Page 99 of Here & Now

“If anything, I wish you would have interrupted sooner.”

“Huh?”

“You were right about Scott. He’s an arrogant ass, not to mention an incredible bore.”

He waded a little closer as if he wanted to make sure he’d heard her right.

“He mostly talked about himself, except when he was asking me personal questions, which I deflected.”

“What about the cottage?”

“He didn’t even bring it up until the end, and by then, it was too late.”

“Does that mean…?”

“I made it very clear that I won’t be working with him.”

He heaved a sigh of relief and moved even closer.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you at the restaurant. I was just so embarrassed.”

“About getting chocolate on your dress?”

She shook her head. “That was just the icing on the cake, literally. I was mad at myself for not taking your advice. The whole thing was a huge mistake.”

“Did he come on to you?”

“No, but I got the feeling that he was heading in that direction.”

“I hated the way he was staring at you,” he growled.

She liked that he sounded jealous, though there was no reason for it. “Will you please come out now?”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

“Okay, stand back so you don’t get wet.”

She humored him and moved back.

He placed his palms on the edge of the pool and hoisted himself up and out. As he straightened up, her eyes bulged, and her jaw went slack.

He was naked.

Water droplets ran down his tan, toned body and pooled at his feet. Her gaze roamed over him, from his wet hair, which he’d slicked back with his hands, to his hard chest to his equally hard manhood.

“You’re naked.”

He chuckled. “I wasn’t expecting company.”

“Is that why you wouldn’t get out of the pool? You didn’t want me to see you naked?”

“We were having a serious discussion.”

“Right.” She would have been seriously distracted if she’d known he was nude.

He grinned. “Plus, I didn’t want you to get wet.”

“It’s too late for that,” she muttered.

His gaze heated as he stepped forward. “Are we done arguing now?”

“I’m not sure that qualified as an argument.”

“Good because I hate arguing. I’d much rather be doing something else.”

She moved closer and gazed into his sparkling eyes. “Such as?”

“Instead of telling you, let me show you.”

Her breath caught. “Here? Now?”

“Not here. Tonight I want you in my bed.”

It sounded like a line from one of her juicy romance novels, and she practically swooned.

He grabbed a towel off a nearby chair and quickly dried off. Then he reached for her hand. She eagerly gave it to him, and he led her, naked, into his house, shutting the door behind them.