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‘Just so you know, you can touch me anywhere, anyhow you like.’ A faint flush appeared in his cheeks. ‘Five minutes of fake fooling around and we’re done.’

Nothing to be taken seriously. Yet the alarming frisson deep in her belly really didn’t feel fake.

‘We don’t actually have to kiss,’ he growled. ‘Just get our heads close at a certain angle.’

Not the time to confess she’d only kissed one guy before she’d moved with her mother to Montaurella, that there’d been nothing since and she didn’t know what she was doing.

But Alex the Wild leaned over her with a banked expression in his eyes. ‘I’m going to touch your hair.’

‘How sweet.’

He took his time, almost reverently combing the length with his fingers, making it feel absurdly intimate as he arranged it across her shoulder. He glanced up and caught her focus fixed on him.

‘I’m going to glare into your eyes,’ he said huskily. ‘They’ll mistake it for…’

‘Adoration?’ she provoked. ‘Go right ahead.’

Irritation rippled through her. She wasn’t made of spun glass…he didn’t need to be so careful. Without thinking, she skimmed her hand lightly up his arm and felt him tense beneath her. His eyes darkened and he looked into her eyes for a long time. Which was good because her breasts tightened and it was taking everything within her to remain still and not restlessly shimmy closer. He wasn’t even holding her, certainly not crushing her, yet she was overcome by the desire to feel him press his full weight upon her.

‘I can never decide if your eyes are more green or brown,’ he muttered as his chest rose and fell faster. ‘They change depending on your mood. Sometimes they’re flecked with a sweet golden brown, other times they’re a gorgeously jealous green.’

Jealous? She burned. ‘Yours are crazy dark—like strong, bitter coffee. An acquired taste but invigorating. Impossible to read. And your lashes are annoyingly long.’

‘Annoying because you’re jealous?’ He smiled, which drew her attention to his lips. They were fuller than they ought to be too. He’d not shaved and as she brushed her hand on his angular jaw his stubble gently tickled her singed fingertips. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Unbearably so. Her pulse slowed yet each beat strengthened, pounding through her whole body as time almost stopped and the appalling truth hit.

She wanted to kiss him. She wanted him to kiss her. She’d been here before.

Startled, she looked back into his eyes. His teasing smile faded as he stared at her with that dangerous intensity.

A muscle flecked in his jaw. ‘I’m going to put my hand on your waist, okay?’

His caution pushed her. ‘Are you warning me or trying to control yourself?’

His eyes flared.

‘Why don’t I just give you my safe word?’ she added. Recklessly. ‘Then you can relax and do whatever you want without giving advance warning.’

For one heavenly decadent moment he leaned closer, pressing his body right over hers. ‘Why, Tilly, do tell me your safe word.’

Please. That was the only word in her head and she was too busy trembling to mutter it. With a growl Alex suddenly leapt to his feet, turned and dived back into the water.

Tilly sat up. Was that it? Seriously? Her blood burned and she scrambled up. She needed to cool off—wake up properly.

From the water he watched her approach the edge of the precipice and as she lifted her arms he called. ‘Careful—’

She sank. It took a moment to resurface and she did so with a splutter. She brushed her hair from her eyes as Alex wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him, stopping her from sinking again.

‘It’s deeper than it looks.’ Holding her close, he swam her back, inadvertently brushing her nose with his. His whole body brushed hers. She shivered and their eyes locked.

‘I can swim. I don’t need you to rescue me.’

‘Who says that’s what I’m doing?’

She realised he was now standing on an underwater ledge that was too deep for her to reach.

‘Is it not?’ she queried. ‘Are you going to drown me?’

‘Seriously considering it.’