He tweaked her on the nose then kissed the same spot. “I liked it very much. I liked it so much that I might consider letting you go play in your garden again tomorrow.”
She rolled her eyes and yawned sleepily. He drew his finger down her cheek. “Sleep now. I’ll wake you for dinner.”
“I don’t need a nap,” she grumbled, but she was already drifting off.
Not wanting to be entirely predictable, Marley forewent the garden the next day and opted instead for the heated pool. She’d been eyeing it with longing since they’d arrived, and thanks to boutiques only too willing to deliver to the island, she had a simply decadent swimsuit she was dying to try out.
As she pulled the skimpy suit on, she realized that in essence she was trying to seduce Chrysander. Not that she hadn’t already, but she was attempting to make him fall in love with her.
She frowned back at herself in the mirror. Wasn’t this backward? He was the one with the memory. Shouldn’t he be trying to make her fall in love with him? She knew she loved him but hadn’t said the words. Something had held her back, and now she pondered what it was that made her unwilling to take that jump.
There was a hesitation about him that niggled at her, as though he wanted to keep a certain amount of distance between them. She didn’t want that. She wanted him to love her as she loved him.
She sighed. If only she could remember.
She wiggled a bit and readjusted the bikini until she was satisfied with the result. The top cupped her small breasts and did a remarkable job of making them seem more impressive than they actually were. The bottom…She smiled as she turned at an angle to view the back of the bikini. It wasn’t a thong…exactly, but it did draw attention to her gently rounded bottom.
Straightening again, she smoothed a hand over the swell of her belly. Chrysander seemed to enjoy her pregnancy. He touched and kissed her belly frequently and seemed entranced by the mound. She hoped he’d find the suit, and her, sexy.
Recognizing that she was stalling, she reached for the silk robe and tugged it on. She wanted no chance that someone else would see her in such a scandalous suit. This was for Chrysander’s eyes only.
She slipped down the stairs and made it through the living room unseen. She walked into the smaller room that housed the indoor portion of the pool and eyed the rippling water with anticipation. Chrysander or no Chrysander, she was looking forward to a swim.
Shedding the wrap, she tossed it over one of the loungers and walked to the edge of the pool to dip her toe in. It was wonderfully warm. She moved to the steps and carefully descended into the water.
Oh, it was marvelous. She swam toward the back glass enclosure that overlooked the outdoor portion of the pool. She was tempted to duck under the divider and swim outside, but the breeze would be cold on her damp skin.
She floated lazily on her back for a while then did a few laps, gliding underneath the water for as long as she could hold her breath. She came up with a gasp and grabbed on to the side of the pool. And then she saw a pair of leather loafers.
She glanced up to see Chrysander watching her, arms folded across his chest, a mock scowl on his face. Even she could see that his lips were twitching suspiciously.
With an innocent blink, she smiled and offered a hello. He squatted down and put a finger underneath her chin, nudging it upward.
“Enjoying yourself,pedhaki mou?”
“Very much,” she returned.
“And to think I was looking forward to hauling you out of your garden today,” he murmured.
Her face heated as she recalled all that had happened yesterday when he’d done just that. She extended her hand. “Help me out?”
He grasped her hand, and she reached to grip his wrist with her other hand at the same time she planted her feet against the side of the pool and pulled with all her might. He gave a shout of surprise as he toppled over and hit the water with a gigantic splash.
He came up sputtering, and for a moment, she worried that he was truly angry. He scowled ferociously at her before glancing down at his soaked clothing. Then he started laughing.
Before he could think retaliation, and since she still wanted him to see her suit, she swam over to the steps and exited the pool in slow, deliberate movements. She glanced over her shoulder to see his mouth drop open as he viewed the back of her suit.
When Marley reached the top, she turned so he could see her profile, and she heard him suck in his breath. She turned away again and began walking toward where her wrap was laying.
“Oh no you don’t, you little tease,” he growled.
She blinked at how quickly he got out of the pool. She gave a shriek of surprise when he closed in on her then laughed when he gathered her into his arms and headed back toward the pool.
“Chrysander, your clothes!”
“As if they matter now. You’ve quite ruined them.”
“I’m sorry.”
