“I like this color.” He reached out and curled the string that held the bottoms together around his finger. She felt a slight tug on the material. “It suits you.”
The unseen strings between her heart and inner thighs tightened. “You and I had an agreement, remember?” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “This is unsafe, you and I talking. People will get the wrong idea. Then we’ll both lose our jobs.”
“Oh, so you’re worried what people here will think?” A hard tightness covered his jaw.
Sliding off her sunglasses, she narrowed her gaze on him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Is it typical for a boss to buy a bikini for an assistant?” He swiped off his glasses too, his eyes were blazing with something akin to jealousy.
A gasp fell off her lips as she felt the fabric slip some more. The string was now tight around his knuckle and one flick of his wrist and she’d be bottomless. “How did you know? Were you spying on me?”
He chuckled but it was frosty. “Now why would I do something like that?” he drawled.
“You have no right to snoop!”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small card, dropping it into her lap. “Consider yourself lucky that I found this note and someone else didn’t. I don’t think you’d want word to get around that you and Langley have breached the lines between personal and professional. If I remember correctly you don’t like when that happens.”
She stared at the note Mr. Langley had attached to the gift box. She should have never stuck it between the pages of the book. “Not that it’s any of your business, but the lines aren’t blurred. I’m sure he didn’t purchase the gift himself.”
“Yeah?” His thick brows slammed together. “Ask me and I’d say things will slip right over that line if Langley has his way. I only buy gifts for women who I want to get to know better.”
“No one asked you!” She stood sending the book and card careening to the ground. She’d completely forgotten that the bikini string was wound tight around his finger so her bottoms came flying off. Squealing in shock, she grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her waist, mortified as heat crawled up her neck and into her cheeks.
He jumped up, causing the lounger legs to scrape against the concrete. “You’re playing with fire, Novah. Not only is he married but he’s a snake. From what I hear he has an entire list of women he brings here to the resort.”
She pushed her sunglasses back onto her face while clutching the towel close. “You see, this is exactly why you shouldn’t have come here this weekend. You’re already barking orders at me. Well, get something straight, Egan, you’re here to monitor Mr. Langley’s actions, not mine!”
“Don’t fuck him!” he growled.
Her laughter was flat as it fell off her lips. “Really? We’re divorced. If I decided to fuck the entire security team then that would be my business.” She started past him when he reached out to wrap his long fingers around her wrist, jerking her against his hard, lean frame. A gasp came from her at the same time he lowered his mouth next to her ear.
“Let’s get one thing straight, sweetheart. We’re divorced, but you’re still the mother of my child. We’re still co-parents. Screwing the boss means this will only get messy.”
Lifting her chin, she stared into his heated gaze, glad the sunglasses hid the windows into her soul. “That would only be a mess for me, not you. Mind your own business,” she whispered through thin lips.
“If you think it doesn’t affect me then you’re delusional.” He withdrew his fingers from her and her skin burned.
“Why do this to me, Egan? Admit it, this has nothing to do with Mr. Langley but everything to do with how you don’t want me to move on.”
He blinked. “Is this what you call moving on? Being bought by the boss?” He draped the bikini bottoms over her shoulder. “Don’t forget your wages, sweetheart.”
Flooded with anger, she drew her hand back and slapped him hard against the cheek. Her palm stung. His cool stare invaded her every pore, making her tremble.
“I hope that felt good,” he growled. “Let me catch you fucking Langley and I’ll do the same to that sweet, firm ass that you did to my face.”
“How dare you!”
“How dare I? If my memory suits me, I remember how you liked a swat every now and again.”
A mixture of humiliation and excitement stormed through her. She had a dozen insults she wanted to fling at him but the only thing she could manage was a whimper as he marched away.
Stunned by the heated exchange, she picked up the book and threw it at his back. It only made it a few feet and he was already beyond the gate.
CHAPTER SIX
STILL REELING HOURS later from the quarrel he and Novah had by the pool, Egan strode purposefully down the corridor, finishing up his checks for the evening. He’d crossed a line. He could admit it. Although he’d told her the truth, wanted to look out for her, he should have never voiced his concerns in the way that he had. He’d lost every right to her, and yet his body became a raging bull when he thought about Langley, or any man really, touching her.
What bothered Egan most? He knew Langley was a walking hard on. Novah deserved better.
Egan practically tore the door off the hinges to the library and stopped to look around the stylish space full of at least a dozen rows of bookshelves. The drawn blinds cast the
