The only sound he heard was the whistling of the wind.
Glancing around, she was nowhere to be found.
He crossed the space and then he saw her. She was in the water, splashing frantically. At first, he thought she called his bluff and started swimming ashore…but her death glare warned him that she’d fallen off.
CHAPTER TEN
SHE’D NEVER wanted to be angrier at Egan, but as she sat in the boat, shivering, after he’d fished her out of the water, she couldn’t seem to form any harsh words to say.
“Here, take this.” He dragged off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Instant warmth consumed her. “Thank you.”
“Please tell me you didn’t jump.”
She squinted. “No. I fell over the edge. Please tell me you didn’t move the boat in a way to deliberately toss me over.” When he didn’t answer right away, she searched his expression.
He burst into laughter. “It had crossed my mind, but even I wouldn’t sink so low. Are you still cold?” The concern she read in his gaze trickled heat through her veins.
“I’m okay. I think. Being wet will be difficult to explain if anyone sees me.” Then it struck her that she’d lost track of everything when she got on the boat with him. “I’m sorry.”
“For which part?” His eyes dazzled in the sunlight.
“I could have put our secret in jeopardy. Someone might have seen us.”
He gave a half-shrug. “Nah. We’re okay. Langley had a meeting and the team is in the mansion with him.” He stood from where he’d been bent in front of her. “I think I remember seeing some clothes in the cabin. Let’s look.” He motioned for her to come along.
With some hesitancy, she waited a good three heartbeats before she finally followed. The downstairs was a small room with cabinets that lined one wall and a bed on the other. Egan rummaged through the contents of a trunk and pulled out a couple of items “This should fit you.”
She wrinkled her nose at the ripped T-shirt. “I can’t wear anything from in there.”
“This is better.” He tossed her another shirt and she caught it against her chest.
Shaking the wrinkles out, she was relieved that it wasn’t too bad. “They’re not my clothes.”
“They’re probably leftovers. However, if you like wearing wet panties then I can’t argue.” He chuckled.
“Leave it to you to turn this into something sexual.” She refused to show any humor at his remark. “Okay. I’ll try the shirt. By chance, are there any bottoms in there too?”
He searched inside again and came up with a pair of oversized sweats. “They’re kind of big, but I think they’ll work.”
She dragged off his jacket and realized he was still watching. “Egan?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” His smile grew.
“Turn around,” she demanded.
“I’ve seen it all before.” When she narrowed her gaze he sighed. “Fine. I’ll go up on deck.” He grabbed his jacket off the bed and made his way up the steps.
The sweats were too big, so she tossed them back into the chest and wore the shirt that came to mid-thigh on her. She laid her wet clothing out on deck to dry and met Egan under the shade of a canopy. He swept his thirsty gaze up and down her. He didn’t say a word, but she saw the tightening of his jaw.
“You always liked boating, didn’t you?” she said as she looked out over the water. “Its nice out here. I bet you snuck out here while you had a chance.”
“I volunteered to take lake duty,” he admitted with a grin.
“Mr. Langley will be in the meeting for a while.”
“Good, then you don’t have to be in any hurry. Why aren’t you in the meeting too?”
She shrugged. “I’m only included on certain information.”
“An assistant that doesn’t have clearance. Interesting.”
“I’m taking that as a low blow.”
“Think about it. The man has how many assistants? Are they in the meeting?”
Her throat tightened. “Yes. Don’t do that, Egan.”
“What? Make you think?”
“Turn me against Langley.”
His chuckle was raw. “Whatever you say.”
In fact, she was glad she didn’t have to be in the meeting. She liked being on the boat and the relaxing feeling it gave her. Most of all, she liked being close to Egan. “Do you remember when we used to joke about buying a boat and traveling the ocean?”
He gave her a sideways glance. “I wasn’t joking. It’s still something I’d like to do one day.”
“Pre-Finley days were something.” She leaned over the rail and looked out along the shoreline. “It’s so quiet out here.”
“My kind of place.”
Leaving the rail, she sat down on the seat. “Why did you take this job, Egan?”
“It’s pretty obvious why.”
“Oh, I don’t know. It seems like things are too calm around here. No adrenaline rushes.” She tucked a wayward, damp strand of her hair behind her ear. “I also get the distinct feeling that you don’t really like Mr. Langley much.”
“What’s there not to like?” he sneered.
“Wow. That was laced with sarcasm.” She tucked her legs up under her. “He can be charming.”
“Even the devil has charm.” He kept his gaze glued ahead.
“Maybe it’s best we don’t discuss him.”
“Probably best.”
“So how did her lipstick and perfume get on your shirt?”
“I’m not hearing the biting tone of wanting to hack off my balls any longer. So you’ve finally come to your senses?”
“Don’t push your luck, mister.” She hid her smile.
“I went into the library and she was in there. She just fixed my tie and brushed against me.”
“Why do I have a feeling ‘just’ in that sentence has a deeper meaning?” Looking back she realized how ridiculous she’d been coming to the dock when
