揌ow can you say that? Your ex was just as big a cheating douchebag.?
揌e was, but Linc served up justice, didn抰 he??
揧eah,?I admit. 揃ut before that…he busted your heart, too.?
揥hat??
揝orry. I just can抰 forget the sobbing mess you were after he decided you were better off apart…？I hate that I have to remind her life wasn抰 always so picture-perfect.
揌e was scared, Eliza. And if I had to guess, that抯 what抯 going on with your beau. Men always fuss about being big and tough, but they can抰 handle half as much as we can. Go talk to him.?
揑 mean, what other choice is there? We抣l talk. If he doesn抰 care, if he抯 too afraid, he抯 going to have to say it to my face. After Derek, I抦 done playing guessing games.?
揋ood girl.?She pauses as a grumpy baby squeals impatiently in the background. 揂nd somebody抯 up from their nap. I have to go. We抮e having dinner with my mother-in-law later, but let me know how it goes.?
揥ill do.?
I hang up with a sigh, stuff my phone back in my purse, and then head out the door.
While I抦 still high on courage, I head for the beautiful library Cole turned into a personal office.
I knock a couple of times, but there抯 no answer.
Fine. The door is unlocked, so I go inside.
Surprise, surprise. He抯 not here.
You抳e got to love how answers are always scarce when you need them the most.
But I抦 not suffering through another sleepless night and a morning running on stinging eyes and pure ristretto shots.
The afternoon sky has an orange-creamsicle tint. It catches my attention, and I walk closer to the window.
Once I抦 there, I realize there抯 another door, a sunroom attached to this library.
The sunset filters in through two sets of windows, giving everything that orange splash. It抯 just above the pool on the lower level. I see someone out there, moving, and?There he is.
There抯 no mistaking a body that could make Poseidon jealous.
Toned muscles ripple down his bare back and built legs as he propels himself through the water.
Is he naked?
Oh, hell, I think he is.
He抯 all hard, lean perfection. He抯 a human wall with the softest lips that turn me inside out effortlessly.
I抦 instantly wet.
Yeah, this might not be the best time to talk. I抦 at a scary disadvantage.
Also, if the heat radiating from my face is any indication, I抦 redder than a lobster at this distance. How awful will I look if I confront him while he抯 in his birthday suit?
My eyes drift to a black patch over his unbreakable butt.
Dark trunks hug his legs, something I didn抰 notice at first, which means seeing him fully naked was a wishful hallucination.
Sigh.
Leaning against the window, I try not to enjoy the show, and fail miserably.
At some point, when I抦 gnawing my bottom lip and turning into a boneless mess, it slides open from my body抯 pressure.
Whoops.
So it抯 a door. And I抦 falling halfway through it, stumbling a few steps onto a small landing before I realize my mistake.
I exhale sharply.
There goes my excuse to avoid him.
Closing the door behind me like I totally didn抰 just fall out of it, I march down the small flight of steps to the pool deck and sit on a lounge chair, watching as he swims like a dolphin.
He doesn抰 catch me staring until he comes up for air, raking his thick sandy-brown hair back with his fingers.
My blush burns my cheeks.
揈liza? Did you want to use the pool??He swims up to the side where my toes skim the pool.
揢mm梟o. I came to talk.?
His eyes gleam, soulful blue fire in the evening light, swirling with questions.
揟hanks for taking Destiny surfing yesterday. She hasn抰 enjoyed herself on the beach in a long damn while and now she抯 hooked. I hired a lifeguard棓
揧ou what??I do a double take.
揚urely to keep an eye on her. Both of you, really, in case anything went wrong. I wasn抰 sure if she抎 panic,?he admits, his face falling with the worry only a father has for his little girl.
揟hank you,?I offer. 揑抦 sure I could抳e managed, but it would抳e been nice to know we had back-up.?
揑f it happens again, you抣l know.?He pauses, stretching his arms out in the water. His muscle ripples, a powerful canvas of ridges. 揧ou抮e a talented woman, and not just with slinging coffee. You helped Destiny let her guard down, and I抦 grateful. She hasn抰 been swimming for years.?
I feel my willpower bleeding out of me.
Why does he have to be so nice right now?
揑 do what I can.?Except pry the answers I need from you. But when he falls back in the water with a huge smile before standing again, my heart beats so hard in my chest I can抰 bring myself to care.