men who would want to date you.”
“That’s kind of you to say, but to be honest, I tend to scare off a lot of men.”
“You?”
“Yes. Remember when you first met me?” Of course, he’d remember. Their acquaintance was still new. “You couldn’t wait to get away, either.”
More water trickled down his chest. “That’s not true. I thought you might have a death wish, but getting away wasn’t what I wanted.” He moved even closer to her. “Why aren’t you dating anyone, Chloe?”
“Does whiskey make you ask personal questions?”
His gaze searched hers. “How do you know I had whiskey?”
“Because my brother called me. Told me you’d helped him to empty a bottle. He sounded rather drunk.”
“Oh, I assure you, he is quite drunk.”
“He swore you helped him empty the bottle, so when I heard splashing, I thought perhaps you’d fallen in as you staggered back to your place. Instead, I found you appearing all fit.”
His right hand inched closer to her leg. “I didn’t drink as much as your brother.”
“So I’m realizing.”
“Your brother talks a lot when he drinks.”
“Does he now?” Tell me something I don’t know.
“We had a deal. Each time I answered a question for him, he’d answer a question for me. Except once he got into the expensive whiskey…” One bare shoulder moved in a casual roll. More water dripped down his body.
“Let me guess.” She knew how this story would end. “He stopped asking questions and just answered them for you?”
She caught the flash of Joel’s smile and was reminded, once more, of a shark.
“Drinking makes Reese chatty.”
“I’ve warned him about that trait in the past.” Her heart was beating a little faster. She kept her voice steady, though, as she said, “You were getting my brother drunk so that you could ask him questions about me?”
“I was.”
She tut-tutted. “That doesn’t seem like a nice thing to do.”
His fingers brushed against her thigh. “I don’t remember saying I was a nice man.”
His touch seemed to burn her. Her breath came a little faster. “Did you learn anything interesting?”
“I learned lots of interesting things.”
“Like what?”
“Like when your brother drinks too much, he loses his accent.”
She shoved away from the wall and sank into the pool. Chloe let her body slide into the water right in front of him. He backed up, just a bit, just enough to make room for her.
“Chloe!”
She was shorter than him, so the five feet of water came much higher on her. His hands closed around her hips and he lifted her up. Held her in the water so that her feet could kick slowly under the surface.
“What are you doing?” Joel demanded.
“You made the water look good. I thought I’d join you.” Lie.
“You’re wearing a dress.”
The dress was currently floating around her. Or, at least, the bottom of the dress was. “Noted. I am wearing a dress, and I don’t think you’re wearing anything.”
“Didn’t have swim trunks. Figured it was only me out here. Why not ditch the clothes and jump in?”
Why not indeed? “You don’t have to hold me. I’m a very good swimmer.”
“Maybe I like holding you.”
Her hands rose and curled around his broad shoulders. She knew what he was doing. Part of her was even impressed. “You think you’re learning all my secrets.”
“No, tonight, I think I was learning your brother’s secrets. Though I have doubts about him actually being related to you.”
Their wet bodies brushed. “What else did you learn?”
He didn’t answer her.
She became aware of just how close they were. And when their bodies had brushed a moment before… “Oh.” He was aroused. The thick, long length of his cock was unmistakable.
“You’re the one who jumped in with me. Can’t help the response I have. I happen to think you’re sexy as hell.”
Why was her breath coming so fast?
“What did I learn? Let’s see…” His voice was deep. Rumbling. Sexy. “I learned that you were in a bad relationship. Reese said you’ve been avoiding any serious ties since then. He said that was the reason you weren’t dating.”
Bad didn’t begin to come close to describing her last relationship.
“Scared, Chloe?” Joel breathed against her mouth. “Did you get burned before?”
“I did.” He seemed to surround her. “But I’m not afraid of you.”
“No, I don’t think you are.”
With every breath that she took, Chloe could swear that she tasted him. “What are you waiting for?”
“Chloe?”
“You don’t want a relationship.” With his past, she knew that was the last thing he wanted. Chloe rushed to explain, “I don’t, either. But you