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“Annie,” I said without thinking.It was the name I always used on vacation but the minute it was out of my mouth I regretted it.The way his eyes lit up when I gave him my name made me wish it were really for me, not the persona I took on in the name onanonymity.

“Nice to meet you, Annie.”Then he nodded at the ear buds hanging around my neck.“What are youlisteningto?”

Not much since you’ve been distracting me all day.“An audiobook.I thought it would be easier than trying to read by the pool but it turns out I prefer the real thing.”I loved to read, to escape into a story and live another life for a few hours.A sure sign I’d gotten too stressed—I couldn’t remember the last book I read.At the airport I grabbed two books out of desperation but I never made it past the first chapter of either book.I couldn’t tell if it was the writing or my brain.That’s when Ted suggested theaudiobook.

“What’s it about?”Colt leaned back on his hands and crossed his feet at the ankles, giving me a fantastic view of his long, lean,muscularbody.

I swallowed.“Um...”Not your abs, damn it all.“It’s a mystery, but the narrator is very dry.I’m bored totears.”

His blue eyes danced and his lips curved at the corners as he caught me ogling his washboard stomach.“Do you usually readmysteries?”

I should feel embarrassed being caught like that, but I wasn’t.Probably because of the smugness I saw in his eyes.He knew I liked what I saw.The question now was, what was he going to do with that information?Would he be an ass or a gentleman?Some men would take that as an open invitation to turn our conversation directly toward a one-night stand.“Sometimes.I like a little bit of everything and I thought a mystery would make a good audiobook.I waswrong.”

That’s when he surprised me.“I’ve really been into the spoken word podcasts and poetry lately.There’s something so passionate about—what?”He stopped midsentence and narrowed his eyes.“Why are you looking at melikethat?”

“You like poetry?”My heart beat faster.Suddenly I didn’t really care about smugness anymore.Not if it came with a love ofpoetry.

“Yes,” he said slowly.“Doyou?”

“Very much.And sometimes Iwriteit.”

His smile returned, even warmer than before.“Really?See, I don’t think I could write it, but I love toreadit.”

My heart took off in triple time.Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to explore the reasons why.Behind me a woman’s voiceroseup.

“I think you need to cool off, pretty boy,” sheshouted.

I spun around just as she picked up her glass of ice water and...no...shewasn’t...

Splash.

She doused Ted right in the face, the water dripping down his bare chest and pooling athisfeet.

All with a grin onhisface.

Then he shivered.“That’s better,” he said.“Nice and cool.Now, wherewerewe?”

Her eyes narrowed, her lips pursing as she scowled, but not in a terribly upset way.No, actually, she looked a little turned on, to be honest.As if his antics were exactly what sheneeded.

I was fascinated to see how this unfolded.My money was on Ted getting carted off by security five seconds after she kneed him in theballs.

“You can go back to your girlfriend and leave me in peace,” she shouted, wavingatme.

Me?

I shook my head, holding up my hands in protest, at the exact same time Ted laughed.“Her?Oh no, sweetheart, we aren’ttogether.”

Her eyes went wide.“Sweetheart?”

He stepped back.“Princess?”

“Princess?”

He stepped back again, white as a sheet.“Angel?”

She stood up.“Do I look like a fucking angeltoyou?”

Then she stepped toward him as he stepped back...and right intothepool.