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He heard them before he saw them. The pool was surrounded by arbors of climbing, flowering vines, and placed so that it took the full heat of the midday sun, warming the water to the temperature of a spa bath. He and Alex had loved to swim there as boys. It wasn’t quite Olympic sized, but was large enough that doing laps was a challenge.

He stood in one of the archways and looked on with a smile playing around his lips as Willa attempted the butterfly stroke. She was brave, his little girl, striking off into the deep with determination, even though a few strokes in, she came up sputtering.

Naisha was gentle, patient and encouraging, and from time to time her soft words floated over to him in the wind. He’d used that same technique when he’d taught Naisha to swim in this same pool many years before.

He felt a brief moment of shame that he hadn’t taken it upon himself to teach Willa to swim properly. Sure, like any other kid she could splash around, but as a dad it should have been his job to teach her the strokes and the breathing techniques.

In his defense, he was away a lot while Willa was growing up, traveling the world for business and confident that Sofia would ensure their child was well cared for. He’d convinced himself that making money was how a man contributed to the wellbeing of his family.

But he also had to admit that many times he was relieved to be away, to put some distance between him and the unceasing tension between himself and Sofia. And for that, Willa had suffered.

Never again, he promised himself.

He watched as the pair climbed out of the pool, still laughing and breathless. Naisha was wearing a white bikini that would have graced any high-fashion photoshoot, with golden hoops at each hip and holding together the two triangles that covered her breasts. She was sleek and wet and perfect, her dark skin gleaming in the sunshine. Her hair streamed water, which cascaded down her face, dripped from her eyelashes and lips.

It brought back memories. Of the summer house, and all they got up to in there, he and Naisha, when they were younger. He remembered how his kid brother, Alex, used to cause a diversion back up at the château, distracting their parents while he and Naisha sneaked across the vast estate to their spot, where they were sure to have privacy.

Why was it that this woman constantly invaded his memory?

Then he felt embarrassment wash over him. Why was it that he always found himself off to the side, staring at her? Like some kind of creeper. He was lord of the manor. It was time to act like it.

He stepped forward and made his presence known.

“Papa!” Willa exclaimed and began running towards him.

“If you hug me and get my suit wet, I’m tossing you back into the water.”

“If you toss her in,” Naisha warned with an I-mean-it grin, “I’m kicking you in after her.”

“Ouch.”

“Don’t mess with her, Papa. She’ll do it.”

He put his hands on his hips and made a big display of standing back. “You girls are already teaming up against me. You’re dangerous!”

Willa roared, clawing at him like a mighty bear. “And hungry!”

“Well, it’s a good thing I came to get you, then. Go towel off.”

Willa shot off to get her towel, followed by Naisha, who seemed suddenly aware of her near nudity, and was hastily wrapping herself in a huge bath towel that he hated on sight simply because it was covering a vision that he had so much enjoyed.

He lifted a brow to her, conveying without words an invitation to join them, just as Willa returned. But Naisha looked away, speaking to Willa instead. “Hey, sweetie. You and your dad go ahead and enjoy your lunch.”

Willa pouted. “You’re supposed to come with us!”

Naisha pulled the towel tighter around her. “I can’t honey. I have some phone calls to make.”

“Can’t you make them later? Papa wants you to come too.” She turned to William, squeezing his hand in a desperate signal for backup. “Don’t you, Papa?”

“I really need to make these calls now,” Naisha insisted.

William decided to help Naisha off her own hook. “It’s fine,choupette.We’ll have lunch together another day, all three of us,oui?”

“Fiiine,” Willa said, and let him lead her away.

It was clear to him that Naisha was grasping at straws, saying anything she could think of to avoid being in his presence.

Did that mean she was as disturbed by his presence as he was by hers?


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