He released the curtain and stepped away, not wanting to be a perv. But he was only human and with a gorgeous woman he fancied having an evening swim outside his door, he’d be an idiot not to join her.
Karly might have made it more than clear she couldn’t wait to see the back of him, but he’d rather spend his remaining time in Acacia Haven on good terms with her and that meant joining her poolside.
Before he could second-guess his impulse, he strode outside and crossed the backyard. She floated on her back and as he neared the pool her glance flicked towards him.
‘How’s the water?’
An inane question considering she wouldn’t be in it if it was freezing.
‘Why don’t you join me and find out?’
Surprised by her magnanimity—and even more shocked by her coy smile—he pointed to his shorts. ‘No togs.’
She swam to the deep end and clung to the edge, looking up at him with an intriguing blend of flirty and teasing. ‘If you’re wearing undies, what’s the problem?’
‘What if I’m not?’
He threw it out there, curious to hear her response. Either she wanted him to join her because she felt this spark between them too or she was toying with him with the intent to accidentally on purpose drown him.
‘Then this could be a very interesting evening, though I’m not sure when Pop’s due back and he might take offence to his tenant skinny-dipping with his granddaughter.’
He laughed, loving her sense of humour. ‘Relax. I won’t give you an eyeful.’ He paused. ‘Unless you ask politely.’
She rolled her eyes and snorted. ‘Just get your gear off and join me.’
‘Best offer I’ve had all week.’
He whipped off his T-shirt and pushed his shorts down, trying to think cold thoughts when her gaze zeroed in on his black boxers. Turning his back on her, he imagined himself in Antarctica, a suitably freezing thought, to get his libido under control, before taking a few steps to the deep end and diving in.
When he surfaced, she’d let go of the edge and was treading water near enough he could see the droplets clinging to her eyelashes like dew on a rose. She was beautiful, every tempting inch of her, and he knew he’d be a fool to walk away without telling her.
‘I may have a crush on you,’ he said, moving his arms and legs in an easy rhythm to tread water beside her. ‘Is that inappropriate considering our business dealings?’
She took an eternity to answer and his hopes plummeted. But when her gaze dipped to his mouth and she murmured, ‘Let’s forget about business tonight,’ he wondered how far he should take this.
‘It’s a complication,’ he said.
‘Only if we let it be.’
‘I thought you didn’t like me.’
Amusement tugged at the corners of her mouth. ‘Do I have to like you to have sex with you?’
Before he could respond, she lunged and shoved him underwater, her laughter muted as the water enclosed him. When he resurfaced, she’d swum to the shallow end, her grin smug as she leaned back on the steps, leaving the top of her breasts out of the water and glistening in the muted light. Magnificent.
‘Did I just hear correctly?’
She shrugged with faux nonchalance. ‘That depends. Are you prone to auditory hallucinations?’
‘No.’
‘Then you heard correctly.’ She crooked a finger at him and he didn’t have to be asked twice to swim nearer. ‘I guess the question is, what are you going to do about it?’
Hudson wanted to ravish her on the spot, to kiss her senseless, to pleasure her until she screamed his name. But despite all the blood draining south from his head, logic demanded he clarify what she wanted before he took this any further.
‘I want to do plenty with you,’ he said, ‘but so we’re clear, you’re after one night, yeah? No strings, no regrets? Because as you just articulated so nicely, you still don’t like me, so this is merely physical?’
A tiny frown creased her brow. ‘Of course. I didn’t think we needed to spell it out. Would you like me to sign a contract agreeing to your terms?’