“Right,” I said assuredly.
We walked through the large great room, out to a huge veranda, and down several small sections of stone stairs to a gate. I read a sign on the fence that said the pool closed at ten.
“It’s got to be after ten.”
“I clean this pool. I can swim in it any time I want.” He winked.
“I thought we weren’t swimming? Wait a minute, you clean the pool, too? What don’t you do around here?”
“I’ve worked every job on this property for at least a day. I even did housekeeping for a week.”
“Why?”
“Curiosity, I guess. I wanted to know how to do each job, and Susan really loves me so she let me give it a go. Sometimes I just fill in for other people because I’m always here, you know?”
“Is R.J. always here?”
“He’s here a lot.”
The pool was gorgeous, with a stone waterfall on the opposite side from where we were standing near a table. While Jamie opened the wine, I pulled a chair out.
“Let’s dip our feet in.” He looked up at me eagerly. “Want to?”
“Isn’t it cold?”
“It’s heated.”
“Okay.”
I kicked my shoes off and rolled up my slacks, then followed him to the edge of the pool, where he set two towels down. He rolled up his jeans and sat gracefully before dunking his feet into the water. My fingers twitched with a desire to smooth back the disheveled hair that had fallen into his face. I watched intently as he reached up and ran his hand through it, displaying the flexing muscles in his arm. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. When he handed my wine over, he noticed me staring.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing. I just want to forget about everything for a little while.”
“Really?” He looked excited. I nodded. “I have a great idea.”
I dipped my feet in. The water was very warm, like bathwater. It was immediately calming my nerves.
“What’s your idea?”
“Well, curious Katy, I’ll show you.”
He jumped up, ran to the gate, tinkered with something, and then all the lights went out—the lights in the pool, all around the patio area, even the waterfall. Everything was silent. I could see steam rising from the surface of the water. A million more stars became visible. I sipped my wine and then heard Will Ryan’s soulful voice filtering softly through the outdoor speakers. Jamie appeared at my side.
“I love this guy. He’s so good,” I said.
“Yeah, he’s awesome. He and his wife are playing at a little local bar on Saturday, if you want to check it out with me?”
“I’d love to, if I’m still here.” I finally looked up and noticed that gorgeous Jamie was shirtless and undoing his belt buckle. Even in the dark, I could see the sinewy muscles of his arms and his defined abs and chest. He just smiled playfully at me. “What are you doing?” I whispered loudly.
“We’re gonna take your mind off things with a little dip.”
“I’m not taking a dip.”
“Okay, fine.” He yanked his jeans off and leaped into the pool, wearing nothing but a pair of dark blue and gray plaid boxers.
When he surfaced, he held his boxers by a finger above his head and spun them around as if he were doing a striptease. He flung them toward me and they landed just to my left.
“Oh my god! I can’t believe you just did that.”
“What? You can’t see me. Anyway, I know you have the crazy in you. You’ll be in here in no time.”
“How do you know that?”
“The pretty ones are always a little cray-cray.”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
“You have no idea,” he said with no trace of humor. “Just get in here, Katy. I promise I won’t look.”
At that point, it’s fair to say that I was drunk, completely and utterly drunk from the wine, and Jamie’s presence did nothing to sober me up. His long, wet hair left little glimmering droplets on his shoulders. I giggled. “Turn around, you better not peek!”
“I promise.” He waded to one end of the pool and turned his back to me.
I quickly stripped down to my black bra and panties. Looking down, I thought it could easily pass for a swimsuit except that it was silk. Oh well.
As quietly as I could, I slipped into the pool on the opposite end of where Jamie stood. There were at least thirty yards between us. The pool felt amazing. I relaxed for a moment and then realized I was in a pool with a naked man I’d just met. A very attractive naked man.
“Okay, I’m in, Jamie, but keep your safe distance.”
He turned around, grinned from ear to ear, and then disappeared under the water.
Good god, what is he doing?
I was suddenly very nervous. A small part of me was actually frightened. If it weren’t for Will Ryan’s sweet words pumping through the speakers, I would have been terrified. His hands on my hips didn’t startle me at all because I could feel him getting closer. He rose out of the water, his warm hands gripping my waist. He wasn’t smiling; he was searching my eyes. I looked around quickly and then back to his shoulders and pecs as he lifted his arms and slicked his hair back with both hands. I could see his tensing neck muscles. There was very little stopping me from licking the drops of water off his arms. I closed my eyes as he closed the gap between us. I felt his mouth brush my neck and then move toward my ear. “Baby, open your eyes.”