mignon
that shirtless men in collars were cooking on the grill.
She could feel eyes on her as she sunbathed in her bright, lime-green bikini. A lot
of them. Good. It was the reason she’d packed this bathing suit. The color and the
lack of fabric were always attention-getters.
Stephen’s stare was particularly penetrating. She had a feeling if he’d seen her before
she shed her wrap in front of the other guests, she never would have made it out of
their bedroom.
She glanced over her shoulder, hooking her sunglasses with the crook of one finger
and pulling them down the bridge of her nose to meet his hard blue gaze. He lifted
his hand off the lounge chair in silent command and Tasha felt an actual physical
tug in her stomach in response.
He wanted her.
He wanted his mistress , she reminded herself sternly, making a show of getting to her feet and strolling
toward him with an extra sway in her step. He was sitting beside Phil Burke and his
wife—Wendi with an i—and all three of them were watching her as if she were dinner
and they were starving.
She’d already been introduced to their hosts when they arrived, and the instant Burke
got a look at her, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas. Not because he was interested
in her physically, though there was a spark of that in his brown eyes. It was because
he believed she’d be his ticket to busting Stephen’s flawless image. To controlling
his votes.
Fat chance, honey.
He didn’t look like a comic book kingpin or villain. Jeremy would probably be disappointed.
Burke was incredibly…average. Brown hair with a few strands of silver. Average build
with the beginnings of a round belly, but not at all unhealthy. Nothing about him
would make someone look twice or cower in fear, unless they knew about his money and
what he’d done to earn it.
It was that second, closer look—when she saw the intelligence in his eyes and the
confident way he held himself—that gave him away. Anyone who considered him harmless
would be a fool.
When she got to Stephen’s lounger, she didn’t hesitate to lower herself onto his lap.
She snuggled into him as if she’d done it a million times and leaned forward to kiss
the corner of his mouth.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked softly, pulling her closer.
“Yes.”
Stephen reached for the glass of ice water on the small table beside him and brought
it to her. “You’ve been in the sun for an hour. Drink some of this for me.”
She took it, keeping her admiration to herself. He was doing it without prompting.
Taking charge of her care. Watching over her. It was more than gentlemanly behavior.
His tone, his demeanor…Stephen was being a Dom.
The glass was coated with condensation and she lifted it to her lips, enjoying the
taste and the drops of cool water that ran down her arm before handing it back. “Thank
you, sir.”
She took off her sunglasses and smiled at Wendi. “I could live the rest of my life
by this pool. Stephen didn’t tell me we were spending the week in paradise.”
Mrs. Burke smiled happily and leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder. “It is paradise,
isn’t it? I keep telling him travel is overrated. Phil has been trying to take me
to his place in Ireland, but I can’t imagine loving it more than I do my own backyard.”
Burke laughed lightly. “So the secret to getting you on a plane is moving to a less
attractive location without a pool. Good to know.”
Wendi playfully whacked his arm. “Don’t you dare.”
Tasha felt Stephen’s fingers tracing slow, sensuous circles on her back, just beneath
the knot of her bikini. “I’d love to travel. This one is always too busy saving the
world or giving speeches to take me where I want to go.”
Wendi made a sound of commiseration but sent her an excited smile. “Where do you want to go? I bet wherever it is, my husband has property there. Maybe we could
make it a group
that shirtless men in collars were cooking on the grill.
She could feel eyes on her as she sunbathed in her bright, lime-green bikini. A lot
of them. Good. It was the reason she’d packed this bathing suit. The color and the
lack of fabric were always attention-getters.
Stephen’s stare was particularly penetrating. She had a feeling if he’d seen her before
she shed her wrap in front of the other guests, she never would have made it out of
their bedroom.
She glanced over her shoulder, hooking her sunglasses with the crook of one finger
and pulling them down the bridge of her nose to meet his hard blue gaze. He lifted
his hand off the lounge chair in silent command and Tasha felt an actual physical
tug in her stomach in response.
He wanted her.
He wanted his mistress , she reminded herself sternly, making a show of getting to her feet and strolling
toward him with an extra sway in her step. He was sitting beside Phil Burke and his
wife—Wendi with an i—and all three of them were watching her as if she were dinner
and they were starving.
She’d already been introduced to their hosts when they arrived, and the instant Burke
got a look at her, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas. Not because he was interested
in her physically, though there was a spark of that in his brown eyes. It was because
he believed she’d be his ticket to busting Stephen’s flawless image. To controlling
his votes.
Fat chance, honey.
He didn’t look like a comic book kingpin or villain. Jeremy would probably be disappointed.
Burke was incredibly…average. Brown hair with a few strands of silver. Average build
with the beginnings of a round belly, but not at all unhealthy. Nothing about him
would make someone look twice or cower in fear, unless they knew about his money and
what he’d done to earn it.
It was that second, closer look—when she saw the intelligence in his eyes and the
confident way he held himself—that gave him away. Anyone who considered him harmless
would be a fool.
When she got to Stephen’s lounger, she didn’t hesitate to lower herself onto his lap.
She snuggled into him as if she’d done it a million times and leaned forward to kiss
the corner of his mouth.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked softly, pulling her closer.
“Yes.”
Stephen reached for the glass of ice water on the small table beside him and brought
it to her. “You’ve been in the sun for an hour. Drink some of this for me.”
She took it, keeping her admiration to herself. He was doing it without prompting.
Taking charge of her care. Watching over her. It was more than gentlemanly behavior.
His tone, his demeanor…Stephen was being a Dom.
The glass was coated with condensation and she lifted it to her lips, enjoying the
taste and the drops of cool water that ran down her arm before handing it back. “Thank
you, sir.”
She took off her sunglasses and smiled at Wendi. “I could live the rest of my life
by this pool. Stephen didn’t tell me we were spending the week in paradise.”
Mrs. Burke smiled happily and leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder. “It is paradise,
isn’t it? I keep telling him travel is overrated. Phil has been trying to take me
to his place in Ireland, but I can’t imagine loving it more than I do my own backyard.”
Burke laughed lightly. “So the secret to getting you on a plane is moving to a less
attractive location without a pool. Good to know.”
Wendi playfully whacked his arm. “Don’t you dare.”
Tasha felt Stephen’s fingers tracing slow, sensuous circles on her back, just beneath
the knot of her bikini. “I’d love to travel. This one is always too busy saving the
world or giving speeches to take me where I want to go.”
Wendi made a sound of commiseration but sent her an excited smile. “Where do you want to go? I bet wherever it is, my husband has property there. Maybe we could
make it a group
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