.jpg)
by Nana Malone
***
Jaya bit her lip as Alec stripped out of his jeans, letting the denim fall to the stone surrounding the pool. Not sure if she should thank the work-out gods or the gods of going commando, she squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to control the moisture pooling in her core.
Holding out his hand to her, he grinned. “What’s the matter, don’t you trust me?”
“Says the devil as he strips naked.” Jaya mumbled under her breath. She didn’t know why she was being so stubborn, but no, she didn't trust him. Let it go, girl. He’d been nothing but unfailingly nice to her. What was the worst that could happen? “Let's just say, I generally don't trust guys with the devil’s good looks and clever tongue to sweeten the sting.”
He shook his head even as he clasped his hand around hers. Her whole body jerked from the zing of electricity sparking between them. “You'll like it, I promise.” When she still hesitated, he added, “I worked here, learning the ropes of hotel life when I was a kid. Most of the staff is the same. I know the schedules and routines. No one will be coming up to bother us. You’re safe here.”
Safe. That wasn’t a word she was familiar with. But somehow with Alec she felt safe. And that was the real reason she’d slept with him the night before. Why she’d joined him in LA. And why she was about to cross something off her Thirty list. But safe with Alec could be a real problem. She’d start to think safe equated to permanent. And he’d told her who he was.
She already wanted to know everything about him. Things like why he was still a bartender if he had so much hotel experience and a photographic memory. Where he’d grown up, who his family was. But that was the sort of thing you talked about when you were starting to date somebody. Not when he was pretending to be your boyfriend.
Jaya felt the loss of his warmth the moment he released her hand. “How about this—I’ll go in and tell you how the water is.”
She couldn’t help but try to know a little about him. “You never wanted to take all your hotel experience anywhere?”
As he shook his head, water sloshed around him. “Nah. I need to be free. Hotel gigs are kind of permanent.”
To Jaya, the idea of rolling from job to job was terrifying. Not knowing where she'd be next. Not knowing how she'd make the rent. But Alec, he seemed like he thrived on it. She wished she knew how to let go like that. Maybe she'd have left Trudeaux ages ago.
“Time’s up, beautiful. No one's coming up here. Its shift change time in about thirty minutes. None of the guests come here until it's closer to happy hour. It's just you and me.”
Jaya forced herself to turn around. “You’ll behave yourself?”
He shrugged. “I'm irresistible. You said so yourself. You might try to jump my bones.”
Jaya heard the soft splash of water and blushed. She tried not to picture the wide expanse of bare chest she'd seen. Tanned golden skin, begging to be touched. She told herself she didn't care. Didn't want to touch it again. Live a little, Jaya. “Fine, I’m coming in, but you're going to have to turn around.”
He blinked for several moments as in disbelief. Then a slow sexy smile skimmed his lips and she felt the shiver of anticipation all over her body. He turned around, but not before doing a full perusal of her body. Maybe she'd regret this. Maybe they'd get arrested for trespassing, or public indecency. But maybe, she'd have a little fun.
Slipping off the stilettos, she placed them a safe distance from the side of the pool. She'd flog herself if she ruined them. Stripping off her jacket, she tried to psych herself up for the plunge. “You promise it's warm in there, right?” She heard the low chuckle, and butterflies did the robot in her belly.
“If it's not, I’ll kelp keep you nice and toasty. Body heat is really best for that.”
“You wish.”
“Yes, I do.”
He really was shameless. But it made her feel sexy and daring. She undressed down to her bra and panties and silently thanked the heavens she'd matched today. Red satin covered by sexy black lace. The boy-cut hipsters framed her ass like it was meant to be on display. Though, why she’d bothered to go for sexy over functional she didn't know. You hoped you'd get him naked, that's why. She flushed and whispered to herself. “With panties or without? Decisions, decisions.”
“You going to take all day, or do you want me to come out and help you in?”
A tiny squeak escaped her lips. If he came out, she'd have a bird’s eye view of that sexy form of his. If he came out, they wouldn’t make it back to San Diego tonight.
“I'm coming. Just give me a second. So impatient.” With her thumbs in the waistband, she took a deep breath. “Now or never, Trudeaux. Shimmy or get off the stage.” She shimmied and took a step in the water.
Looking up to make sure his back was still turned, she noticed how the water lapped at his tanned shoulders. It did look inviting. Slipping her bra off, she shivered as the cooling air touched her nipples. Alec was right, the water was warm. Like bathwater and twice as inviting. As she stepped in, every muscle in her body relaxed. Heaven.
“See, I told you so.” The warm timber of his voice reverberated around her.
When she opened her eyes, she saw he'd turned around, giving her an appreciative once-over. She cringed as she thought of the state of her hair, piled high on her head in the messy knot to keep it from getting wet and going Angela Davis on her behind.
“Okay, fine. You were right. It does feel good.”
He winked at her. “You should really listen to me more often. I'm usually right.”
She couldn't help but smile at him. “Are you normally so arrogant?”
He grinned. “So tell me, Jaya Trudeaux, how does it feel to cross off something on your Thirty list?” He moved into the shallower water, the pool revealing more of his sun-kissed skin and Jaya's mouth watered. He looked like sin and sex, and she was hungry.
Unsure of him, she mumbled, “What are you doing?”
He stalked closer to her, ignoring her protest. “I'm showing you how irresistible you are.”
As he invaded her space, she was forced to use his shoulders to balance, bringing her flush against him. The hard length of his arousal brushed up against her and strained for her touch.
“Shit, Jaya.”
When he dipped his head, her heart gave a thud of excitement. Her brain gave a jolt of alarm. Her libido promptly put a muzzle on the alarm bells. Sometimes rules were meant to be broken. As she tipped her head up to meet his lips with hers, a squeak from behind had her cursing. Shoving Alec deeper in the water, she stepped in until the water reached her neck. “Shit. I knew this would happen.”
Alec sluiced water out of his eyes. “Relax. It’ll be fine.”
Jaya couldn’t see the person near the door clearly. From the form and movement, she assumed it was a man. “Oh. Hey, Alec. Sorry to interrupt, but Miss Westhorpe is downstairs. She insists on seeing you.”
Alec let out a breath and Jaya could feel the water move behind her as she clutched to the side of the pool. “Thanks, Mike. I’ll be right down.”
As Mike left in a hurry, Alec reached for her, but she shrugged away. “You should go. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
“Jaya, I—”
She launched herself up out of the pool to grab one of the fluffy towels on the lounge chairs. Maybe some rules weren’t meant to be broken.