. She could almost feel herself sprouting horns and a tail.
Eve invaded his space, smiling as his fists clenched hard at his sides. She dropped her voice to as low and sexy as she could make it. For a moment she held his gaze. His lips parted, like he needed extra air too.
‘Oh, sugar,’ she said, her voice dripping sweetness as she pointedly stared at the impressive evidence of the arousal there was no way he could hide, and drifted her fingers over the knot on his towel. ‘I’m going for a swim. Looks like you’ll
have to play on your own.’
She revelled in the hitch of his breath as she brushed past and sauntered to the pool.
CHAPTER FOUR
GAGE FOUGHT TO overcome his desire for Eve, but he hadn’t figured that being around her in person was very different from his distant memories. This morning he’d woken gripping himself hard after a night when his sleep had been plagued with images of her, his dreams and feverish desire bursting to life in full colour.
The feel of her as she’d brushed past him near the pool and his skin had become electric. The trace of her fingers over the knot of his towel that had caused his blood pressure to spike to near coronary levels. Now he was back to seven years ago when his need was fresh and the pain of unrequited adoration unbearable.
She was toying with him and he wouldn’t let her get away with it. He’d recognized something when his mind had finally clicked back into gear yesterday. When he’d stopped salivating over her smooth skin on display in that magnificent bikini that had exposed much yet covered more. An item specifically designed to tease and tempt. Yes, once he’d stopped lusting after all that pale skin, elegant curves and her perfect breasts he’d noticed a few things as she’d stood so very close to him. The delicate flush of her cheeks, the way her nipples had pressed like hard knots against the fabric of her bikini top. Irrefutable signs she’d wanted him too.
What if he’d wrapped his arms round her waist, drawn her close? Plundered that pink, pouting mouth of hers. Laid her out on one of the sun lounges and buried himself inside her till she’d screamed his name.
She’d screamed his name long ago. He could get her to do it again.
Gage raked his hands through his hair. Took a long mouthful of hot coffee to try and jolt some sense into himself. Now was not the time or the place. He had to get his head on straight. Today they were talking Knight Enterprises and he’d been picking that company apart piece by rotten piece. There were aspects which were useful to him. As for the rest, it could go. Eve would soon learn that this was no game, and he wasn’t to be played.
‘Good morning.’ Eve strolled into the room, head high, a picture of confidence misplaced. She wandered over to the sideboard where a continental breakfast had been laid out, grabbed a large, white bread roll and poured herself a coffee.
Black. One sugar. He’d never forgotten.
She sat to the side of him. This morning she was dressed in elegant, slim-fitting black trousers and a crisp, white shirt, with her hair pulled back into a messy bun. She looked cool, businesslike, ready to do battle. Nothing like the pampered trust-fund princess he knew her to be. Her engagement ring glittered under the lights each time she moved her hand. Something hot, potent and possessive slid through him at the sight of it there.
Mine.
Absurd. Seven years ago he might have been desperate to see his ring on her finger. Not now.
‘You don’t have to wear it.’ He nodded at the bright jewel. ‘Not here, in the house.’
