Baby for the Billionaire(18)

“Nick!” She glared at him as she covered her breasts with her hands.

“What?” His eyes danced with the devil.

“How am I going to get out of the pool now?”

“No one’s around. Iris is in the kitchen and Leo’s gone into Richmond for supplies.”

“I’m not a prude but—”

“Yes, you are.” He chuckled. “Look at you. I know your body intimately now and yet you’re still covering yourself from me.”

“You’re still a stranger, Nick,” she said without thinking.

His smile disappeared. “Am I?” His blue eyes deepened in color. “Then we’d better do something about that.”

Without hesitation, he caught her by the waist and pressed her up against the side of the pool.

And then he kissed her.

At first his lips were cold from the water but they soon turned warm enough to have her melting against him. For long, languid moments she reveled in having his mouth take advantage of hers, but eventually he eased back from the kiss.

“Still think of me as a stranger?” he said, a very masculine expression of satisfaction on his face.

A minute ago she’d felt very feminine, but now his words brought her back to reality and she didn’t feel in the least like being coquettish. “There’s more than knowing a person physically, Nick.”

His face closed up. “It’ll do for now,” he said and turned away. “Stay here. I’ll get us some robes.”

Sasha watched him heave himself out of the water and stride over to the cabana, all male muscle and sinew. She swallowed hard. What on earth had made her say something so deep like that? Maybe she really was a prude and saying that had been her only defense?

He came out wearing a thick white robe and carrying one for her. “I’ll cover you as you get out.”

Thankful he was still being conscious of her sensitivity, she began climbing up the ladder. It was probably silly to be overreacting but she’d never been one to flaunt her body outrageously and merely because she was no longer a virgin didn’t change her way of thinking.

Just as she reached the top of the ladder she looked up in time to see Nick’s eyes flicking over her naked breasts. Unable to stop herself, she flushed.

“Put your arms in here,” he said huskily, and she did as she was told, feeling more secure once she had the robe cinched in at the waist.

Nick cleared his throat and stepped away from her. “It’s still balmy. Would you like to have dinner out here?”

She’d half-expected him to make some excuse to retire to the study. After all, he’d frozen up when she’d started talking about feelings. Fool that she was! The last thing she needed to bring out in the open was any sort of feelings.

To hide her surprise, she pushed back her wet hair. “That would be lovely.”

“Good. I’ll tell Iris.”

“And I’ll go dress.”

“Let’s not bother.”

“Er … okay.”

He started toward the house, detoured slightly and stopped to pick up something, then came back and handed her the pink bikini top.

Their eyes met and she blushed. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” He turned and walked back toward the house.

She watched him for a moment with her heart thudding, unable to stop herself from admiring those firm legs beneath the bathrobe. She liked the dark hair that was just-so-manly and just-so-touchable and if she dared, when he came back she would love to run her palms up his legs, caressing them, caressing him.

All at once she realized she was squeezing her bikini top. Giving it one last squeeze she dropped it in the pocket of her robe, then went to sit down at the table, her own legs kind of shaky.

And he’d called her a prude?

Not any longer.

A few minutes later Nick came back. “Iris will bring out dinner shortly. In the meantime …” He held out two glasses of wine and passed one to her, then went to sit in the chair opposite.

Made selfconscious by her thoughts, she looked away, pretending to concentrate on the guest cottage and glasshouse that could easily been seen from here. Mercifully, the gazebo where they’d shared their kiss was on the other side of the house.

The sound of clinking glass from behind told Sasha that Iris had come out on the patio area. She turned around and smiled as the other woman came toward them pushing a trolley. Before too long she’d left and Sasha and Nick were tucking into their steak and salad.