Don't Tempt Me by Julie Ortolon Page B

philosophy ... for a pessimist."
    "A realist." Her lips curled up in a sexy smile and his heart rate kicked up a notch.
    "Well ..." He glanced out the window where morning sunlight streamed through branches of the trees. "If you're planning to dive, looks like you picked a good day for it. Not that the air temperature will make a difference sixty feet underwater."
    "True."
    "Let me know what time you want to go, and I'll go with you."
    "Still trying to get me alone on the beach?"
    "That depends. Will you be diving in a bikini or a wet suit?"
    "A bikini in November?"
    "Hey, I'll be happy to keep you warm."
    "That's okay. You don't need to bother."
    "Well, you're not going alone."
    "Why not?" Her brows came together. "I'm experienced enough to manage a dive this time by myself."
    "Sorry, house rules. No one dives without a buddy."
    She rolled her eyes. "If you insist. Can you be ready by ten o'clock?"
    "Absolutely. Now, have a bran muffin." He pushed the basket toward her.
    She looked over the selection and grabbed a chocolate croissant.
    "You know," he said, "chocolate is as bad for your stomach as coffee."
    She gave him a cocky look. "Didn't anyone ever tell you: never get between a woman and her chocolate?"
    "I think I invented that saying. I just didn't think it applied to you."
    "Why's that?" She tipped her head.
    "I don't know." He floundered for a reason. "Your whole statement about grabbing whatever's cheap and easy when you're hungry, I guess."
    "That doesn't mean I won't go for rich and decadent if it's offered." She bit into the pastry, and her eyes fluttered. "Oh, this is good. Did you make it?"
    "I am the chef."
    She took another bite, drawing his gaze to her plush lips. "Oh, mmm , really good. Mind if I take it to my room?"
    "Not at all." He tried not to think about covering his body in chocolate and offering himself up as a treat.
    "I'll meet you on the dock at ten o'clock." She headed for the stairs, giving him a nice view of her jean-clad backside. Maybe they could cover each other in chocolate. Or wrestle in a big vat of it. Then he remembered why they couldn't do that.
    Why did she have to be off limits!
    ~ ~ ~
    Jackie hurried out the front door of the inn, hardly believing the time. How had the last hour sped by so fast? She saw Adrian already down at the dock, dressed in a wet suit and sitting on a storage bin with his arms crossed over his chest.
    She waved, then headed over to her truck and unlocked the metal chest in the bed to get her scuba gear. Once she'd hefted it out, she tugged on the legs of her yellow and black shorty, wishing the wet suit covered more of her legs since the day was clear but crisp.
    When she straightened, she saw Adrian walking up the trail. "Sorry I'm late," she called as she grabbed her air tank in one hand and her dive bag in the other. She met him halfway down the hill.
    "And here I was starting to think you were the exception that proved all the cliched rules about women true. Now I learn you can't resist chocolate and you delight in keeping a man waiting."
    "Oh, I didn't keep you waiting that long."
    "Actually, it was worth it." His gaze dropped to the region of her chest. "Forget the bikini. You look absolutely ... eatable in a wet suit."
    "Eatable?" She laughed. "Well, let's hope there're no sharks around."
    "None but me."
    "You, I can handle," she said with bravado, then nearly choked when he bent over to retrieve her air tank. His traditional black wet suit molded to his muscular back and cupped a pair of buns so firm they should be bronzed. Eatable, indeed.
    Determined to keep a cool head, she slung her bag of gear over her shoulder and continued down the path toward the sandy beach. The Gulf breeze became more pronounced as they stepped onto the pier. Overhead, seagulls screeched a hopeful plea for bread crumbs.
    "So why are you running late?" he asked as they reached the end of the pier.
    "I got caught up in the diaries." She dropped her bag onto one of the storage