And Frazer is getting a lesson in touching what’s not his.
Chapter 19
Samantha
My feet hurt, my eyes burn and exhaustion has settled in my bones as I watch the city grow closer from the top deck. It’s after one in the morning and we’re heading back to shore. The lights are beautiful, the sky clear and full of stars. Against my better judgment, I had a third Hurricane so I’m in that dreamy buzz state where my mind is finally quiet.
Walking over to one of the white cushioned loungers, I get comfy.How is he going to keep all this white clean?It’s my last thought before my eyes drift shut.
What seems like a few seconds later, I struggle to open them.
Someone clears their throat.
The first thing that greets me is the star-studded sky. Then I feel two things at once. The absolute silence except for the slow swish of waves hitting the hull and someone’s presence to my right. I push my hair out of my face and lazily roll my head on the lounger, meeting Killian’s gaze.
He’s sitting on another lounger facing me, his elbows perched on his knees, his jacket draped over the headrest. As he watches me, there’s a struggle playing out in his micro expressions. An internal battle that has his jaw muscle flexing, his gaze hardening.
I push myself up into a sitting position and glance around. The lights are off, except for the tiny running lights near the elevator and the LED lights in the bubbling hot tub and pool. We’re the only two up here. “Oh, did everyone leave already? What time is it?” I croak. How long has he been watching me sleep?
“Aye, it’s 3 AM.” He hands me a bottled water. Then, letting his gaze rake over my body, he stands, tugs his dress shirt from his slacks and begins unbuttoning it.
I uncap the water and stare at the expanse of hard chest muscle and washboard abs revealed as he slips off the shirt. When he unbuckles his belt, I almost choke on the water. “What are you doing?”
His eyes drag to mine, now deliberate and teasing. “The party’s over. Time to relax.” He smirks as he toes off his dress shoes, pulls off his socks and then drops his pants onto the deck.
Holy mother of hot bodies. Clothed, the man was delicious… unclothed, he’s divine.
The moonlight is accentuating his form, outlining the breadth of his wide shoulders, sculpted pecs covered in colorful tattoos—a black dagger entwined with Celtic designs, a king playing card, a skull with snake eyes, a boxing glove, various scripts I can’t make out from here. I greedily take it all in, then my gaze drops to his flat stomach, and to the V that draws the eye down below the belt. I don’t let myself linger on the large bulge in his black silk boxers.
“Join me, Vixen.” His tone is rough. It’s not a request but a command.
I should tell him I’m not a dog, and he can’t just order me around. But I don’t. My body is now fully awake, my pulse spiking as I watch him strut to the hot tub and slip into thebubbling water. As he sinks down, a dark, masculine moan goes straight to my brain, which blinks offline.
I take a large drink from the water bottle, procrastinating, trying to talk myself out of joining him.No good could come of that, right?But it’s a losing battle. My inner voice is lost in the fog of curiosity. The truth is, I don’t want to leave. All night I watched people indulge in their fantasies. I want to know what that feels like. When will I ever get another chance to spend time with a man like this?
He’s watching me. His lips curve in a challenge. “Come on then. I don’t bite. Hard.”
And for the love of all things holy, that was the wrong thing to say to a woman who hasn’t had consensual sex well…since I was eighteen, but that was so bad it’s not even worth considering. I’m going to regret this. But I stand, toe off my sandals and pull the red dress over my head, leaving me in a black strapless bra and matching thong panties.
I hold his gaze as I pull my hair up in a messy bun, then channel Freya, putting a little extra sway in my hips as I approach the hot tub. I suppress a smile when he rakes a hand down his face and blows out a breath with a whispered, “fuck me.”
Yeah, two can play that game, mobster. Although, as I slip into the water and groan as the heat seeps into my bones, I remind myself this man is dangerous. I need to keep up my guard. So, I stay on the opposite side of the hot tub and on a safe subject. “The launch seemed to be a success. I had more than a few people tell me how much fun they were having and how Tampa needed new entertainment.”
His sculpted arms are draped on either side of the spa walls, his face glistening from the heat. A brief smile turns up the corners of his lips as he nods. “Went well. Thanks for your help.”
I narrow my eyes. I was expecting his usual shitty attitude or snark with me. “Why are you being nice?”
His pierced brow raises, but then he gives a little hum in his throat. “Guess I deserve that.”
Then he does something unexpected. He slides around on the seat until he’s next to me. So close, I can count the dark, wet lashes framing his light eyes. Over the scent of chlorine, I can also smell a spicy cologne. That’s new and not unpleasant.
His arm brushes mine.
I freeze.
“Relax, Vixen. I just wanna have a chat.” His voice is like velvet, soft and comforting. But the gleam in his eye is bordering on feral.Does this man ever blink?
“About what?” I whisper, kicking myself for falling for his trap. Now that he has me alone, of course he’s going to interrogate me. And he doesn’t disappoint.
