Page 180 of Let the Game Begin

I approached the door slowly, meeting his eyes through the glass and then opened it. The cold air mingled with the heat of the room.

“You really are a disaster,” I noted, looking at his sinfully appealing body. He smiled and walked into my room without asking for permission. A wave of his pleasing scent washed over me. I immediately shut the door behind him and just watched as he wandered around my room, scrutinizing everything curiously.

He dragged his fingers along one edge of my desk, and I could guess what he was thinking about. He’d once taken me violently on that desk, showing me all his uncontrollable carnal desire.

“You’re here to talk.” My weak voice cut through the uncomfortable silence that hung over the room, and he turned to look at me, paying special attention to my pajamas. I didn’t care if he thought they were childish; I wasn’t going to change for him or anyone else.

“You’ll have to take your clothes off,” he murmured, sounding intrigued but quite serious, and I shook my head.

It was no use trying to get anything out of him. All he did was tease me until he’d gotten what he wanted. Again, I felt dumb and deluded.

“Goodnight, Neil.” I sat down on the edge of my bed and grabbed my computer, settling it on my lap.

“You’ll have to take your clothes off.…” he repeated and a muscle in my cheek twitched angrily. “Because I’ll be waiting for you at the indoor pool, and you’ll need to wear a swimsuit,” he continued with a dictatorial scowl, so I would understand just how silly I’d been to mistrust him before I’d even let him finish. I lifted my face to meet his eyes, but he had already turned and headed for the door. I saw the marker tucked into the back pocket of his dark jeans.

I didn’t move for a few moments, staring at the hallway his frame had vanished into. I blinked as if to make sure I hadn’t imagined all of it, and then got quickly off the bed, shaking myself out of my trance.

Before I left my room, I put on a black one-piece with a bit of a revealing neckline. It was sexy but not vulgar, because I wanted him to want me but I didn’t want to be as flashy as the women who typically surrounded him. I also brushed my teeth, let my hair down to fall past my shoulders, and even did a quick check to make sure I was shaved and presentable.

Then, I took the elevator up to the third floor to meet him.

My legs trembled with every inch closer I got to him, and when the elevator doors opened and signaled my arrival, I had to be careful I didn’t fall down. Strong emotions swirled in my gut like planets orbiting a sun.

I went to the pool and immediately spotted Neil floating in the water. His upturned face was wet, his eyes closed as water dripped from their long lashes. His pectorals were especially prominent as his arms stretched out wide on either side of him. His full lips were curled into an insolent smirk, and his skin gleamed.

“Took you long enough, Tinkerbell,” he commented, opening his eyes to fix his golden gaze on me. I glanced around and noticed the soft, white deck chairs scattered around the pool. I peeled off my bathrobe and put it on one of them next to his things: the pack of Winstons, his phone, and the marker from before. Neil was eclectic to say the least.

I cleared my throat as I watched his gaze travel along my curves. Iapproached him in my bare feet, and choosing not to dive in, I sat down on the marble edge of the pool and dunked my legs just up to my knees. The water was pleasantly warm.

“What, don’t trust me?” he teased, swimming to meet me with elegant, feline motions. His lips broke the crystalline water line while his eyes remained above the surface. His chestnut hair hung down damply over the back of his neck. The toki stood out on his powerful bicep, begging me to touch it.

“Not enough. Remember: we’re here to talk,” I answered honestly, because I really couldn’t share too small a space with Neil without giving in to the temptation of his kisses.

I needed to shift my attention to something other than his body. I could feel my cheeks getting hot, and I was pretty sure it wasn’t because of the water.

“Bukowski’s your favorite writer,” I began with what felt like a good jumping-off topic.

Neil paused just a short distance from me and ran his hands through his wet hair. He licked his lips and they almost certainly tasted like chlorine andhim—a combination I longed to experience.

“And you went through my stuff without permission,” he answered, irritated. But he remained a safe distance away from me, for which I was eternally grateful.

“So…you like to read?” I pushed onwards because, goddammit, I needed a win.

Neil snorted and moved closer to me, which set off my invisible alarm. I imagined a tiny red light blinking inside me.

“There’s a bluebird in my heart that wants to get out,but I’m too tough for him, I say, stay in there, I’m not going to let anybody see,” he answered with a Bukowski quote, staring at my legs and floating over in front of me. Too close. I shifted uncertainly on the marble and tried to refocus on why I’d followed him here.

“And you’ve read Nabokov.Lolita?” I couldn’t help a small, pleased smile because it made me happy that Neil was familiar with my favorite author.

“It’s about a pedophile,” he noted colorlessly, brushing my left anklewith one hand. I flinched and automatically clapped my knees together in a protective gesture, which only made him laugh his guttural laugh at me.

“Exactly.” I cleared my throat and felt another caress, this time on my right ankle.

Neil watched me through his long eyelashes and gave me a sly smile, floating closer to me once again.

“Get in the water with me, Tinkerbell. I won’t bite,” he murmured huskily, and I blushed at the sound.

“It was a gift from my maternal grandmother,” I told him, referring to the sweater which had since become one of his favorite objects of ridicule.