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His arms came around her automatically and he held her close. "You are thanking me for buying you sexy lingerie?"
"One should always express appreciation for a gift," she said in a lecturing tone and then smiled. "I like that you were thinking of me. And I like even more that you personally picked these out. Though I can't promise I'll ever wear them. I know some women just love thongs, but I've always found them uncomfortable."
"I promise that if you put them on you won't wear them long enough to be bothered."
She laughed and stepped away from him. "You promised me a swim."
He indicated a drawer she hadn't opened. "You'll find swimsuits in there."
She opened the drawer and found three suits inside. None of them one-pieces. She did find a tankini, but feeling daring, she opted for a black and white polka dot bikini that reminded her of a 1940s pin up girl. The top supported her ample breasts and the bottom was high waisted, flattering her curves, but not hiding them. A one-piece in a similar style had made it into her keep pile when she'd gone through her clothes.
"This is really me," she said, a little surprised he knew her so well.
It wasn't as if they'd ever been swimming together.
"Your favorite designer has a lot of 1940s inspired styles in her collection," Lysander said with a verbal shrug.
"Well, I love it," Rowan said happily.
Lysander's smile was wolfish. "I'm going to love seeing it on you."
Somehow, they both got their suits on without falling into bed naked together. It was touch and go, but Rowan wanted that swim. She also wanted to know they could spend time together outside the bedroom. That was, after all, a condition of her moving in with him.
She wasn't just a convenient booty call.
And neither was he.
CHAPTER 12
Lysander dived gracefully into the pool and immediately started swimming laps.
Rowan opted for entry into the water via the steps, but she dove under as soon as she reached water deep enough to swim in and began her own laps, swimming in the opposite direction to him, so they passed each other on every lap. She didn't know how long they'd been doing laps when she felt that perfect release from tension that swimming gave her.
Soon after, she finished her laps and stopped in the shallow end of the pool. Lysander executed a quick turn at the wall in the deep end and then joined her seconds later, erupting out of the water like Poseidon.
Gorgeous and powerful.
And his gaze was locked on her.
Needing to focus on anything but his nearly naked body, she brought up the security detail again. "You never explained why I have to have bodyguards when the other women you've dated didn't."
"I have never invited a woman to live with me." He brushed his hand over his wet hair, causing rivulets to travel enticingly down his neck and over his shoulders. "I don't even bring my lovers back to my home."
She wanted to follow those drops of water with her fingertips…maybe her tongue.
Forcing her attention back on the discussion, she asked "Where do you take them?" She couldn't imagine a man with his need for control being okay with all the sex happening at his lover's home.
"That is what hotel suites are for."
"Huh." She waived her arms back and forth through the water, loving its silky feeling against her skin. "Not the point right now, but just so you know, I'm not adverse to hotel rooms. They're a little impersonal to be the exclusive venue for such an intimate relationship though."
"Sex is not always intimate." He sounded very definite.
She was just as definite. "It is with us, though."
"Yes."
She smiled. "Still not sure I get why me temporarily moving into your villa makes me a target for extortionists."
