by Jess Dee
Daniel nodded. His dimples flashed as he tried to hide a grin. “Don’t forget, I’m cooking tonight.”
Aware of a glowering Leona standing beside her, Amy gave him a slow smile. “You sure were last night.” After giving it a second thought, she planted a sultry kiss on his lips.
His eyes closed and he murmured a low, “Mmm…”
The sound reverberated from her breasts down to her belly and lower. She had to clear her throat before she could speak. “I have to go back to work. See you later.” With a casual wave at Leona, she walked out the room.
—
Daniel watched Amy leave with a barely repressed smile. His misery over seeing Vicky in such a bad state was temporarily masked. What a stroke of luck running into Amy like that. God, if he’d have thought about it before, he’d have choreographed the whole damn thing himself. He laughed out loud, grabbed Leona and twirled her around.
“Put me down, you stupid lug.” She was chuckling by the time Daniel set her back on her feet.
“Thank you,” he said. “You were fantastic. I can’t believe how quickly you fell into character. I hadn’t even introduced you to Amy and already you were playing the hard-nosed bitch.”
“Beside the fact that I recognized her from the party, the look of undisguised adulation on your face was a dead giveaway. There was no question about who she was.”
Daniel shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a man possessed.”
Leona laughed. “Say you’ll never subject me to such nonsense again.”
“I can’t promise that. You do it so well. So did Amy. It took a while, but when she realized who you were, she really played her part, don’t you think?”
Leona looked thoughtful for a moment. “Amy wasn’t playing. She took those kisses very seriously.”
“You think so?”
“I’m well qualified to know how a woman responds when she’s enjoying a kiss,” Leona said. “Amy enjoyed those kisses.”
Daniel felt exuberant. “You know what, Leona? I think deep down in there, there is a woman with a big heart and a soft spot for romance.”
“I have no problem with romance. I’m just choosy about who I get to be romantic with.”
“Man, that’s no lie.” When Daniel met Leona a few years back, he found her aloofness towards him quite refreshing. He’d made a move and she turned him down cold.
“You weren’t my type,” Leona reminded him with a smile.
Daniel laughed. “Yeah. I was pretty embarrassed when I found out.”
“But your advances were flattering.”
“Your rejection wasn’t.” He attempted a frown but grinned instead.
“Are you really cooking Amy dinner tonight? Or was that just for show?”
Daniel sighed. “Just for show. Trust me, the next time I cook her dinner, I’ll be making her breakfast the next morning too.”
Leona looked at him, her round eyes filled with compassion. “Oh, you poor man. It’s such a pity your self-confidence is so low. It must be your lack of experience with women.”
Daniel gave Leona a halfhearted smile. His only lack of experience was with Amy and it was just about killing him.
“I wouldn’t worry,” Leona reassured him. “I have a strong suspicion all that is about to change.”
—
Back at work, Amy drummed her nails restlessly on her desk as her mind raced. When she could bear it no more, she swore out loud and grabbed the phone.
“What did Vicky inspire you to tell me,” she demanded as soon as Daniel answered.
She heard him chuckle on the other side. “Eating away at you, is it?”
“I thought you were feeling miserable after your visit to the hospital,” she snapped, irritated that he sounded so relaxed when curiosity gnawed at her.
His tone remained upbeat. “I was miserable after seeing Vicky. But it’s hard to stay like that when I know she and all the other kids are so comfortable in their newly refurbished ward.”
“Oh…” She should have felt bad about snapping at him, but she didn’t. She was too focused on her objective. “So what did you want to tell me?”
“That I’m making dinner for you tonight, at your place? How does pasta sound?”
She could practically see the gleam in his eyes. “You’re not invited, you know that. Besides, you can’t cook.”
“I thought you told Leona I was cooking last night?”
“Look, stop changing the subject. You know that whole act was for Leona’s benefit.”
“Was it?” His voice drifted over the phone like a low, sensual hum. “Your kiss didn’t seem like an act at all.”
She froze for a second and then resumed her agitated finger tapping. That kiss wasn’t an act. Yes, she used Leona as an excuse, but that’s all Leona was. An excuse. She kissed Daniel because she wanted to. Electric fencing between the two of them couldn’t have stopped her.
Unsure how to respond, she chose to ignore his words. “What were you and Vicky talking about?”
His sigh was her answer.
“Please, Danny. Can you please just lay it on the line for me?”
There was a moment’s hesitation before he said, “Not over the phone. Why don’t you come round tomorrow? I’ll be home late in the afternoon. We can talk then.”
Chapter Ten
It was late afternoon the next day and Amy stood in Daniel’s apartment, determined to get him to talk. Thanks to her friend, she had suffered yet another sleepless night. What the hell was he so secretive about? What had he discussed with Vicky? More importantly, what did it have to do with her?
Even if she had to use a crowbar to pry open his mouth, she would get it out of him. If it was the last thing he ever did, he’d speak to her.
Despite her overwhelming need to find out his secret, she needed a swim first. It had been an abnormally hot day for spring and the approaching sunset brought no relief. The meteorological bureau had reported a record high and Amy was sweltering. The weather and her agitation about Daniel combined to raise her own body temperature a good fifty degrees or so.
