Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I glanced around. There were several people watching us. “Worth?”
He put his hands on the side of the pool, surrounding me. “Yes?”
“You’re making a spectacle of us.”
“I do tend to do that.”
I bit my lip. “We shouldn’t.”
“Tell me to walk away.”
“Worth.”
“I can’t stand this anymore. Beck will get over it.”
Was he sure? “Worth, we can’t.”
“Once wasn’t enough.”
“I know, but we should at least wait until we can talk to Beck.”
His smile grew more predatory. “I prefer to make my mistakes and then ask for forgiveness.”
“We already did that.”
“And he forgave you.”
“But has he forgiven you? You haven’t even talked.”
Worth moved even closer. “It will all work out.”
Could we take that risk? When I raised my hand and laid it against his chest, lightning seemed to flash through me.
“You feel that, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes, but I want you to back up.” A moment passed, then he did. I was finally able to take a deep breath.
I closed my eyes and ran a hand over my hair. When I looked at Worth, his eyes were wide.
“I’ve never had this little control with anyone. I think I’m going insane.”
“I’m right there with you.” I watched the muscles of his throat work as he swallowed. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here. I’ll go back to the villa.”
“No.”
“Worth?”
“You’re here to relax and enjoy yourself. If anyone leaves, it should be me.”
“I don’t want you to leave.”
He turned and looked out over the ocean. “Let’s go for a walk on the beach.”
My pulse pounded in my ears. What was I doing? “Okay.”
We used the steps to exit the pool and grabbed our shoes. I followed Worth from the pool area to the steps that led down to the beach.
19
WORTH
What the hell had come over me in the pool? I’d been about to kiss Laurie and then do God knows what right there with everyone watching us. The resort would never kick me out, but being asked to return to our villa would embarrass the hell out of Laurie.
This situation wasn’t going to work. Laurie wanted more as much as I did, and somehow it didn’t matter that I’d only known him for a few days, I’d started thinking of him as mine: mine to protect, mine to please, mine to take care of. I didn’t think that feeling was going to go away. He’d said the flames rising between us would die down, but they were only getting hotter and more difficult to ignore.
Was this how my friends had felt when they’d met the men they loved? The thought had me reeling, but I wasn’t afraid like I’d thought I’d be if I ever fell for someone. I would never walk away from this chance. Something told me Laurie was exactly what I needed. Beck would understand eventually. I didn’t think he could possibly stay mad at Laurie, and I’d pissed him off plenty of times before. We always solved our problems. As long as I didn’t hurt Laurie, everything would be all right, wouldn’t it?
We walked in silence for a while. I wanted to pull Laurie into my arms, run my hands over him, and pick up where we left off after the other night. But I kept walking, one foot in front of the other, so aware of his presence my body was buzzing.
The sun was low in the sky as we reached the end of the resort property. Rather than go around the barrier to continue on to the public beach, I suggested we turn around. We made it less than half of the way back when Laurie took hold of my arm and pulled me to a stop. I turned to face him, heart pounding.
“I want you.” The words were soft, but not unsure.
“Laurie, if you need more time….”
He shook his head. “This is inevitable.”
“I know, but I won’t push you.”
He looked down for a moment, squishing his toes in the sand. “What is happening between us?”
“Something more powerful than I ever thought possible, something beautiful.”
“I called Beck this morning.” The words seemed to spill out of him.
“Did you say anything about last night?”
“No. I told him you were taking care of me, that I was enjoying my time with you. I think he suspects I’m crushing on you, but he didn’t ask.”
“Is this just a crush?”
Laurie pushed back his wet hair. “I don’t think so, but I’m terrified of what it is.”
“Don’t be. I’m here to catch you if you fall.”
“I’m already falling. I trust you now, but what’s going to happen when we leave here?”
“I’ll take you to New York.”
“Don’t promise that, not yet. Can we just take things day by day?”
I nodded because I knew what I felt. I knew how different it was from anything I’d experienced before. I thought about what Miles had said. As long as Laurie wasn’t going to leave me or deny the chance to see where this could go, I knew everything would work out.