Touch Me by Jacquie D'Alessandro Page A

Your smile. Your eyes. Do you have any idea how extraordinary your eyes are?”
    “No—”
    “They’re the most gorgeous shade of blue I’ve ever seen. Like a cloudless sky on a summer day. And thosegold flecks in them…stunning. And so expressive.” He tossed aside the second boot and stocking. “But they’re not always. Sometimes they’re frustratingly difficult to read—”
    “No, I meant what are you doing with your boots.”
    “Oh. I’m removing them.”
    “Yes, I see that. But why?”
    “They’re old favorites and I’d prefer not to ruin them.” He rose and shrugged his jacket from his shoulders. Then began untying his cravat.
    “ Now what are you doing?”
    “Removing my cravat.”
    “Again, I must ask why.”
    “Because I cannot remove my shirt without doing so. You did say the water felt nice.”
    “It does, but…”
    Her words died when he pulled his shirt from his snug breeches and yanked the garment over his head.
    Oh, my . Simon Cooper might not like to exercise at midnight, but his body gave testament to the fact that he partook of physical activities at other times. Her stupefied gaze traveled over his broad chest, thick and well-defined with muscle and covered with a shading of crisp ebony hair that tapered into a thin ribbon and bisected his ridged abdomen, a fascinating trail that her avid gaze followed until it was obscured by the waistband of his breeches. The impressive bulge pressing against the front of the snug black material gave proof that she wasn’t alone in her desires.
    Before she could pull a breath into her stalled lungs, he moved to the edge of the spring.
    “Wh-what are you doing now?”
    He slipped into the water. “I’m joining you.”

9
    H IS WORDS sucked the oxygen from Genevieve’s lungs. She stared transfixed as Mr. Cooper, with his gaze steady on hers and bubbles foaming around his ribcage, slowly swished his arms through the water. The play of muscles in his powerful shoulders flexed with the movement, lulling her into a trance, rendering her incapable of doing anything save stare. Surely she should say something, demand he stop, but the only words rushing into her throat were Oh, my, you are magnificent. Indeed, she had to press her lips together to prevent herself from saying them out loud.
    “You’re right,” he said, his husky voice rippling a heated tremor through her. “It does feel good.”
    Oh. Dear. God. She pressed her spine against the rock ledge to hold herself upright lest she slither beneath the surface of the water from a combination of surprise, apprehension and desire so strong it threatened to choke her. She yanked herself from the stupor into which she’d fallen and lifted to chin. “That was merely a statement of fact, Mr. Cooper. Not an invitation.”
    “Wasn’t it?” He moved slowly toward her and she shrank farther into the shadows. “I think it was. Because there’s something between us. Something I’ve felt sincethe first moment I saw you. A desire so strong I can barely think properly.”
    His words, which so precisely mirrored her own thoughts just moments ago, halted her breath. All she could think was, Thank God, it’s not just me.
    He stopped directly in front of her, then braced his hands on the stone ledge on either side of her, caging her in. Mere inches separated their bodies, a distance that simultaneously felt far too close and not nearly close enough. Genevieve sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the darkness and shadows. Although she tried to arrange her features into a cool mask, she doubted her ability to fully hide her desire for him.
    “Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel it, too?” His gaze searched hers. Looking into his compelling eyes she felt as if she were falling into an abyss.
    Dear God, how could she deny it? She hadn’t felt need this profound since…she couldn’t recall. Had she ever? Heaven help her, she didn’t know. Yet to admit it would set her on a course