Page 45 of Storm Warning
Kate’s heart raced at his boldness, and a strangled laugh burst out. “Nope, I didn’t say that. You’re hearing things.”
She pushed him back playfully—aware he let her—and dropped off the edge. The sensation of sliding into the water was heavenly. The heat of the day evaporated as she submerged, the water welcoming her with a silky embrace. It was almost the same temperature as the air, soft against her skin.
“Hey, how is the water so soft?” she asked, hoping to redirect the intensity of their banter. It was a genuine question, her curiosity battling the flutter of nerves in her stomach.
Nick smiled, clearly amused at her obvious attempt to change the subject. “It’s a saltwater pool.”
She tilted her head, intrigued.
“Instead of using chlorine, which ruins the pipes and people’s clothes, we use salt. It provides the same result but doesn’t ruin anything and feels silky as a bonus.” He shrugged, confidence radiating from him. “We use the same system for the hotel pools. People love it. Now, move your sweet ass over to that net and let’s play!”
She laughed at his order, feeling lighter, and paddled toward the net. As she moved into position, she couldn’t help thinking how different Nick was from Dan.
Her ex would never have joined her in something so silly. He would have stood at the edge of the pool, phone in hand, wearing that condescending smile he reserved for anything he thought beneath him. If she’d asked him to play, he would have told her to grow up, or worse, acted embarrassed by her.
The contrast made her throat ache. Nick—wealthy, powerful Nick—played here in the water, grinning like a kid, utterly unbothered by optics. It was such a small thing, but it felt important.
Twenty minutes later, Kate dragged herself out of the pooland plopped on the edge, grumpy. As expected, Nick soundly beat her.
“Enough! I’m done! I knew you would win,” she huffed, crossing her arms and pouting.
Nick swam up to her and nudged her legs apart to settle between them. His arms framed her, his palms resting just behind her hips, close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his body. A shiver ran up her spine. He leaned in, his face so close she could see water droplets clinging to his eyelashes and the playful glint in his eyes.
“So, what’s my prize for winning?” he asked, his tone teasing, his breath warm against her lips.
Kate’s stomach did a flip, and her heart raced at his overwhelming proximity. She swished her legs in the water, pretending to think.
“We didn’t bet, but maybe you do deserve a prize. Let me think... a bottle of water? You must be thirsty,” she quipped, raising an eyebrow.
Nick exploded into laughter, his joy contagious, and just like that, all of Kate’s irritation melted away. He yanked her closer before she could blink, wrapping her in warm strength. The world around her faded as he murmured, “This is more what I had in mind.”
His lips met hers, igniting a fire that surged through her—electric, overwhelming, and thrilling. She lost herself in the moment, consumed by the heat flaring between them. He tasted of salt and mint, and the texture of his slick, wet skin against her palms made her dizzy.
Her nerve endings hummed to life, and her thoughts blanked as she smoothed her hands over his chest, tracing the hard lines of muscle, his heartbeat thundering beneath her fingertips. A rush of warmth flooded her entire body, poolinglow in her belly. When he finally lifted his head, she gasped for air, her lungs burning.
“Is that your prize or mine?” She breathed out, struggling to catch her breath, her heart pounding. He was dangerously alluring.
Nick rested his forehead against hers, his eyes holding amusement and heat, his pounding pulse visible in his neck. “Both. I believe in win-wins.” A shudder ran through him, a reflection of her own trembling. “But now I need a cold shower, or I’ll never get any work done today.”
He straightened, pulling back just enough to create a small gap, allowing the heated spark between them to cool, though her skin still tingled where they touched.
“We have an evening conference call, so I can’t do dinner tonight, but perhaps we could hang out a bit after? Talk? I really enjoyed last night and would love to spend more time with you.”
Kate’s heart leapt at the thought. “I’d like that. What time do you think you’ll be done?”
Nick’s brow furrowed, a shadow of concern flickering across his face. “It starts at six, so between eight and 8:30. Is that okay, or too late?”
“That’s fine.” She grinned, bright and genuine. “It’s not like we have a long commute to wherever we’re going!”
Nick chuckled, the sound sending a delightful shiver through her. “True! I’ll come find you when I’m done. Dress comfortably.”
He pushed off the edge of the pool in one fluid motion, water streaming from his body as he grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off, muscles flexing with each movement.
“I’ll see you tonight.” He flashed her one last smile—the kind that made her knees weak—and disappeared into thehouse, leaving her alone with her racing pulse and the soft lap of water against the pool’s edge.
The day fell quiet without his laughter, the bright blue water shimmering under the climbing sun. With a shaky sigh, she wandered back toward her suite, her wet footprints marking the warm stone. As she slipped inside, the cool air-conditioning raising goosebumps on her damp skin, a single thought pulsed through her, impossible to ignore: she didn’t know where this was going, but she wanted to find out.
Chapter 21