“For my money.”
“Oh.” Ali tried to look at it from Bradley’s point of view. He didn’t know her. And while she and Daniel had never talked about his finances, she knew he was wealthy. “He’s trying to look out for you.”
Daniel huffed.
“He doesn’t know we’ve been friends for two years. As far as he’s concerned, we’ve just met.”
Rolling onto his back, Daniel took her with him. She rested her head on his chest as he ran a hand down her back. “I’m not sure it would matter. Bradley always thinks people have an ulterior motive.”
“He loves you.”
“I know that, too,” he said.
“Maybe it would be best if I went back to my apartment while he’s visiting. I don’t want to cause problems between you two.”
“What did I say earlier about my son having nothing to do with you and me?”
“I don’t want to cause problems for you,” she whispered.
* * *
Daniel didn’t want to be having this conversation, but he didn’t want her worrying about it either. “Bradley is under the misconception that I’ve been blinded by love and can no longer think for myself.”
She didn’t respond right away. “Why would he think that?”
Propping himself up, he cupped her face in his hand, turning her head so he could look at her. “Because he sees the way I look at you.”
Her blue eyes stared up at him, drawing him into their depths. He knew right then he wanted her in his bed for the rest of his days. His heart didn’t care if it was logical or if it was what was best for her. He loved her and he needed her to know.
Daniel opened his mouth to say the words when he heard a noise outside.
Ali turned her head toward the patio door, obviously hearing it, too. “What’s that?”
She’d no more asked the question when his outside lights came on. Given where his property was located and that in the years he’d been here there’d only been one other time something like this had happened, it didn’t take much to figure out who was in his backyard.
The next thing he knew, music began to play from his outdoor speakers. If it were the middle of the day, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but it was after ten o’clock at night and both he and Ali had to work in the morning.
Getting out of bed, he threw on a pair of underwear and made his way to the patio door. He slid the door open and walked out onto his deck. The sound of someone entering the pool caught his attention and drew his gaze in that direction. He crossed to the edge of the pool and waited for his son to surface.
Bradley swam to the edge of the pool and turned, not noticing his father standing there.
Walking over to the outdoor kitchen, he turned off the music. Then he returned to the side of the pool, this time with the skimmer in hand. When Bradley approached, Daniel brought it down on his head.
His son popped out of the water as if something was trying to attack him. “Wh-what?” He tossed the net off him and soon found his father looming over him. “What was that for?”
“What the hell are you doing out here swimming at this time of night?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I figured I’d go for a swim.”
“A swim doesn’t require music. Nor does it require you to turn on every outside light,” Daniel said. “And you know my bedroom is right there.” He tilted his head behind him. The back of the house wrapped around the pool, which Daniel had loved when his kids were younger.
Bradley didn’t back down. “I like to listen to music when I work out.”
“You can’t hear it when you’re underwater.”
It was then his son noticed what Daniel was wearing. His face twisted into a grimace. “Dad, are you in your underwear?”
Daniel didn’t bother acknowledging his son’s comment. “Get out of the pool and turn everything off. Ali and I have work in the morning, which means we need to sleep. We can’t do that if you have the backyard lit up like its midday and music blaring.” He began to walk away. “And put the skimmer back where it belongs.” Not waiting for a response, Daniel headed back to his room.