As they rode up the elevator, Kate stood in front of Ben, while staring at her own reflection in the polished silver elevator doors. But when she raised her gaze, the dark eyes in the sober face reflected off the shiny surface were looking directly at her. Deciding it was time she broke the ice cloak that seemed to have encased Ben, for whatever reason, she said to his reflection, “You seem distracted and uptight."
Holding her gaze, Ben replied, “It’s been a long day. ‘
“Too much wine, women and song?”
Again that half-smile, and again it flattened. “Maybe too little.”
Kate felt the warmth of his bare chest radiating through the towel draped over her back and realized he’d moved closer. But he was no longer staring at her reflection in the elevator doors. Instead, he was looking down at her. He raised his hand, as if to touch her shoulder, and though it fell back, she could feel invisible fingers against her skin from the touch that never came. She had to fight the bizarre and unexplainable urge to turn and slip her arms around his neck and kiss him until she couldn't breathe. But the whole idea was absurd. The man meant nothing to her. Yet, the pull was unlike anything she'd ever known, and she had to remind herself that he was the one person she must not give her heart to. But as difficult as it was to remember he was her enemy, she knew it would be yet harder to dismiss from her mind the sight of his lean, muscular torso, and the masculine bulge beneath his sealskin suit. For twenty-four years she'd prided herself on her ability to guard her virginity for her perfect mate. But for the first time since she'd reached puberty, she felt her resolve seriously challenged.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kate stepped out of the elevator and into the pool enclosure, a huge space encircled by large windows that looked out onto a panoramic view of the city. Ben tossed both pairs of swim fins near where Kate stood and told her he'd be back in a few minutes, leaving her standing by the side of the pool. She looked around. In a wide area at one end of the pool were cabana tables, and beyond the tables was a cocktail bar and a line-up of bar stools. An attendant, dressed in Hawaiian garb, appeared to be closing the bar.
The sound of someone springing off a diving board caught Kate's attention. She glanced around to find Ben at the opposite end of the pool, twisting and tumbling in mid air before opening like a jack knife and slicing through the water with barely a splash. In near perfect form, he swam the length of the pool to where she stood, and lunged out of the water, then sat on the edge. “Are you ready?” he asked, reaching for one large fin.
Kate's gaze moved over his broad chest, now glistening beneath the overhead lights as droplets of water made their way over the hard contours, and as he fastened a swim fin onto his foot, she found herself captivated by the play of muscles in his arms. He looked up and caught her staring. She gave a nervous little laugh, and said, “Ready... yes, well... I suppose...”
“Then you have to drop the towel and put on your swim fins," he said, still without humor.
Feeling tightly bunched fists against her chest, Kate realized she was clutching the towel with both hands. She had no idea why she was reluctant to drop it though. She’d never been self-conscious about displaying herself in a swimsuit before, considering her figure above average. But the thought of Ben’s eyes on her, as she stood in front of him in her iridescent-green skin, made her body come alive in ways she'd never known.
She lowered herself to the edge of the pool and shrugged her shoulders, allowing the towel to fall away. Reaching for one of the swim fins that Ben had tossed there earlier, she slipped her foot into it. The V-shaped clasp on its strap was as peculiar as the fin itself, and while she struggled to fasten the legs of the clasp onto the connector on the fin, with nervous fingers, Ben pushed
Holding her gaze, Ben replied, “It’s been a long day. ‘
“Too much wine, women and song?”
Again that half-smile, and again it flattened. “Maybe too little.”
Kate felt the warmth of his bare chest radiating through the towel draped over her back and realized he’d moved closer. But he was no longer staring at her reflection in the elevator doors. Instead, he was looking down at her. He raised his hand, as if to touch her shoulder, and though it fell back, she could feel invisible fingers against her skin from the touch that never came. She had to fight the bizarre and unexplainable urge to turn and slip her arms around his neck and kiss him until she couldn't breathe. But the whole idea was absurd. The man meant nothing to her. Yet, the pull was unlike anything she'd ever known, and she had to remind herself that he was the one person she must not give her heart to. But as difficult as it was to remember he was her enemy, she knew it would be yet harder to dismiss from her mind the sight of his lean, muscular torso, and the masculine bulge beneath his sealskin suit. For twenty-four years she'd prided herself on her ability to guard her virginity for her perfect mate. But for the first time since she'd reached puberty, she felt her resolve seriously challenged.
CHAPTER FOUR
Kate stepped out of the elevator and into the pool enclosure, a huge space encircled by large windows that looked out onto a panoramic view of the city. Ben tossed both pairs of swim fins near where Kate stood and told her he'd be back in a few minutes, leaving her standing by the side of the pool. She looked around. In a wide area at one end of the pool were cabana tables, and beyond the tables was a cocktail bar and a line-up of bar stools. An attendant, dressed in Hawaiian garb, appeared to be closing the bar.
The sound of someone springing off a diving board caught Kate's attention. She glanced around to find Ben at the opposite end of the pool, twisting and tumbling in mid air before opening like a jack knife and slicing through the water with barely a splash. In near perfect form, he swam the length of the pool to where she stood, and lunged out of the water, then sat on the edge. “Are you ready?” he asked, reaching for one large fin.
Kate's gaze moved over his broad chest, now glistening beneath the overhead lights as droplets of water made their way over the hard contours, and as he fastened a swim fin onto his foot, she found herself captivated by the play of muscles in his arms. He looked up and caught her staring. She gave a nervous little laugh, and said, “Ready... yes, well... I suppose...”
“Then you have to drop the towel and put on your swim fins," he said, still without humor.
Feeling tightly bunched fists against her chest, Kate realized she was clutching the towel with both hands. She had no idea why she was reluctant to drop it though. She’d never been self-conscious about displaying herself in a swimsuit before, considering her figure above average. But the thought of Ben’s eyes on her, as she stood in front of him in her iridescent-green skin, made her body come alive in ways she'd never known.
She lowered herself to the edge of the pool and shrugged her shoulders, allowing the towel to fall away. Reaching for one of the swim fins that Ben had tossed there earlier, she slipped her foot into it. The V-shaped clasp on its strap was as peculiar as the fin itself, and while she struggled to fasten the legs of the clasp onto the connector on the fin, with nervous fingers, Ben pushed
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