was falling for her.
She opened her mouth and said the last thing he wanted to hear. “I was the one who broke into the condo and took them.”
Chapter Twelve
Alex let out a curse and rose, almost knocking over their drinks as he reached for her hand. “Come on.”
He headed down the nearly deserted beach, practically dragging her. The sun hung low on the horizon, a ball of golden fire that cast the afternoon in dramatic light.
They hadn’t gone far when she stopped to pull off her sensible heels. He let go of her hand and watched her slip off one shoe, then the other, her toes digging into the warm sand. Her toenails were painted a bright red. For some reason it made him smile—even as angry as he was.
He turned away from her and walked farther down the beach until he reached a small cove surrounded by water, rocks and trees. The place was secluded and they were completely alone.
She hadn’t caught up to him yet. He watched her walk through the white sand, the turquoise water behind her, and couldn’t help but remember the feel of her in the back of the limo last night. Looking at her, he would never guess that there were amazing curves beneath that boxy suit jacket. Or that the woman looking at him right now could be as passionate as the one he’d kissed last night.
He walked slowly back to her, never taking his eyes from her face. When he reached her, he cupped her cheek, thumbed away a tear, then rubbed the pad of his thumb over her full lips remembering how his mouth had felt on them, remembering the taste of her as he dragged her into his arms.
Her eyes widened, her lips parting. He heard her sharp intake of breath, felt the slight tremble in her body, as his mouth dropped to hers.
The moment their lips touched electricity arced between them setting off a storm in him. He felt a flash of desire as sharp and intense as a bolt of lightning. It set off a fire that rushed through his veins.
He grabbed the back of her suit jacket, fisting the material in his hands as he dragged her tighter against him until he could feel her wonderful body even through the fabric.
She quaked in his arms as his tongue explored her lips, her mouth, as if he could break through her cool reserve and unlock her secrets.
She wasn’t so cool right now. Her mouth was hot and tasted of citrus and salt. He wanted nothing more than to go on kissing her forever.
He heard a chorus of giggles behind him and reluctantly withdrew his mouth to glance back and see a gaggle of young children all tittering, small hands over their mouths, eyes wide as platters. Behind them, several women who appeared to be day care providers gave him a disapproving look.
Alex could only smile as he opened his fists, released the wadded up fabric of Samantha’s jacket and stepped back, but kept his arm around her. He could feel her still trembling, one of her arms around his waist, a piece of his shirt in her fist as though, if he let her go, her legs might not hold her up.
The interruption gave him time to come to his senses and he knew he should have been thankful for that. But he wasn’t. His heart was beating wildly and desire still burned in every cell.
Who was he kidding? He wanted this woman even knowing what he did about her.
AS ALEX STEPPED AWAY from her, Samantha sank down to the sand, not worrying about her expensive suit.
She was shaking, her head spinning, her body devoid of the strength to remain standing.
He looked down at her, a combination of anger and desire shining bright in his gaze. “Who are you?” he asked in a hoarse whisper. “Just when I think I know you…” Pain registered in his expression, a sharp anguish that squeezed her heart as if he held it in his fist.
He sank to his knees in front of her and took her shoulders again in his large hands.
All she could do was look up into his handsome face. The kiss had been so unexpected. He’d been angry at her, demanding answers. Why kiss her?
“Talk to me,” he commanded. “Dammit, Samantha. Why would you break into Caroline’s condo to steal an empty champagne bottle and two glasses?”
She tried to get to her feet, forcing him to rock back,