lapsed into silence once more, jogging farther along the uninhabited beach. The only sounds to be heard were those of the surf breaking and the gulls crying. It was peaceful and quiet, and Shelby felt the tension begin to slowly drain from her, the exercise working its loosening magic.
“So, are you going to tell me what prompted your sudden return to Halford House?” Garrett’s voice shattered the peace.
Shelby tensed again. “I will if you’ll tell me why my father seems to have suddenly become your number one fan.”
Garrett grinned. “Suspicious about that, are you?”
“I’m not as stupid or gullible as you may think, Mr. McGrath.”
“Garrett,” he corrected. “And I don’t think you’re stupid or gullible at all. Quite the contrary.” He stopped running, and because she was at his disposal, Shelby stopped, too.
“I want to cool off. Let’s go swimming.” Garrett stooped to untie his running shoes.
“In the ocean?”
He looked up at her. “Where else?”
Shelby bit back a smile. It had been a stupid question, what with the ocean just a foot away. “I’m not going into the water.”
“Because you aren’t properly dressed for the proposed activity,” Garrett surmised. “I’m going to tell you something shocking, Shelby. You don’t have to wear a swimsuit to go into the water.”
“If you’re talking about taking an uninhibited skinny-dip in the ocean, forget it. I won’t do it. And don’t bother pointing out that my father has placed me at your services. My services do not include—”
“You’re awfully bossy,” Garrett complained. He’d already removed his own shoes and socks and had started to untie the laces of her shoes. He was close enough for his shoulder to brush her leg as he worked. Shelby gulped. The feel of his skin against hers and the scent of his clean male sweat evoked a sharp, hot pang deep within her.
Shelby closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would not, could not, be attracted to this man. What she was experiencing was not sexual excitement but ragged nerves, caused by apprehension and anxiety and lack of breakfast, she assured herself.
When he tried to take off her shoe, she resisted the impulse to kick him and moved swiftly out of his reach. “So, I’m sure a staunch advocate of family fun like you must have a wife and children—stashed away in Buffalo, perhaps? And what will they think of your months’ long vacation away from them? Unless, of course, you intend to bring them to Halford House to join you in the cottage?”
Garrett rose to his feet. “Ah, the inevitable question. Am I married or not? That was a less than subtle approach, Shelby.”
“I wasn’t trying to be subtle.” Her cheeks were fiery red. “And I don’t care whether you are or you aren’t.”
“I see. You simply wanted to know how many towels to supply to the cottage. Well, I’ve never been married and I don’t have kids. Hmm, how can I make this more interesting...?” He paused. “I’ve got it. Thirty-six-year-old, single, white male likes frozen yogurt, burger joints and T-shirt shops—”
“Cheap souvenirs, taffy and fudge shops and family fun,” Shelby added. “Don’t forget to mention how you love to sit in front of a roaring fire, listen to rain on the roof and go for long walks on the beach.”
“I run on the beach, I get too hot sitting in front of a roaring fire, and the sound of rain annoys me. It means a ruined vacation. I prefer sun or snow, seasonable weather in seasonable places.”
They looked at each other and laughed. Their gazes locked and lasted after their laughter faded, crossing the intangible line into sensual awareness. Garrett’s breath caught in his throat. Shelby’s eyes were shining, her mouth wide and soft and tempting. His blood seemed to thicken and surge hotly through him, pooling in one hard throbbing strategic area. Now he needed the shock of a cold water plunge.
Shelby felt the sexual tension stretch between them. Her pulse accelerated and her breathing quickened. She quickly looked away from him.
“So, now that you know I’m a wholesome, honorable, single guy instead of a married cad bent on cheating on his wife, will you go swimming with me?” Garrett said huskily. “With our clothes on.”
“Just run right into the ocean wearing our clothes?”
“Well, you made it pretty clear that you weren’t interested in skinny-dipping.”
Shelby hesitated. It occurred to her that she had never swum wearing anything but the appropriate attire, a swimsuit. During staff parties at Casa del Marina, managers and senior staff were sometimes rowdily tossed into the pool, fully dressed, by some exuberant revelers. Not Shelby, though. She’d never even been approached. She was not the type to inspire anyone, not even a wildly exuberant reveler, to pick her up and throw her into the water.
“You have no choice, you know.” Garrett’s voice sounded above her head. “I’ll give you thirty seconds to take off your shoes and socks and then I’m dragging you into the water, with or without them.”
Without saying a word, Shelby pulled off her socks and shoes and tossed them aside. “I’ll race you into the water,” she called over her shoulder as she sped into the waves.
It was an unfair contest as she was already on her way before she issued the challenge, but Garrett responded at once. He ran into the surf, water splashing high around him.
“I win,” sang Shelby, standing knee-deep in the water. It was lukewarm and felt refreshing against her overheated skin.
“You cheated,” Garrett countered.
“Don’t be a sore loser. After all, it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s if you play the game.”
“How you play the game,” amended Garrett.
“Whatever.” Shelby shrugged. “There aren’t any waves today. The ocean is as still and clear as a swimming pool. Which is where you should be, if you wanted to swim today,” she added, casting him a reprimanding glance.
“But you can’t do this in a pool.” Suddenly, without a hint of a warning, Garrett placed his hands around Shelby’s waist.
Shelby felt heat flare within her. Their eyes met and held and a heavy silence engulfed them. Was he going to kiss her? she wondered. Did she want him to? Her heart was thundering madly against her ribs so hard and so loud, the beats echoed in her ears.
As she was pondering those questions, she felt his strong fingers tighten around her waist, felt him lifting her up, up off her feet. A dizzying, disorienting moment later, she was flying through the air and then plunging back into the water several feet away from him. She went under and came up spluttering.
Shelby grabbed a handful of her wet hair and pushed it out of her eyes. “You threw me!” she gasped.
“You’ve got a keen grasp of the obvious.”
Shelly waded through the water, which lapped around her waist, back to where Garrett stood. He was grinning
