Rory Dalton chased her across the white sand.
Laughter spilled through the speakers as Rory tackled her from behind. His big hairy hands slid down Sophie's bare back as he cradled her in his arms and they hit the ground. Sophie squealed and pretended to battle for air, her cries for him to stop tickling her causing Lance's stomach to knot.
The camera skimmed past them for a second to feast on a distant beach as the newscaster commented, "Right now, Mr. Dalton is trying to persuade our own Sophie Lane to stroll down to the nude beach, folks. Will she give in and shed that bikini, or will modesty convince her to bask in the sun, where our cameras can capture her every movement?"
Lance silently cursed. While the thought of Sophie on the nude beach with the hulk sent him into fits, the thought of watching her every movement scantily clad and teasing Dalton to undress her with her racy laughter and flirty smile was just as painful.
Modesty was not a problem for Sophie Lane. Hell, no. Hadn't Sophie dragged his innocent little sister off to a nudist colony for the weekend before she'd married Chase? Hadn't she fixed Maddie up with the producer of an S-and-M show?
The woman definitely wasn't modest. If so, she'd cover up her near nakedness with a beach wrap.
"They look like they're having so much fun," Maddie commented. "He's such a hottie."
Lance flexed his muscles beneath his dirt-covered jeans and water-splattered workshirt. He wasn't exactly out of shape himself. But maybe he should work out more.
"When I get home, I'm going to vote on whether or not they'll make it."
He cleared his throat to speak, but the cat quirked beady eyes toward him.
"Do you think Sophie and Rory will wind up tying the knot?"
He shrugged. His stomach was in knots; that's what he thought. "I've got work to do." The camera flashed back to Rory, who was plucking at the tie to Sophie's string top.
"Just think, Lance," Maddie said, smiling up at him, "if you'd won the date, you could have been there, sunning and dancing with a beautiful woman, instead of here digging up the floor and replacing pipes."
He cast her an evil look and left the room. He didn't need her derisive comments; the sewage smell reeking from his clothes and his lack of sleep were perfect reminders. And if he were chasing Sophie, he'd catch her and they'd make love, which would be fantastic—but then she'd want marriage and that would be fatal.
"Tune in Monday to see just how far Sophie and Rory take their relationship," the announcer said.
Lance cursed beneath his breath. It was going to be a long damned weekend.
* * *
If Rory Dalton didn't peel his hairy, sweaty body off of her, Sophie was going to scream.
"Smile for the camera."
How could she smile when she was running for her life? Besides, her lips felt glued to her teeth in misery.
"Come on, Soph, let's go to the nude beach. You don't want tan lines, do you?"
Sophie feigned innocence. "I can't, Rory. I have my audience to think about."
"Your audience will love you for it."
"I don't think so." She jabbed where she thought it might hit home. "You make concessions for your fans, don't you?"
He nodded, then cupped her chin in his hand. "Sure, I understand. But when this weekend is over, I want us to really be alone. Then we won't have to worry about a cameraman or your fans."
But I still have to live with myself.
He lowered his mouth and kissed her, not giving her time to protest. Sophie tried to relax. She wasn't betraying Lance by being with another man. In fact, she should give Rory a chance, because Lance didn't want her. But nothing about Rory's kiss aroused her.
Maddie's rules flitted through her head— Give him a nibble; then yank the line.
She eased back and he draped his arm over her shoulder. She wasn't playing games with him, but still, her refusal to climb in bed with him so readily seemed to spike his interest.
Would her distance from Lance entice him to come around?
She and Rory walked back
Laughter spilled through the speakers as Rory tackled her from behind. His big hairy hands slid down Sophie's bare back as he cradled her in his arms and they hit the ground. Sophie squealed and pretended to battle for air, her cries for him to stop tickling her causing Lance's stomach to knot.
The camera skimmed past them for a second to feast on a distant beach as the newscaster commented, "Right now, Mr. Dalton is trying to persuade our own Sophie Lane to stroll down to the nude beach, folks. Will she give in and shed that bikini, or will modesty convince her to bask in the sun, where our cameras can capture her every movement?"
Lance silently cursed. While the thought of Sophie on the nude beach with the hulk sent him into fits, the thought of watching her every movement scantily clad and teasing Dalton to undress her with her racy laughter and flirty smile was just as painful.
Modesty was not a problem for Sophie Lane. Hell, no. Hadn't Sophie dragged his innocent little sister off to a nudist colony for the weekend before she'd married Chase? Hadn't she fixed Maddie up with the producer of an S-and-M show?
The woman definitely wasn't modest. If so, she'd cover up her near nakedness with a beach wrap.
"They look like they're having so much fun," Maddie commented. "He's such a hottie."
Lance flexed his muscles beneath his dirt-covered jeans and water-splattered workshirt. He wasn't exactly out of shape himself. But maybe he should work out more.
"When I get home, I'm going to vote on whether or not they'll make it."
He cleared his throat to speak, but the cat quirked beady eyes toward him.
"Do you think Sophie and Rory will wind up tying the knot?"
He shrugged. His stomach was in knots; that's what he thought. "I've got work to do." The camera flashed back to Rory, who was plucking at the tie to Sophie's string top.
"Just think, Lance," Maddie said, smiling up at him, "if you'd won the date, you could have been there, sunning and dancing with a beautiful woman, instead of here digging up the floor and replacing pipes."
He cast her an evil look and left the room. He didn't need her derisive comments; the sewage smell reeking from his clothes and his lack of sleep were perfect reminders. And if he were chasing Sophie, he'd catch her and they'd make love, which would be fantastic—but then she'd want marriage and that would be fatal.
"Tune in Monday to see just how far Sophie and Rory take their relationship," the announcer said.
Lance cursed beneath his breath. It was going to be a long damned weekend.
* * *
If Rory Dalton didn't peel his hairy, sweaty body off of her, Sophie was going to scream.
"Smile for the camera."
How could she smile when she was running for her life? Besides, her lips felt glued to her teeth in misery.
"Come on, Soph, let's go to the nude beach. You don't want tan lines, do you?"
Sophie feigned innocence. "I can't, Rory. I have my audience to think about."
"Your audience will love you for it."
"I don't think so." She jabbed where she thought it might hit home. "You make concessions for your fans, don't you?"
He nodded, then cupped her chin in his hand. "Sure, I understand. But when this weekend is over, I want us to really be alone. Then we won't have to worry about a cameraman or your fans."
But I still have to live with myself.
He lowered his mouth and kissed her, not giving her time to protest. Sophie tried to relax. She wasn't betraying Lance by being with another man. In fact, she should give Rory a chance, because Lance didn't want her. But nothing about Rory's kiss aroused her.
Maddie's rules flitted through her head— Give him a nibble; then yank the line.
She eased back and he draped his arm over her shoulder. She wasn't playing games with him, but still, her refusal to climb in bed with him so readily seemed to spike his interest.
Would her distance from Lance entice him to come around?
She and Rory walked back
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