Kate Hewitt - Powerful and Proud - Beneath the Veil of Paradise / In the Heat of the Spotlight / His Brand of Passion

She felt a flare of anticipation—and relief. ‘Maybe that would be a good idea.’

Chase gave her another knowing look. ‘I said almost.’

She folded her arms. ‘Well, when are we going to—?’

‘Need-to-know basis only,’ Chase reminded her breezily. Then he was mooring the boat and the island—it really wasn’t much—loomed before them.

He jumped out first, splashing through the shallows to moor the boat more securely, before turning to her and holding out his arms. ‘Want to jump?’

She stood on the deck, one foot poised uncertainly on the railing, unsure just how she was going to get out of this thing. ‘No, thank you.’

‘I’ll let it go this time, but remember our terms, Scary—you’ve got to give me everything.’

She stared at him, saw him looking both serious and smug, and then without warning or even thinking she took a flying leap from the boat and landed right on top of him. With a startled ‘Oof!’ Chase fell back into the sea, pulling her with him. She was soaked instantly, and she felt the hard lines of his body press into her own soft curves. Excitement and awareness flared like rockets inside of her, obliterating thought.

Then through the sudden haze of her own desire she saw that Chase was wincing in what could only be pain. Mortification replaced lust and she tried to clamber off him. ‘Did I hurt you—?’

‘No.’ He held her still on top of him and sucked in a breath. ‘Surprised me, though.’ He adjusted his arms around her, sliding his palms down her back so her hips rocked against his. ‘Not that I mind.’

The water lapped around them, salty and warm. Her face was inches from Chase’s and she could see droplets of water clinging to his cheek and lips. Unable to resist touching him—and, really, why should she resist now?—she put the tip of her finger to one of the drops on Chase’s cheek. He sucked in another breath, his gaze holding hers like a vise. Daringly, Millie touched another droplet on his lips. His mouth felt soft and warm, hard and cool all at the same time. Sensation zinged through her, frying her senses. Just one little touch and she was already drowning in a sea of desire.

Chase hadn’t moved, just kept his hands on her hips, cradling her with aching closeness. She felt the hard thrust of his arousal against her thighs and instinctively shifted, though whether to bring him closer or farther away she didn’t even know. Couldn’t think.

The moment spun out and Millie felt the breath dry in her lungs as she waited for him to move.

And then he did.

‘So.’ Slowly, smiling, he eased her off him. ‘Lunch.’

So they weren’t going to go for it right then. She felt a bewildering mixture of disappointment and relief. Of course, he had said he preferred the moment before rather than after. There was still so much to look forward to.

Millie struggled up from of the water, watching as Chase rose out of the ocean like some archaic deity, water streaming in rivulets off the taut muscles of his back. He sluiced the water from his face and hair and then turned to her. ‘You got a suit under there?’

‘A suit?’ She glanced down at the now-soaked striped top and capris her secretary had ordered her as part of her holiday wear. She hadn’t had time to go shopping. ‘Umm... No.’

‘Shame. I was looking forward to seeing you in a string bikini.’

‘I don’t own a string bikini.’

‘Let me guess—sensible one-piece.’

‘I burn easily.’

‘Remind me to apply another layer of sunscreen on you after lunch. But first, we dive.’

‘Dive?’ she repeated incredulously. ‘But I just told you I don’t have a swimsuit.’

Chase shrugged. ‘You’ll have to swim in your underwear. Or naked, if you prefer.’

‘What?’ This came out in a screech. Chase raised his eyebrows.

‘Millie, we are going to sleep together, right? See each other naked? Touch each other in all those intimate places? Bring each other screaming to ecstasy?’

She was blushing. Like fire. Way too many details. ‘That doesn’t mean I want you to see me in my underwear in broad daylight,’ she managed.

‘Maybe I’ve decided to make love to you in broad daylight.’ He pointed to the slender strip of sand. ‘Maybe right there on that beach.’

Millie followed the direction of his pointing finger and could already see the two of them there on the beach, bodies naked, sandy and entwined. She could imagine it all too easily, no matter that she still felt shy about taking off her clothes. ‘Even so,’ she muttered. ‘It’s different.’

Chase let out a long-suffering sigh. ‘So you want to swim in your clothes?’

‘No.’ She recrossed her arms, shifted her weight. She didn’t know what she wanted. She’d agreed to this, she’d known it would be uncomfortable, and yet some bizarre and perverse part of herself still wanted it. Wanted him. Wanted the intimacy with him, even if she felt sick with nerves.

But if she really did want it why was she still resisting? Why was she fighting Chase on every little point? They’d already established he wasn’t going to ask her about her past. They wouldn’t see each other after this week.

They were going to have sex.

‘Fine.’ In one abrupt movement she slid her wet top over her head and kicked her way out of her capris. The clothes bobbed and floated on the surface of the sea, and belatedly she realised they were the only clothes she had here. She didn’t relish the prospect of walking down the resort beach in her undies. Lifting her chin, she glared at him. ‘Satisfied?’

‘I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied,’ Chase said slowly, his gaze wandering over her in leisurely perusal. ‘But pleased, yes.’

Millie shivered even though the air was sultry. She felt ridiculous standing there in her bra and panties, both a sensible, boring beige, even though Chase was only wearing a pair of shorts. They were both near-naked and yet...

When had someone last seen her this close to bare? A man? Rob, of course. Rob was the only man who had seen her in her underwear, besides her obstetrician. The thought was both absurd and excruciating.

Standing there under Chase’s scrutiny, she was agonisingly conscious of all her faults. She was too skinny, due to the black-coffee breakfasts and skipped lunches. Her appetite had fallen off a cliff since the accident. And, while supermodels looked good stick-thin, Millie knew she didn’t. Her hip bones were sharp and she’d dwindled down to an A-cup. And then of course there were the stretch marks, just two silver lines below her belly button—would he notice those? Would he ask?

No questions about her past. She’d remind him if necessary, and often.

Chase smiled and reached into the boat, bringing out two dive-masks. Millie eyed them dubiously.

‘Why are we diving, anyway? I thought we were eating lunch.’

‘We have to catch it first.’

Her jaw dropped. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’

He arched an eyebrow. ‘Do I look like a kidder?’

‘Well, since you asked...’

‘Seriously, it’s easy. We’re looking for conch—you know the big, pink shells? The pretty ones?’ She nodded. ‘We’ll find a couple of those, I’ll pry out the meat and we’ll have conch salad. Delicious.’

‘Raw?’

‘Haven’t you ever eaten sushi?’

‘Only in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Soho.’

‘Live a little, Millie.’

She frowned. ‘I don’t want to get food poisoning.’

‘The lime juice in the dressing has enough acid to kill any nasties,’ he assured her. ‘I’ve eaten this loads of times.’

And just like that she could imagine him here, looking so easy and relaxed, with the kind of curvy blonde he usually dated. She’d have a string bikini. Or maybe she’d go bare. Either way Millie felt ridiculous standing there in her underwear, having no idea what to do. And, worse, she felt jealous.