style="font-size:15px;"> “The dock it is. Maybe I’ll just show up without my top to save time.”
Taking Dallas totally by surprise, Paris untied the sash at her waist, turned around and let the robe fall from her shoulders onto the floor as she walked away.
The image of her slender back and shapely butt remained burned in his brain long after she disappeared.
Was she just trying to torture him, or give him a taste of his own medicine? He didn’t know the answer, but he sure as hell intended to find out.
* * *
Paris wondered what effect, if any, her little attempt at seduction had had on Dallas. If he only knew how difficult it had been to completely let go of her inhibitions, then maybe he might have said something. When she’d left him in the kitchen, she hadn’t had the fortitude to wait around. He certainly hadn’t sought her out in the shower, or showed up at the bedroom door. Only time would tell what he might have in store for her during their little excursion, and the closer she came to the dock, the more the excitement escalated.
She discovered him waiting for her, dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a sleeveless army-green tank, revealing a pair of very masculine legs and muscled biceps that sent her heart on a marathon. A few moments passed before she noticed the sleek silver-and-red boat with the covered hull tied to the side of the pier.
After sliding her sunglasses into place, Paris stepped onto the creaky planks and made her way to her tour guide for the day. “Is this yours?”
“Yep,” he replied.
“How did it get here?”
“George.”
Clearly he’d decided to be cryptic. “Who is George?”
“My neighbor. He looks after the place when I’m not here, and in exchange I let him use the boat. I called and had him deliver it a few minutes ago.”
Evidently George wasn’t going to join them, a very good thing. “I see. I’ve never been on this kind of boat before. It looks like it costs a pretty penny.”
“About eighty grand.”
Paris nearly swallowed the gum she’d been chewing. “Eighty thousand dollars? For that price, it should clean the house, or at least do more than float around the water looking pretty.”
“It can fly,” he said as he held out his hand. “If you’re lucky, I might let you drive it.”
As long as he had sufficient insurance since she’d never been behind the wheel of a boat before. “I might take you up on that, if you’re lucky.”
He cracked a crooked grin. “I have a feeling we could both be lucky today.”
She returned his smile. “Could be.” Or not, depending on how far she wanted the seduction scheme to go.
After Dallas helped Paris down into the space-age looking seat, he untied the boat then claimed the space next to her. One hand on the wheel, he backed away from the dock slowly, said, “Hang on,” then turned the craft around and shot off into open water.
Yes, the thing could fly, and she couldn’t hold a conversation with him due to all the wind noise. She basically clutched the sides of the seats, gritted her teeth and only breathed easier when he navigated the boat into a secluded cove fifteen minutes later.
She pulled away the band securing her high ponytail and finger-combed her hair. “You need to turn around and go back.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because I think I left my stomach a few miles back.”
He barked a laugh. “I take it you’re not much of a thrill seeker.”
Only partially true. She’d married him on a moment’s notice, hadn’t she? And she was definitely seeking some thrills today. “I’ve ridden a few roller coasters on several occasions, but I wasn’t quite prepared for this.”
Paris had prepared to turn on the charms and hopefully turn him on in the process. On that note, she crossed her arms, grabbed the T-shirt’s hem and tugged it over her head, leaving her clad in a red bikini top.
Dallas cleared his throat and shut down the ignition. “Didn’t know you had a swimsuit.”
“Actually, I didn’t either,” she said as she stood. “Jenny thought of everything.” Including massage oil and lubricants, a veritable sex shop in a bag.
“No surprise there,” he replied, his voice sounding somewhat grainy.
Paris realized she didn’t have a lot of room to maneuver, so she pointed to the enclosed hull. “What’s under there?”
“A live well to keep fresh bait and fish and a place to store equipment.” He climbed over the smoked glass minidash and stood on the decking to toss an anchor overboard into the murky green water. “You basically turn on the trolling motor and stand here to fish, but we’re going to stay stationary until you learn how to cast.”
“Or I could sunbathe,” she said as she retraced his steps and stood before him. “I can do that while we fish, right?”
“Not a whole lot of sun with all the trees, but whatever floats your boat, pun intended.”
She shimmied out of the shorts and tossed them back onto the seat, revealing the scant swimsuit bottoms. “I’m ready for a pole now.”
That earned her a wily grin. “I can fix you right up.”
“Fishing pole, Dallas.”
“I’ve got one of those, too.”
“You have an evil mind.”
“You have an unbelievable body.”
She felt a head-to-toe blush coming on, and the same old belief he’d simply been trying to be nice. “I bet you say that to all your first mates.”
He tucked one side of her hair behind her ear. “You’re technically my first mate.”
If only she could say the same for herself. If only she could erase Peter from her past and if only this arrangement with Dallas was real. “Well, I suppose we should start fishing before they stop biting.”
He stared at her a few moments before leaning over, opening a hatch and pulling out a rod. “I’ve got this rigged to catch a bass. I also have some blood bait for catfish if you’d prefer to try for one of those.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Any bait that includes blood in the name is out.”
“Good call, because it’s also known as stink bait.”
Ewww... “Definitely bass.”
“Bass it is. Now move to the edge of the boat.”
After she complied, Paris surveyed the wooded bank and noticed not a house, or soul, in sight. “How many people live
