Annoyed he’d put a dampener on her upbeat mood but needing to do this to avoid any potential fallout moving forward, he said, ‘I prefer to be upfront so there can be no misconceptions later.’
‘No misconceptions here. You’re buying the agency I love and you’ll be gone in a few days once that happens. What’s to misunderstand?’
The mood well and truly obliterated, he took a chance and sat beside her, relieved when she didn’t dunk him again. ‘I like you, Karly. And I know you see me as the enemy, but for a few hours, can we set aside our differences?’
‘I already said I would,’ she muttered, sounding grumpy, but her smile had returned, filled with sass and cheek. ‘Who knows, maybe I’m so good in bed you’ll be shocked, have a heart attack and I won’t have to worry about you taking over the agency?’
He laughed as she intended and they shared a moment that made his heart thud. That’s when it hit him. Tonight might be only about sex but he hadn’t been drawn to a woman like this in forever. If ever. She captivated him on so many levels: her sparring, her brazenness, her intelligence. She was beautiful, but it was her personality that dazzled him, and he knew having sex would only confirm what he already knew.
This crush wouldn’t go away in a hurry.
‘Are you ready for that heart attack?’ She stood, water sluicing off her body as she held out her hand to him.
He took it and she tugged him close, plastering her body to his, the latent heat between them igniting in an instant as she kissed him.
The second her lips touched his, any lingering doubts faded, as all he could focus on was the feel of her wet curves pressed against him, the playfulness of her tongue in his mouth and the sensual moaning emanating from her throat.
He lost track of time as they made out like a couple of horny teenagers at a pool party, until they were breathless and gasping for air.
‘That was fun,’ she murmured, her tongue flicking out to sweep across her bottom lip as if savouring the taste of him, the simple action making him harder than he already was, if that were possible. ‘But I think we should move this indoors.’
‘Agreed,’ he said, reluctantly releasing her to pick up his clothes, and accepting the towel she handed him. As she tied another around her waist sarong-style, he realised she’d brought two outside. ‘Was it your plan all along to have me join you for a swim so you could seduce me?’
‘Maybe I always bring two towels out here, one for my hair and the other for my body, and you’re reading too much into this.’ She smirked, the glint of intent in her eyes clear. ‘Or maybe you’re spot on, and now that you’ve fallen for my dastardly plan, we should head to my place and I can show you exactly how much forethought I put into this.’
He joined in her chuckles, and when he took her hand and they broke into a half-run across the garden, he knew that whatever happened tonight, he wouldn’t regret it.
CHAPTER
27
When Karly had set out to make the most of the remaining time with Hudson by having some much-needed fun, she hadn’t counted on this.
The sex in the shower as they’d rinsed off after the swim had been sublime and the follow-up in her bed had blown her mind, twice, but it was this intimacy, as they lay on their sides facing each other, smiling like a couple of goofballs, that surprised her. If she were completely honest, it scared her a little.
She didn’t want to like him this much. She shouldn’t. Nothing good could come of it.
‘What are you thinking?’ He smoothed a finger between her brows, down her nose, before tracing her bottom lip with such tenderness she sighed.
‘I’m thinking that I’m still waiting for that cardiac arrest to kick in.’
He laughed and scooted closer so their bodies were almost touching. ‘I’d prefer if you keep trying to kill me with some of those excellent sexual acrobatics you’re so good at.’
She joined in his laughter and snuggled into the crook of his arm so they were now lying flat on their backs, staring at the ceiling. She preferred it this way, because staring into his eyes as they made small talk under her doona had her contemplating ridiculous thoughts, like how much she’d like this to last beyond one night.
But it couldn’t. Apart from the distance logistics, Hudson had made it more than clear out by the pool earlier what he wanted this to be about, and while she’d appreciated the clarification—not that she needed it—now she’d been worshipped by his hands and his mouth and his body, she wanted more. Whichever wise person had said ‘greed is good’ was spot on.
‘You’ve gone quiet,’ he said, resting his hand on her hip, the heat from his palm branding her. ‘You don’t have to kill me. I’m content hanging out with you like this.’
‘I was just thinking.’
‘Uh-oh. Should I be worried?’
‘No.’ She needed to lighten the mood, to have him focussed on anything other than how vulnerable she felt at the moment. ‘Unless this worries you.’
Her hand snaked between them, making a beeline for his lower half, and he surprised her when he stilled it.
‘As much as I’d like another rousing bout of sensational sex, something’s bothering you, and you can distract me all you like but I want to know what it is.’