“Thank you, Georgia.” He pinned her with an intense expression as emotion danced in his dark eyes. “You know, I thought I was the one doing the saving today. Guess I was wrong.”
She laughed nervously while a flame burst to life in her gut. The way he was looking at her made her feel as if he could look straight into her soul. “I thought we were both supposed to save each other. That’s what this whole business deal has been about, right?”
She wasn’t even sure what she was saying. Her nerves and Alaric’s close proximity had loosened her tongue and she was simply trying not to ramble on like a teenaged girl. But suddenly, the air around them seemed to drop ten degrees. Ala
ric’s jaw tightened and he turned his head to gaze out at the river.
“Business deal.” He pursed his lips. “Right.”
Georgia looked down at her hands in the water, feeling as if she’d said something wrong. What did he want from her? She wished she could hear his thoughts. Maybe then, she wouldn’t have felt like she’d stuck her foot in her mouth once again.
“We should be getting back.” Alaric pushed out of the seat and pulled himself toward the stairs, leaving a bewildered looking Georgia behind. “By the time Captain Finn turns this yacht around, it’ll be late afternoon. Sally’s probably already got every cop in New York looking for you.”
He was right. They couldn’t disappear forever. Still, Georgia ached to reverse time to five minutes ago, when everything had seemed easy between them.
“Alaric,” she called as he jumped out of the pool. He froze with his back to her, water dripping down his shapely torso. “Thank you for today.”
He nodded his head only slightly, the muscles in his back tensing. “Anything for you, Georgia.”
And then she sank back into the water.
Chapter Ten
Alaric paced outside Georgia’s hotel room, tugging at the collar of his tux. They were already twenty minutes late to the Marina Music Award show. Any longer, and they might as well forget going. No cameras would catch them together.
“That’s what we want, after all,” he muttered to himself. “That’s what this whole business deal is about.”
He raked his hands through his hair and groaned. He’d been up half the night, tossing and turning, imagining the soft curve of Georgia’s smile and the way her small hand felt in his. They’d had such a great day together on his yacht. She’d looked utterly gorgeous in her red bikini, paired with a flirtatious glint in her eyes that pulled him in like a fish wriggling on a line.
Yet, despite the confidence oozing off of her, there was still a hint of the old Georgia in her expressions. The young girl who couldn’t even say hi to him in high school. He liked that. There were so many layers to her personality. He wanted to get to know them all.
Only Georgia could’ve convinced him to reveal his prosthetic leg and take it off to get into the pool. Honestly, he was still surprised she’d been able to persuade him so easily. But with the warm water, the sun glinting off the Hudson, and the beautiful woman waiting for him in the deep end, how could he have refused?
If only he hadn’t let his heart run away in the moment. Georgia had pulled him back though, reminding him of their deal. It was as if she could read his mind and known he was wading into dangerous territory. He’d been stupid to think she thought of him as anything more. They weren’t even friends.
But what if they could be more?
Alaric chewed on his tongue and quit his pacing. If there was one thing he’d learned in life, you didn’t get something unless you went after it. Grabbed it by the horns. If there was a future for him and Georgia, he had to go after it. Ask her if she felt the same way.
Maybe she’d hate him. Or maybe she’d fall into his arms. Nothing lost, nothing gained. But oh, what a beautiful thing it would be if she said yes.
He just needed a minute alone with her to talk.
The doors behind him opened at that moment and he turned to see a flurry of Georgia’s staff and band mates exit the hotel room with drinks in hands, laughing and shouting. Once the commotion died down, a single person remained, framed by the white trim. Georgia stood in a stunning emerald green dress with a sweetheart neckline and tight, silk bodice. It cascaded into a floor-length skirt that glistened and moved like water over her legs.
A single strand of white pearls adorned her delicate throat and her wild curls had been tamed into a retro style with loose waves pinned on one side of her head. Her red painted lips curled into a relieved smile when she caught a glimpse of Alaric, her cheeks reddening.
“Good, you’re still here. I was hoping you wouldn’t give up on us. Sorry that took so long.”
Alaric swallowed hard, feeling his pulse race. She looked so beautiful, he was sure he’d have an impossible time keeping his eyes off of her. Tonight was definitely the night. This evening, he was going to tell her how he felt. It was settled.
Rubbing his hands together, he gave her a nervous smile and offered his arm. “What kind of fairy tale would this be if the prince left the ball before Cinderella arrived?” He chuckled, willing himself to stop staring at her and instead, glanced down at his shiny dress shoes. “Does this tux pass muster? I had my assistant send it over. She mentioned something about Robert Downy Junior wearing the same style to the Oscars this year.”
“You look wonderful,” she said, breathlessly. “I think the tux look really works for you. In fact, I think you should wear tuxes twenty-four seven.”
He grinned up at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. “And I think you look utterly gorgeous. We make the perfect pair.”
She gazed back at him for a long moment, her eyelashes fluttering. Something flashed in her eyes, as if she wanted to say something. But that moment died as soon as Sally came rushing out of the hotel room in a black dress with a neckline that plunged dangerously to her abdomen and her hair pulled back into a severe bun.