He ventured outside, relaxed into a chaise lounge chair by the pool, and sipped the top-shelf drink. As the liquor rolled down his throat, the reflection of light dancing on the water caught his eye.
A few moments later, Slash moved into view, and his gaze stilled on hers. So much beauty stared back. The need to go to her, wrap her in his arms, and never, ever let her go urged him forward.
But he didnotmove.
Looking sexy in a sleek, black one-piece, she kept her hair tied in a ponytail. Like yesterday, she was barefoot. He wanted totell her she belonged in his home with him, but he didn’t do that either.
He hated having to censor his words, his actions, but if he told her the truth, she’d bolt.
After padding over to the diving board, she dove in. He kept his attention trained on her as she glided effortlessly through the water to the pool’s edge and back.
He wondered how their lives would have turned out if he hadn’t broken up with her. Would they have married years ago? Would there be children?
She swam the breast stroke before switching to freestyle, and then sidestroke. Back and forth with a grace that had him glued to her every move. So much elegance, so much beauty. Yet there was a strength and a purpose to everything she did.
A sadness curled itself around his heart.
He’d treated her so badly.
She deserves so much better.
When she finished, she floated on her back. Watching her helped assuage the fury he carried around day in and day out. As she exited, he was waiting with a towel.
She went to take it from him, but he said, “I got you.”
Standing behind her, he blanketed her in warmth, then wrapped his arms around her and held her close. Their breathing fell in line while the mating songs of tree frogs filled his ears, and dancing fireflies lit up the night.
She broke away, turned to face him. “I’ll rinse off and meet you back here.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen.”
They went inside together. She continued upstairs, he opened his laptop, checked work email at the Bureau.
Too many unread ones to get through in an evening, but he clicked on a few, scanned their contents. Then, he rose to makethem a late-night snack. Two turkey sandwiches with lettuce and tomato, and a freshly popped bag of popcorn.
“Computer, turnoffthe recessed lights on the first floor. Turnonthe floor lamp in the family room.”
The kitchen went dark, save for the stovetop light, the soft light from the floor lamp illuminated the family room.
Minutes later, she returned.
After eyeing the sandwiches, she said, “Good call.”
“Wine?” he asked.
She pulled a glass from his cupboard. “Water.”
They sat at the kitchen island, munching down the sandwiches.
“I like that pool,” she said.
“I’ll add you to my security system and scan your retina. You can use it whenever?—”
“No,” she said.
“Why not?”
She drank down some water, then said, “Let’s talk shop. I agreed to find out if the club was running a prostitution ring. We learned that Karen is running?—”