Hot and flushed, she slipped on her swimsuit in the bathroom. She was too tense and sweaty to have a meaningful conversation with him right now. There was a pool at the back of his building and she was determined to go and calm herself in its cool water.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror, eyeing the tiny black bikini she wore. Why had she chosen this particular suit? It was so flimsy it barely covered the essential bits. Why hadn’t she brought her sensible one piece? The answer, of course, was Daniel.
Something changed inside her yesterday, like a cog clicking into place. It probably happened while she watched Daniel with Vicky. Something in her heart melted when she saw the way he acted towards the young girl.
He treated her like an adult, showing her absolute respect, yet handled her with such gentleness, affection and care. The girl was crazy about him. Amy couldn’t blame him. She was crazy about him herself.
Daniel was just plain nice. The nicest man she ever knew. The sexiest man she ever knew.
She was fed up pretending she wasn’t attracted to him. She was. In a big way. At some point soon she was going to give in and admit it to Daniel. Her tiny scrap of a bikini was just the beginning. Just a tiny hint of her feelings.
Daniel sat on a couch, browsing through a photography magazine. He wore a pair of navy swimming shorts that rode low on his hips. They looked good on him. They’d probably look better packed away in a drawer somewhere, and not interfering with the smooth lines of his body.
She mentally shook her head. “I’m ready.”
He looked up and gave her a very slow once-over. “Nice suit.” His voice was unexpectedly mild.
“Thank you.” She gave him a bland smile, hiding her disappointment. He’d had a long enough look. Didn’t he approve?
With a wide and not-so-innocent smile, he added, “I think my five-year-old niece has one just like it.”
Typical
.
“It’s about the same size too.”
Amy studied her nails, doing her best to ignore him and the sudden flame shooting through her stomach. How did he do it? Insult her and get her all hot at the same time?
“But,” he continued, unfazed by her apparent disinterest, “Michelle has a little problem with her bikini. Every time she jumps in the pool, her top slips off.”
She rolled her eyes. “Isn’t it lucky I have something to hold my top in place.”
“You sure do.” His gaze trained on her breasts. Blue eyes shone with pure male interest.
“I was talking about the strap,” she snapped. Inordinately pleased to feel his gaze on her nipples, she knew he could see them beading. For once she did nothing to hide her response to him.
Let him stew over that one.
“Oh, yeah. Sure. Me too.”
If he thought interesting things were happening to the top half of her body, what would his reaction be if he discovered what was going on in the lower half? The sweet tugs of desire between her legs had her groin crying out for the same attention he gave her breasts. She toyed with the idea of stripping off her miniscule bikini, which felt more constrictive than a corset. But true to form, common sense got the better of her. Until Daniel told her what he and Vicky had been discussing, he wasn’t getting any of her.
But after that, well…who knew?
She stalked to the door and yanked it open. “I’m going for a swim. Care to join me?”
“Of course.” His voice was deceptively innocent. “Someone has to make sure your top stays in place.” He fell in step beside her, singing softly to himself.
Amy glowered at him when she heard the lyrics.
“She wore an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny…” She punched his arm before he could finish.
Just as they reached the pool, a man and two young children were leaving. The place was deserted. Daniel dropped his towel and dived in. She made out the words, “Yellow, polka-dot bikini…” just before he hit the water.
Her hands on her waist, she glared at him as he began to swim lengths of the pool. There appeared to be an awful lot of effort going into his strokes. Way more than necessary. Powerful arms sliced through the water as broad shoulders skimmed the surface. Long, toned legs and forceful kicks sent him racing as muscles rippled beneath his skin.
Amy swallowed, forgetting to be annoyed. He was magnificent. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Bugger. She was hot, bothered and wet, and it had nothing to do with the stream of water that hit her when Daniel dived in.
He was doing funny things to her insides. Her stomach flip-flopped and her breasts swelled in the useless restraint of her bikini top. Daniel was right. The scrap of cloth didn’t offer much cover. Her taut nipples threatened to pop right out if she became any more aroused.
She dived in and swam the length of the pool underwater. When she surfaced in the deep end, Daniel was waiting for her, his arm hooked over the side of the pool. They were so close they almost touched. The urge to press up against him was strong. Every nerve ending stood at attention, utterly aware of his proximity.
Drops of water beaded on his lashes, turning his eyes a shimmering aqua. He peered down into the water between them and furrowed his brow in mock concern. “Is your top still in place?”
“Very much so.” Once again she considered slipping it off.
“Oh…” Was that regret she could hear? “Well, that’s a relief, I’m sure.”
“Your concern for my top is touching.” Maybe if she snagged the clasp on the pool wall, the top would stick to it as she swam off.
“Hey, there were little children running around here. I’m just trying to keep things decent.”
She yawned. “Danny, my friend, you’re a bore.”
“A bore?” An evil glint appeared in his eyes. “I’ll show you boring.” He pushed away from the wall.
Bikini top forgotten, Amy’s jaw dropped in alarm. “No, don’t you dare! Don’t even—”
It was too late. Daniel was underwater. She drew in a quick mouthful of air just as he grabbed her feet and pulled her under. Automatically she pinched her nose closed before a gallon of water ran up it. He’d done that to her a thousand times and every time he caught her unprepared.
