Something Real (Whiskey Men, #2)(24)

He squeezes my upper arms. “Done. Go get your suit on.”

He steps away from me and is walking toward his bedroom. “Are you joining me?”

He stops and turns to me. “I was going to, but I don’t have to.”

I croak, “Yes!” Heat floods my face, but I clear my throat and try it again. “I was hoping you’d swim too.”

He nods. “See you out there.”

I wait until he disappears into his room before making my way to my bedroom. The bathing suits are still in the bag, and I dump them out on the bed. One is a black one piece. It’s very conservative. The other suit is a white two piece. I hold the two in my hands and feel as if these two suits are a metaphor for my life. I could take the safe route and wear the black suit that covers my body. Or I can wear the white two piece that shows more skin and is a little bit more adventurous.

I drop the black suit and start pulling tags off the white one. It’s about time I try on the new me.





Ford





“How’s it going, buddy?”

I was so excited to meet Lilian at the pool that I completely forgot about my nightly call to Ollie. Now as I lean against the edge of the hot tub, I’m talking to my child, hoping that he doesn’t hear the splash of the water or the roar of the hot tub jets.

“Dad! Lucas and Issi took me to ride go-carts! We went to the arcade too.”

“Wow! That sounds fun, Ollie.”

“It was, and guess what?” He doesn’t wait for me to guess before he continues, “I beat Uncle Lucas. He was so slowwwww.”

“He’s always been slow. So you’re having fun?”

“Yes!” he screams into the phone.

I lean my elbows onto the side of the hot tub with the phone to my ear. “Are you being good for Uncle Lucas and Aunt Isabella?”

“Daaad, I’m always good.”

I laugh, but the truth is, he is normally a good kid. I don’t know how I got so lucky in that department. “I’ll be home tomorrow night, Ollie.”

“K, Dad. I gotta go. I love you.”

I barely get out “I love you” before I hear the click on the phone. The sound of Lilian getting in the water has me turning around.

“Was that Ollie? Is he having fun?”

She is walking down the few steps of the hot tub, but the water is only up to her knees. She leans over, gliding her hand along the top of the water, and I take a step toward her. How can I not? She’s so tempting, and she draws me in even though I know I should be keeping my distance.

She’s watching me, her eyes on my chest, and I don’t stop until I’m right in front of her. “I probably should have told the gift shop to get you something that covers a little more.”

Her chin lifts defiantly. “The other one was a modest black one piece, but I chose this one. If it bothers you—”

I cut her off, wrapping my hand around her waist and pulling her to me. “It doesn’t bother me, Lilian. Not like you mean. My only thought is that we are in a public place, and I don’t want other men to see you like this.”

She looks around the edge of the hot tub and the pool. There are six rooms that have balconies to the private pool area, but every one of those balconies are empty. I’m not a fool. When she said she wanted to go swimming, I rented the other five rooms to keep this pool private.

But the joke’s on me. Her hand goes to my phone, and she takes it, walking backward to set it on the edge of the hot tub before making her way back in front of me. Her hand burns into my chest as she curls her fingers against me, giving my hair there a little tug. “Try again, Ford. You think I don’t know? I’ve worked with you for two years, and I know that you booked those rooms and that there is no one staying in them.”

She gives me a knowing look and asks, “So tell me, why should I have a more modest bathing suit on?”

I can no longer keep my hands to myself. I run my finger under the strap of her suit at her shoulder. She visibly trembles, and I cup both her shoulders in my palms. “Because I want you. I’ve wanted you for two years, and being this close to you, seeing you like this…” I blow out a breath and try to control my breathing. “It’s too tempting, Lily. Way too tempting.”

Her eyes are searching mine, and I try hard not to put my guard up. There are so many reasons why this is a bad idea. I’m her boss. She just wants to have fun and is not looking for anything serious. My son is already attached to her, and I can’t let him get hurt, but knowing all that, I still can’t walk away from her.

The beginning of a smile tips her lips, and her hands slide up my chest to cup behind my neck. I let my hands slide to her back, pulling her flush against me.

She keeps looking at my lips, and finally she murmurs huskily to me. “I owe you a kiss, Ford.”

At first, I don’t get her meaning, and then I remember her saying she could kiss me for bringing her food. I know it’s a game, and she doesn’t owe me anything, but I’m not going to refuse it. Not when I’ve been dying to have her lips on mine.

“I do remember you saying something about that.”

Her breasts are flattened to my chest, and I can feel her shakily inhale with each breath she takes. Being this close to her is having the same effect on me. We’re so close, all I have to do is lean forward a few inches and I would have her lips against mine.