Natalie couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Garrett wasn’t acting any differently than usual, but she got goose bumps every time he glanced at her. He exuded the air of a panther who was leisurely circling his cornered prey.
She was probably imagining things after the heated episode earlier. The need to touch and be touched had risen like a primal instinct, and her body had screamed to take him inside her. Breaking away from his arms was harder than she could’ve imagined, but she’d been certain he would’ve done the same thing once his cool logic pierced through the fog of lust. She’d withdrawn from his embrace in the nick of time, self-preservation coming to the rescue.
Natalie sat on the couch and tied her shoes with excessive care. She heard Garrett moving behind the closed doors of the bedroom, and willed herself not to imagine him changing. She grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels. Every time she peeked at the clock, it seemed to be standing still, as though its hands were bound by invisible string. It was almost time for their tennis match with the Diazes. She wanted out of the oddly charged villa before she jumped her husband.
“Are you ready?” he asked as he strode into the living room. He wore a black polo shirt and shorts, looking thoroughly fit and masculine.
“Yes.” She bolted to her feet and shot out the door, her heart beating erratically at the sight of him.
The sun was making its leisurely descent and the cool breeze felt lovely on her warm cheeks. They rumbled toward the tennis court in a golf cart, and some of the tension left her shoulders. It had just been a kiss—a long kiss with some heavy petting, but just a kiss nonetheless. She would put it past her. A glance at her husband’s calm, easy expression said he already had.
When they arrived, Garrett tipped the driver while Natalie glanced toward the court. The Diazes were already there, stretching. These people meant business.
“I see them over there,” she said, waving.
They had to be well into their fifties but looked as lithe and athletic as people half their age. They were decked out in matching white outfits as though tennis was their second career. Natalie’s pulse leaped with excitement. Worthy opponents.
Garrett grimaced by her side, not half as excited as she. But she didn’t buy his claims of being rusty at the game. Her husband’s every movement spoke of strength and agility. If he’d forgotten how to swing a racquet, he was going to pick it right back up during the warm-up sets.
“What’s your plan?” His eyes danced with mischief. “Should we throw the game to stoke Sebastian’s ego? That should help me gain his support.”
Natalie gasped. “Don’t even joke about something like that. The only way to seal the partnership is to annihilate them and earn their respect.”
“Annihilate them?” Her husband arched an eyebrow.
She shrugged, fighting a blush. “Or just kick their butts a little.”
“I don’t know how we got talked into this.”
“Here are the newlyweds,” Sebastian said as he and Camilia approached.
“You’ll go easy on us, right?” Garrett smiled and shook his hand.
“Not a chance,” the older man said.
Camilia hugged Natalie, squealing like a young girl. “I’m so glad we could do this.”
“Me, too,” Natalie said. Traci used to tell her she got too competitive sometimes, but it was all good, harmless fun. She just really liked to win, and there was nothing wrong with that. “Should we hit some warm-up balls?”
To her disappointment, Garrett actually was a bit rusty. His serves were poetic, but his backhand needed work. And Camilia and Sebastian were even better than Natalie had assumed.
“Damn it, Garrett.” Natalie tried to keep the impatience out of her voice but he gave the Diazes an easy point. “That was your ball.”
“Sorry, honey.” His lips twitched. “I got distracted. Your skirt is way too short for me to be on my game.”
What has gotten into him?
“Thank you, Natalie,” Sebastian guffawed from across the net.
It was a close second set. Her limbs ached and her lungs burned. They could still win if they took the next set. Garrett hadn’t made any more careless mistakes, but she had a feeling he wasn’t putting in his full effort.
She glanced over her shoulder and saw him spinning his racquet in his hand, looking damn fine in his fitted polo and shorts. The man had seriously muscular thighs and his biceps flexed and bulged with every movement. He caught her checking him out and his face split into a slow, sexy grin.
Everything happened in a split second, but she saw it in slow motion. They were all tired, which was probably why Camilia’s next serve veered to the wrong side and came straight toward Natalie. She just had to lift her racquet and shield herself, but she was too focused on her husband to react in time. The ball caught Natalie squarely on the forehead. She fell onto her bottom and sat dazed with a hand over her injury.
“Natalie.” Garrett was by her side in an instant and peeled her hand off her forehead. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, my goodness.” Camilia had reached her side. “Are you all right, Natalie? I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry. It startled me more than anything,” Natalie said, but her voice sounded faint.
Sebastian, who’d disappeared from the court when it happened, now sprinted to them with a bag of ice. “Here you are. Put this on.”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
Garrett grabbed the ice and placed it gently on her forehead, ignoring her protests. Natalie got her bearings back in a few minutes. The mild throbbing told her she was going to have some bruising the next day, but she was otherwise perfectly fine.
“That’s all, folks,” she said, waving her hands to dispel their worried expressions. “The show’s over.”
Natalie wanted to get off the cold ground, but before she could stand, Garrett reached under her and lifted her as though she didn’t weigh much more than Sophie. She squeaked but reflexively grabbed onto him.
“Oh, my,” Camilia said, fanning her face. “Maybe I should get hit in the head with a ball so Sebastian would carry me like that.”
