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If she didn’t, she’d fall right into bed with him—God, how she wanted to fall into bed with him—but Catie Bay was a good girl. She followed the rules.
Well, sort of.
She needed to get into her clothes and get back down to the party before anyone realized how long she and Chad had been gone together.
She pushed him away and left the shower stall, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her dripping body.
“Sugar, I can pull out.”
“This isn’t happening, Chad. It’s unethical.”
“It’s not like we’ve never done this before.”
“Before I wasn’t an official contestant. I am now, and this is unethical.” She dried off quickly with a soft hotel towel and wrapped her hair in another, trying to ignore her racing pulse, the flutter between her legs. “I’m getting dressed, and I’m rejoining the party. I suggest you do the same.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry I put you in this position. I should know better.”
Chad left the stall and dried off, deliberately, or so it seemed to Catie, wiggling his gorgeously-formed ass in her face.
“I’ve already lost points for my clumsiness at falling into that damn pool, and I—”
“You haven’t lost any points. Zach and Dallas won’t hold that against you.”
“I was in the middle of a sentence, Chad.”
“Sorry,” he chuckled, “ma’am.”
“So they won’t hold it against me. What about you?” She stared straight into his long lashed eyes.
“Sugar, there are tons of things I’d love to hold against you.” He moved toward her, his body dripping, but she wriggled out of his reach. “Tripping into the pool ain’t one of them.”
Catie took a deep breath, trying not to stare at his powerful thighs, the dark hair matted down by water. “I need to borrow your hairbrush.” Without waiting for an answer, she rummaged through his shaving bag and pulled out a brush. She brushed her hair quickly and fluffed it with her fingers. It would have to air dry. She pinched her cheeks and then left the bathroom to put on her clothes.
A few minutes later, she was clad in her black denims, red shirt, and ostrich boots. Much better than the bikini. Chad hadn’t left the bathroom. She had left the bikini bottom in the bathroom. Well, no harm done. She’d rather not see the damn thing again, anyway.
She left the room, closed the door behind her, and thudded back against it for a moment, her heart thundering.
She’d had the chance to make love with Chad again, and she had blown it.
For a stupid pageant she really had no interest in winning.
Chapter Ten
That beautiful woman had walked away from him.
Chad switched the shower to lukewarm—he never could take a cold shower—and slid down the cold tile to sit on the floor. The water pelted his body.
He wasn’t going to just get over her. This was insanity, plain and simple.
He’d been worried his ultimate rejection would hurt her. Her and her schoolgirl crush.
He’d never dreamed she might reject him.
Was that a little bit of pain he felt in his heart? Nah, couldn’t be.
She was just another beautiful woman, right? Beautiful women were a dime a dozen, and right now there were at least a dozen down at the party waiting to fawn all over him. Might as well take advantage of it. Even if the one he wanted was bound and determined to do the ethical thing.
He respected her for that. Caitlyn Bay was all class. All elegance and inner, as well as outer, beauty. Part of him was glad she’d stopped him, because all heaven knew he couldn’t have stopped himself. He was a judge, after all, and she was a contestant.
