By the time I get poolside, Tobias is furiously barking orders and cursing in a mix of English and French. I tentatively listen as he speaks with his back to me and can’t make out much aside from the fact he’s angry. His foreign tongue fluid, thick, sexy, enticing. His back goes ramrod straight before he turns to see me standing there, shamelessly eavesdropping. Snapping one last order, he cuts the call, discarding the phone next to the others before stretching his arms out on the side of the pool.
“Sounded serious.”
“And what is it you think you heard?”
“Le pleck, le spit,” I upturn my nose and school my features in my best imitation of a French snob, “le plah, le bark, more spit, and merde.”
We glare at each other for a second before he throws his head back and laughs. I completely ignore my urge to smile at the sound of it, instead crossing my arms and cocking my hip. “I’m not fluent. Yet. But watch your back, Frenchman.”
His laughter slows and he shakes his head, a chuckle sounding just before his eyes roam me in amusement.
“So, what crises are you fighting today?”
“Don’t concern yourself.”
“I’m not concerned, but I am curious as to why you’re here, again. Do you not have a home?”
“Plenty of them.”
“Then why take up residence here?”
“Just taking advantage of my position. You should as well. The water is warm.” He eyes me in my boy shorts and a cami.
“I’ll pass. Seriously, can’t you take your problem solving somewhere else?”
“There are two types of ways to handle problems,” he starts, and I roll my eyes dismissively.
“Great, another lecture.”
“And two types of people,” he goes on, completely unfazed. “There’s the one that will walk past that offending piece of lint or paper on the floor every single day and tell themselves they’ll get to it. And those that will pick it up the minute they spot it. They’ll figure out where it came from, trash it, and forget it was ever there. But, for the ones that walk by it every day, it will become a problem. It will start to fester. Another something they’ll have to get to. Another pea on their plate. They’ll start to look for it, its presence a nuisance, and tell themselves they’ll get to it tomorrow. Until one day, it’s more of a crisis of conscience than a pea.”
“Let me guess. You don’t have any peas on your plate.”
One side of his mouth lifts in contempt before he speaks through thick lips. “I fucking hate peas.”
“It’s a piece of lint.”
“Only to the person who picked it up.”
“Confucius say ‘pick up lint.’ Got it, any more wisdom you’d like to impart before you depart? Can I count on your sudden and unwanted appearance every day now as well?”
“You can count on me being where I need to be until our business is concluded.”
“Whatever. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got better things to do than let you dip your finger in my head and stir.”
“Don’t be so quick to dismiss what I’m offering, Cecelia. We could learn from each other.”
“You mean you can poke and prod me for more intel on my dad? Yeah, I’ll pass.”
“I know plenty, but the devil is in the details. Know your opponent.”
“I’m not interested in learning more about you.”
“The look in your eyes declares otherwise.”
He doesn’t smirk, not a hint of smugness in his tone, leaving no room for debate. Maybe he can sense my attraction just as easily as I can detect his. Just another reason he’s the bane of my existence.
“You’re a beautiful man, Tobias. I don’t deny it. I’m sure you’ve used it to your advantage and often.”
He propels himself toward where I stand on the opposite side of the pool, his arms cutting through the water with ease as he zeroes in on me. Lust coats me from head to foot, but I don’t make a move, nor do I bristle when he lifts himself from the pool, water flowing down his muscled skin as he towers above me, purposely invading my space. Seconds tick past as he sheds water, dampening me in more ways than one while my nipples draw tight. He misses nothing, his eyes dipping to my chest before they slowly lift back up to me.
“You want what I’m offering. You’re just too stubborn to ask. It’s on the tip of your tongue, so ask.”
“I want nothing but your absence.”
He draws closer, cold droplets of water pelting my chest and legs.