“Yeah, I’ll be right out.” After taming his arousal, he erased the video, drew a centering breath and pulled open the door. He stepped out and inched the door closed behind him, but the minute she leaned forward, breaching his personal space, a rush of sexual energy hit him. Hard.
“What was that noise I heard?”
Feeling flustered, something that never happened to him—until he set eyes on Candace, that is—he rushed out. “Radio…yeah, the radio.”
She tried to look past his shoulders, but he moved, blocking her path and slamming his door tight.
“Are you finished for the day?” she asked.
“All done.” He put his hands into the pockets of his shorts to inconspicuously adjust himself. Christ, everything about her reduced him to a hormonal juvenile.
“I was just thinking about taking a run, then afterwards grabbing something to…eat.”
Marc’s heart missed a beat as he took in the lust in her eyes and something about the way she said eat had his libido roaring to life once again. He should say no and just get the hell out of there and ask his boss to put someone else on the case. But he didn’t trust anyone else to look out for her. Or touch her.
That last thought made him realize he’d gotten himself in deep.
Too deep.
If he knew what was good for him, he’d just get the fuck out of Dodge. Tonight.
She began to back up, picking up the pace to give herself a head start. “Come on. I’ll race you to the lake. Winner takes all,” she said with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. When she turned her back to him and took off on a flat-out run, he bent down and tightened his laces.
So it would appear he didn’t know what was good for him, after all.
5
Candace darted a glance over her shoulder to see if he was coming as she raced to the lake. Oh yeah, he was coming all right, and quickly closing the distance between them. A smile pulled at her and she knew if she wanted to win this race she’d better put everything she had into it. Deciding to do just that, Candace lengthened her stride, but Marc was too fast and too strong.
He caught up to her in seconds flat and hadn’t broken a sweat yet. “What exactly do you mean, winner takes all?” he asked, keeping pace beside her.
“You see,” she managed through labored breathing, knowing she needed to throw him off his stride the same way he’d thrown her off her game the other day. She planned to win the race using any means possible. “When I win, I’m going to take you back to the inn and show you another way to exercise.”
His eyes lit. “Yeah, how?” She could see the genuine interest in his gaze.
“Well there is the new Tantra chair I’d like to try out. You know, to ensure it works properly and is sturdy enough before we open the room to guests.” She watched his face change as understanding dawned. Deciding to play, to push him a little more, she added, “And then there’s the hanging sex swing, the love glider and the floor-to-ceiling pole for a little seductive dancing.”
His jaw dropped and his stride slowed, his body language conveying his shock at her boldness. Or perhaps he was too busy thinking about what they could do on said equipment to focus on running. Fortunately his reprieve gave her the opportunity she needed to win. Once she reached the embankment, she stopped running and twisted around to glimpse Marc, who still stood there gawking at her, need and desire flitting across his handsome face.
He quickly caught up to her, grabbed her hips and anchored her to him, and her entire body shivered in sensual delight. He put his back to a tree and cast a glance around. “What the hell are you trying to do to me?”
There was something about the way he moved, talked and continually scanned the area that reminded her of a cop or a bodyguard. With her father’s line of work, she’d been around enough of them to pick up on their little nuances.
But as heat poured through her and her pussy throbbed, aching to feel him again, her brain was too far gone to consider that point further. Right now all she could think about was the way his hands were touching her body, the feel of his growing arousal pressed against her abdomen. The way her mouth watered, thirsting for a taste of him.
“Well, I’m trying to get you naked so I can have my wicked way with you. It’s only fair, don’t you think? After all, you’ve seen me naked.”
Hot. Wet. Needy. And naked.
His eyes smoldered, as if he was remembering every delicious detail of their erotic encounter.
Candace wet her lips, and he watched the action very carefully as his eyes moved over her face. Candace shifted her hips, positioning his cock right where she needed it as she gauged his reactions. His hard erection told her how much he wanted this, but would he hesitate or would he go for it?
“You know. A little tit for tat…” she added for good measure.
His laugh was edgy, churning with passion. His nostrils flared, and his jaw clenched like he was fighting some internal battle. Then something came over him, a shift of some sort, and he grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“Go?”
“Yeah, you won, and winner takes all, remember?”
“Oh yeah. I remember.” Candace’s heart began to pound, as she was both excited and frightened by the intensity she’d spotted in his eyes.
Without preamble, Marc ushered them back to the inn, up the stairs and straight into the room. Once inside, she watched him close the door, set the lock and press his back to it. Candace drew a breath