“There’s no need for such extremes.” Sebastian reached out to grab her and Camilia slapped his hands away, laughing.
Garrett met Natalie’s eyes with a smile that made her heart vibrate like a windup alarm clock. “Feeling okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. You can put me down.”
He shifted her in his arms but ignored her request. “Okay, you kids. I need to take my wife back to our villa.”
“Of course,” Sebastian said, pausing from their horseplay. “Please call us if you need anything. And let’s play a round of golf next week to talk about your proposal in detail.”
“Thank you. That sounds great. I’ll call you Monday,” Garrett said, and turned to leave.
“I’m sorry about knocking you down.” Camilia waved, her smile bright and affectionate. “Good night.”
“Wait.” Natalie remembered something very important. “We didn’t finish the game. We don’t have a winner yet.”
“Why don’t we call it a tie?” Garrett said.
“A tie? But that’s so...not winning.” Natalie deflated in her husband’s arms.
“Well, why don’t we say we won?” Garrett’s warm breath tickled her ear. She sighed and a shiver ran through her, awareness simmering between them. “We won Sebastian’s support.”
“I guess you’re right.” They’d not only secured their business goal, but also gained the Diazes’ friendship. It was a double win.
Garrett looked down at her with a perplexed frown, but his eyes twinkled with humor. “When am I not?”
* * *
When the golf cart stopped in front of their villa, Garrett reached for his wife.
“I’m really okay,” Natalie protested.
He ignored her and carried her through the door. The significance of the act hit him a moment later. How appropriate to carry his bride over the threshold on their long-overdue honeymoon.
Natalie gazed at him with wide, vulnerable eyes. He was hit again with how alluring she was—so innocent yet sensual. In an instant, his blood turned molten with raw desire. Once inside, he lowered her to the floor, letting her body slide slowly down his.
All his reasons for not touching her were still valid, but he couldn’t fight what they had anymore. Their kiss earlier had proven that. Whenever he was near her, she came into sharp focus and everything else ceased to exist. Call it a cruel twist of fate, but their attraction was beyond their control. And they were caught in its vortex again.
“I’m going to collapse in bed after a nice bath.” Her soft voice trembled and she hastily turned away from him.
Garrett followed her into the master suite, and she spun around with wide eyes.
“Did you need something?”
Her jaw went slack as he lifted her up again and carried her into the bathroom. He set her down by the tub and stared into her eyes before reaching around her to turn on the faucet.
“I, uh...” Her words trailed off as she bit her lip. He added some bath salt to the steaming water, making lavender and citrus steam rise around them. “What are you doing?”
“Drawing you a bath.”
“I can manage,” she said.
“I know.”
“This isn’t a good idea, Garrett.”
“I know.” He did, but he didn’t give a damn anymore.
She stared at him with wide eyes, a pulse fluttering under the translucent skin of her neck. His gaze not leaving hers, he reached around her and carefully lifted her top off over her head. Natalie moved pliantly beneath his hands as though she was in a trance. Her shirt on the floor, he linked his fingers into the waistband of her skirt and smoothed it down her thighs, letting it pool around her ankles. His breath caught at the sight of her curves dipping and flaring in a way that could drive a man crazy. Her eyelids fluttered as though she was waking from a dream, and she lifted her arms to cover herself.
“Don’t,” he said, his voice gruff. “Let me look at you.”
He reached out and lowered her arms back to her sides, and Natalie didn’t stop him. With a shuddering sigh, he unhooked her bra and slipped it off, his hands skimming the soft skin of her arms. She trembled against his touch, and his gut tightened with desire. He stared at her bare torso. He’d never seen anything more beautiful.
When his thumbs brushed across her breasts, she groaned and arched toward him. He stilled for a second, relishing her response, before he kneeled to tug off her panties. He reverently ran his hands down the sides of her hips and her outer thighs.
“You’re so perfect,” he whispered, rising to his feet.
She blushed and lowered her lashes. His heart was pounding with need as he lifted her into the tub, his sleeves getting drenched in the process. He shrugged out of his dripping shirt, and Natalie’s lips parted as her eyes roamed his chest approvingly.
Then she sighed, tilting her head back into the water, her eyes closing in wordless invitation. Garrett struggled to swallow, his mouth as dry as the sand dunes. He lathered the soap in his hands and lifted her arm, so soft and smooth, then moved onto her other arm. Her chest rose and fell more quickly underneath the water, but she didn’t open her eyes. He washed her legs, then moved down to her feet, awed by the masterpiece that was Natalie.
By the time he reached her torso, he was trembling. He groaned as he smoothed his palms over her breasts, and Natalie pushed against his hands, her hips lifting under the water. He wanted to heed her silent plea, to reach between her thighs and watch her fall apart for him.
For a moment, he wanted to be the man who burned for her, and she the woman who caught fire at his touch. No past, no future. No fear, no heartache.
Gritting his teeth, Garrett hooked his arms under her shoulders and knees, and lifted her out of the water. Her eyes were wide with confusion but he said nothing. With shaking hands, he dried her off, wrapped her in a towel and stepped back from her.
He wasn’t going to seduce her. She needed to know what he was offering, and if she declined, he had to walk away. She should refuse him for both their sakes, but his body begged her to accept him.