He lunged for me, and I changed direction suddenly, dodging just past him.
“Ha!” I let out a cry of victory, far too soon.
I ran back past the pool, aiming for the doors to the house, but a hand sank into the back of my oversized white T-shirt and stopped me.
“No! I was winning!” I protested.
The hand dragged me backward.
“Were you?” Brody teased.
I twisted around to slap his arm, if he’d let me, just as we reached the edge of the pool.
“Yes, I was!” I insisted and turned around.
We’d gotten to the very edge of the pool. Brody’s face was right there, staring down at me.
“I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but I was never going to let you get away. I’ll never let you get away; get used to that fact.”
He reached for my front pocket and grabbed my phone, tossing it onto a sun lounger.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned him.
He put a hand around the back of my head, another on my hip, brushed his lips over mine…
And walked us backward off the edge and into the water.
Half an hour later, I was drooping limply against the stairs at one end of the pool.
“You made good time,” Brody observed.
“You really need to reconsider this whole CEO thing. You’ve missed your calling as a sadistic drill sergeant,” I muttered.
My wet jeans had been discarded on the side of the pool, and I was only in my panties and bra. The asshole had cajoled me into swimming fifty laps. I couldn’t let him know how good the burn in my muscles felt after a week of not working out.
It would only encourage him. The asshole already got off on conquering his body through the pure power of his will. Letting him know that I was starting to remember how fantastic it felt wasn’t a good idea.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” Brody asked.
“Why? If you’re planning some painful exercise regimen for this weekend, don’t bother. I’m busy. I’ve got to take about six buses tomorrow. I don’t have time to be chased around the neighborhood by you.”
Brody raised an eyebrow at me. “Now there’s an idea. Next training plan, done. Why are you taking so many buses?”
“I’m going to visit Cici. Her school isn’t really on a good public transportation route. And since I don’t have a car…”
Brody sighed. “You’re not taking six buses.” He was lounging in the water by the base of the stairs. Steam curled off his shoulders into the night air.
“I’m not?”
He shook his head, droplets of water sparkling on his skin in the pool lights. “No, you’re not. I’m taking you.”
I nodded.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re not going to argue about that?”
I shrugged. “No, because I really don’t want to take six buses.”
He chuckled and drifted closer to me, reaching out to grab my leg and pull me closer. “You can just ask me to drive you, heathen. No need to beat around the bush. You need something—ask. You want something—ask.”