You’d think I’d learn.
Arms flailing, she broke the surface snorting and swearing, vowing to get revenge.
She flipped around to pummel him, but he’d already swum off and was a few feet away. “Prepare to suffer for that!” She dove under the water and headed straight for him.
Although Daniel was a good swimmer, she was faster. Always had been. Before long she was behind him, plowing into his back, grabbing him by the shoulders and trying to force him down. It had never been a problem when they were kids. He’d go under as soon as she pushed. But he was bigger now. Much bigger. She had no luck dunking him.
When had his shoulders filled out like that?
They reached shallow water and Daniel stood up with ease, laughing.
She clung to him, her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist, piggyback style. Darn, he felt good. Would he mind if she just rested there while she caught her breath? For the next hour or so?
His cold, wet skin rubbed against her already-aroused breasts, sending shockwaves of desire coursing through her. Each time he laughed, his body shook with mirth and vibrated against her wildly sensitive clit.
It was a good thing she wasn’t thinking clearly enough to tell him a good joke. Chances of her coming the second he got the punch line were pretty high.
“It’s payback time,” she whispered. “And be warned…I intend to play dirty.”
He twisted around to look at her. It was more luck than willpower that stopped her from coming undone at the movement.
“How dirty?”
Incapable of speech, she simply nibbled on his earlobe.
He softly moaned and encouraged, she flicked her tongue into his ear and then out again.
“That’s not dirty.” His voice dropped a notch. “That’s below the belt.”
“That’s a long way from your belt.” She relaxed her legs and slid down his back, torturing her breasts in the process.
He turned around. His nipples were also hard, but since the water was cold, it didn’t necessarily mean anything.
She ran a finger from his knee up the inside of his shorts, lowering her voice seductively as she spoke. “Would you like to see me playing below the belt? Or would you rather I focus just here?” Reluctant to move her finger away from its current playground, she forced her hand out the water and traced the outline of his right nipple.
“You’re treading on dangerous ground.” His chest rumbled as he growled.
Definitely not the cold. “So, I guess it’s below the belt then.” A smile of smug satisfaction curving her lips, she trailed her finger down to his stomach until she touched the band of his shorts.
He inhaled sharply, his eyes dilating. Good! He was beginning to be affected by all of this. It was irrelevant that she was as well.
She hooked a finger under his waistband and took a step backward, tugging him along with her. He followed willingly.
“Now we’re playing below the belt.” She took another step and the floor dipped away. She kicked once and floated up. Daniel floated with her. Releasing her hold on his shorts, she ran her hand over the nylon fabric and down his leg.
“Amy—”
She shushed him with a finger to his lips. When she took a deep breath and ducked under water, trailing her hands past his knees to his feet, she knew she had him.
Quickly, she grasped his ankles and yanked him down.
She caught his shocked look as he went under. Revenge is sweet. Without waiting, she swam to the side of the pool and pulled herself out.
He surfaced, coughing and spluttering, incredulity plastered on his face. “I cannot believe you did that.”
“Me neither.” She grinned and picked up her towel.
“Yeah, you might say it was below the belt.” She laughed as she dried herself off, squeezing water from her hair. “I was good, wasn’t I?”
“You don’t have to be so damn smug about it.”
“Now, now…let’s not get bitter over this.”
“You stuck your tongue in my ear.”
“Yep.”
“And your finger in my pants.”
“You liked it.”
“You tricked me.”
“You were so easy.”
He climbed out of the pool, muttering under his breath while Amy gloated nearby. Her revelry was short-lived. Dripping wet, he stalked up to her and glared down into her eyes. “You will regret that.” He towered over her.
She already did. They were extremely close to each other and there was no water between them to dampen her awareness. A slow flush suffused her cheeks. Breathing became difficult. “Oh dear, I’m so scared,” she improvised. Only it was not fear coursing through her veins. It was full-blown, red-hot desire.
“Good. Be afraid. Be very afraid.” His tone was menacing.
She bit back a smile. “Please, Mister. Don’t hurt little ole me.”
He took a step closer. “I intend to punish you, not hurt you.”
He was punishing her. His presence alone was punishment. Need pulsed through her. “Now, now. There’s no need to be a sore loser.” Amy dropped her towel and placed a placating hand on his chest. In an instant she regretted it—her palm burned at the contact. “Just because you lost at your own game doesn’t mean you have to take your anger out on me.”
His eyes narrowed. “I never lose at my own games.”
Not noticing the lounger, she stepped back. It caught her behind her knees and she sat unexpectedly. A bubble of laughter escaped her. The mischievous glint returned to Daniel’s eyes.
Strong, cool hands pushed against her shoulders, forcing her to lie down. She forgot to struggle against them.
“Now, if memory serves me correctly, you have a ridiculously ticklish spot just below your ribs.” He held up both hands.
“No!” She threw her arms out to ward him off. “Please, no.” It was too late. His fingers were on her waist and under her arms. Shrieking in protest, she pleaded with him to stop.