Page 34 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

Dion looked at Tara with a funny expression but she didn’t see it.He put the car back into gear and kept going to where a security guard came out of a little hut.He greeted Dion with a little salute and opened the gate to let them through.

He parked up near the big main building with its slightly domed roof and they got out.Tara kept the hat on her head.It was later now though, so the sun’s rays weren’t as merciless.

He brought her through the half-finished buildings and she could already make out the vision of how it would all seamlessly fade into the background and yet provide a luxurious setting.

They came out at the other side, near where a path went directly down to the beach.Feeling the need to cool off a little, Tara made her way down the path and then onto the sand.It was gorgeous.Empty.Peaceful.Only the soundof the waves lapping against the shore.Some trees along the shoreline provided shade.

She slipped off the sandals and left them on the beach as she went towards the water.

Dion called from behind her, ‘What are you doing?’

She threw back over her shoulder, ‘Going for a paddle!’

She lifted the trousers and stepped into the water and it was gorgeously cool and refreshing.She closed her eyes and let the scents and sounds wash over her.It had been so long since she’d experienced quiet like this.

And then she opened her eyes again and the ocean seemed to be calling to her.Asking her to be audacious.She turned back to Dion, who was standing where the beach met the path.Something about that made her feel reckless.She walked out of the water and took off her hat and let it fall to the sand, then she undid the buttons on her waistcoat and took it off.

She could see Dion frowning over his glasses.‘Tara?’

She had her hands on the button of her trousers and was pulling down the zip.Dion started walking towards her, his face tight.She pushed the trousers down and stepped out of them.Now she wore only her underwear.Plain and veryun-sexy.White.

Now he was close enough for her to see his jaw twitch.He took off his glasses and that dark gaze looked suspiciously golden.He gritted out, ‘What are you doing?’

Tara put out her arms.‘There’s no one here.I’m going for a swim.You can join me if you like.’

She turned around and all she heard was, ‘You can’t just—’ before she walked into the water and, as soon as she was deep enough, she dived under an oncoming wave.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Dion was stillgrappling with the effect on his body of watching Tara taking off her clothes, stripping down to her underwear.Those slim pale limbs.The curves of her breasts, waist and hips.That copper hair falling over her shoulder.The sassiness in her stance.As if goading him.

He felt tight all over.Since when had he become so tight?And where the hell was Tara?He was waiting for her distinctive red hair to pop up above the water.

Just when he felt as if he might explode, she appeared, popping above the water line.A long way out.She turned back towards the shore and waved and that made something inside Dion snap.

For the second time in the space of a mere week, he gave into spontaneity and stripped down to his underwear and waded into the sea.It was still a bit of a novelty to him—he hadn’t grown up indulging in the luxury of beach holidays.Or any kind of holiday.Like Tara, albeit for very different reasons.

He dived under the water and swam out into the sea, the initial shock of the cold fading as the water turned silken around his body.He got to where Tara was treading water, a big grin on her face.He was pretty sure therewere more freckles across her nose than there had been a few days ago.

‘What are you doing?’he asked, noticing that he didn’t feel so tight any more.

‘Testing out your private ocean, what does it look like?’

Dion couldn’t help but smile at her infectious sunniness.‘And what’s the verdict?’

Tara cocked her head, pretending to think for a moment.‘I think we’ll be giving it a ten out of ten, for accessibility, freshness and aesthetic beauty.’

Dion swam closer until their legs touched.He saw a flare of colour in her cheeks.Her eyes widened.They matched the sky perfectly at that moment, bright blue.He said mock seriously, ‘Thank you for that.I’ll be sure to let the team know.’

Tara wound her arms and legs around Dion.She was lighter than air, the buoyancy of the water holding them up.Her breasts were pressed against his chest, the sharp stab of her nipples sending his blood soaring.

She looked at him for a moment before touching her mouth to his.It was such a fleeting and sweet gesture that it loosened something else inside Dion.Something hard and obdurate.He slid his arms around her back and turned the kiss into something much less hesitant and sweet.

They treaded water, kissing for a long moment, the water lapping around their bodies.Dion pulled back.Tara’s hair was slicked back, a dark red.Her mouth was pink and plump and he needed her now.Blood was surging to his groin and all he wanted was to slip them free of their clothes and slide into her right there and then.

As if hearing his thoughts, or maybe he’d spoken out loud, Tara said, ‘Can we?’

Dion huffed a tortured-sounding laugh.‘As much as I’d love to, believe me, I don’t think it’s anatomically possible without drowning.’