Page 93 of The Price of Scandal

“We haven’t figured out how to get rid of him,” she confessed.

“Nice tits!” Frank squawked before buzzing Steve and flying off toward the beach.

“You know, I’m never bored around you, love,” I told her.

She bumped my shoulder, and together we strolled down the meandering path that led back to her house. The greenery was lush in the early morning sun. Established palms created a natural canopy above us. Oleander, bougainvillea, and other glossy green plants formed a lush, jungle-like underbrush that made everything feel secluded. Despite the multi-million-dollar mansions tucked behind greenery and gates, Bluewater felt like a deserted paradise.

Alone in some tropical paradise. As far as trysts went, this one was going down in my history books. Though I wished Emily would give me some clue as to how she felt about last night.

Our romantic seclusion was interrupted by a pink jogging-suited senior holding hand weights and puffing hard as she speed-walked toward us. There was a significantly younger, muscled man following her in a golf cart, shouting instructions through a bullhorn.

“Morning, Mrs. Esteban,” Emily said.

“Looks likesomeonehad a good night,” the woman said with a knowing smirk. She had a flower bandana tied over her pewter curls. Ten-karat diamond studs bobbed in her ears.

Emily gave her neighbor a guilty smile. Mrs. Esteban peered over her bifocal sunglasses and gave me a saucy wink.

“Less flirting. More walking,” the tanned trainer shouted.

She picked up the pace, and the golf cart whirred past us.

“You live in a very strange neighborhood,” I said.

Emily laughed. We were quiet for a few minutes as we wandered in the direction of her home. My muscles were warm, and my body felt deliciously loose and well-used.

“About last night,” she began.

Finally. My patience had run its course, and I’d been thirty seconds away from demanding to have a “let’s label this thing” conversation.“Yes?”

Emily stopped on the path and tentatively wound her arms around my neck. “It was good. Great.”

Andorbut. I couldn’t tell which way she was leaning.

“And?” I prodded, hopefully.

“And I think I’m onboard with revisiting it.”

I picked her up, lifting her feet off the path. Relief was a bright beacon of light in my chest. “I’ll pencil you in,” I teased.

“You do that, Price,” she said with a laugh.

“What are we doing today?”

She bit her lip. “I think I can afford to be a little late to the office this morning.”

“Working on a Saturday, love?” I tsked. “I seem to recall insisting that you take your health more seriously.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve had two of the best nights’ sleep in recent memory. And I’m willing to allow you to feed me breakfast,” she said magnanimously.

I kissed her. Less gently this time. More demanding. Letting her body skim mine, I set her back on her feet.

“Last night,” she began. “When you said I dazzled you?”

“Yes?” I kissed her again.

“Well, the feeling’s mutual,” she confessed.

“Does that mean you’d be open to labeling this… thing?” I asked, skimming her jawline with my thumbs.