found.
Suddenly, he emerged from the reservoir like a gorgeous, golden-skinned god, a sensual smile curling the corners of his sexy mouth. He swam toward her until he found his footing and stood only a few inches from the stone bank. “I had begun to believe you had reconsidered.”
She visually followed a droplet that trickled down his sternum to where the water line circled his lower belly. She couldn’t help but notice the beginnings of a thin stream of masculine hair traveling south from below his navel. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was wearing swim trunks. “I haven’t been gone that long.”
“It seemed like an eternity.”
Pretty words from a very pretty—in a macho sort of way—bad boy. “How’s the water?”
“Temperate enough. Are you coming in, or do you wish to stand there and admire my aquatic skills?”
She’d been admiring a lot more than his skill a moment ago, and imagining all sorts of things. “If you’re
that
good, maybe I should bow out and watch.”
“If you do not swim all that well, I will assist you.”
Sunny’s competitive streak kicked, prompting a little temporary white lie in the form of playing the consummate helpless female. “How deep is it?”
“At the moment, I am standing on a narrow ledge that drops off into the depths behind me. I have never located the bottom, though I have tried.”
She laid a dramatic hand above her breasts. “Wow. You’re well over six feet, so that means it must be
really
deep.”
“Do not be afraid.”
She wasn’t anything of the sort, and she planned to show him. With that in mind, she walked to the edge to study where Rayad was standing and to gauge the depth of the water behind him. Then in one fell swoop, she tore off the towel and executed a dive into the pool.
After Sunny surfaced several feet away from Rayad, she slicked her hair back with one hand and almost laughed when she saw the puzzled look on his face. Time to end the charade. “I happened to be on my high school swim team for four years, and I served as lifeguard during the summer. I’ve never been afraid of water.”
Without saying a word, he shot toward her, using his long, powerful legs to consume the distance between them in a matter of seconds. “I suspected you were not being truthful,” he said as he slid his arms around her.
She continued to tread water, well aware that not much separated them, both in space and in clothing, yet she wasn’t the least bit afraid. In fact, her reaction had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with feminine need. At least he’d put on swim trunks so she wasn’t tempted to act on those desires—yet. “I thought I’d done a pretty good acting job.”
“Perhaps I know you well enough to see through your act.”
That might not be up for debate since he’d demonstrated that on several occasions. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist raining on your macho-man parade. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m rather self-sufficient.”
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her chest, the scar plainly visible due to the clarity of the pool. “I have noticed your independence, and this.” Keeping one arm around her, he slid his fingertips along the raised area. “He used a blade on you.”
Rayad said it as a statement of fact, not a question, but he still looked as if he needed her confirmation. She saw no real reason not to explain at this point. “Yes, he did. Or that’s what I assume since I couldn’t see it. But I definitely felt it. If I hadn’t cooperated, he promised to be more accurate the next time.”
“The scar is not as unsightly as you might think.”
“It’s bad enough, but I’m getting used to it. Besides, it gives me a good excuse to buy a new necklace.”
His smile indicated he might actually appreciate her sarcasm. “Perhaps I will purchase that for you, although you should wear your wound proudly as a sign you had the strength to survive.”
Exactly what she’d planned to
Suddenly, he emerged from the reservoir like a gorgeous, golden-skinned god, a sensual smile curling the corners of his sexy mouth. He swam toward her until he found his footing and stood only a few inches from the stone bank. “I had begun to believe you had reconsidered.”
She visually followed a droplet that trickled down his sternum to where the water line circled his lower belly. She couldn’t help but notice the beginnings of a thin stream of masculine hair traveling south from below his navel. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was wearing swim trunks. “I haven’t been gone that long.”
“It seemed like an eternity.”
Pretty words from a very pretty—in a macho sort of way—bad boy. “How’s the water?”
“Temperate enough. Are you coming in, or do you wish to stand there and admire my aquatic skills?”
She’d been admiring a lot more than his skill a moment ago, and imagining all sorts of things. “If you’re
that
good, maybe I should bow out and watch.”
“If you do not swim all that well, I will assist you.”
Sunny’s competitive streak kicked, prompting a little temporary white lie in the form of playing the consummate helpless female. “How deep is it?”
“At the moment, I am standing on a narrow ledge that drops off into the depths behind me. I have never located the bottom, though I have tried.”
She laid a dramatic hand above her breasts. “Wow. You’re well over six feet, so that means it must be
really
deep.”
“Do not be afraid.”
She wasn’t anything of the sort, and she planned to show him. With that in mind, she walked to the edge to study where Rayad was standing and to gauge the depth of the water behind him. Then in one fell swoop, she tore off the towel and executed a dive into the pool.
After Sunny surfaced several feet away from Rayad, she slicked her hair back with one hand and almost laughed when she saw the puzzled look on his face. Time to end the charade. “I happened to be on my high school swim team for four years, and I served as lifeguard during the summer. I’ve never been afraid of water.”
Without saying a word, he shot toward her, using his long, powerful legs to consume the distance between them in a matter of seconds. “I suspected you were not being truthful,” he said as he slid his arms around her.
She continued to tread water, well aware that not much separated them, both in space and in clothing, yet she wasn’t the least bit afraid. In fact, her reaction had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with feminine need. At least he’d put on swim trunks so she wasn’t tempted to act on those desires—yet. “I thought I’d done a pretty good acting job.”
“Perhaps I know you well enough to see through your act.”
That might not be up for debate since he’d demonstrated that on several occasions. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t resist raining on your macho-man parade. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m rather self-sufficient.”
His gaze traveled from her eyes to her chest, the scar plainly visible due to the clarity of the pool. “I have noticed your independence, and this.” Keeping one arm around her, he slid his fingertips along the raised area. “He used a blade on you.”
Rayad said it as a statement of fact, not a question, but he still looked as if he needed her confirmation. She saw no real reason not to explain at this point. “Yes, he did. Or that’s what I assume since I couldn’t see it. But I definitely felt it. If I hadn’t cooperated, he promised to be more accurate the next time.”
“The scar is not as unsightly as you might think.”
“It’s bad enough, but I’m getting used to it. Besides, it gives me a good excuse to buy a new necklace.”
His smile indicated he might actually appreciate her sarcasm. “Perhaps I will purchase that for you, although you should wear your wound proudly as a sign you had the strength to survive.”
Exactly what she’d planned to
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