Was she going to throw herself off that too? Or how about on a pavement? Would she throw herself into oncoming traffic? Her craziness knew no bounds.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the almost-kiss, or the sensation of her soft skin against my jaw all night and morning. If she thought she could get away with teasing me throughout the duration of my stay then she was in for a surprise. She had nothing wild planned for the next two days due to work, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to exact my revenge.
If she wanted a war, then war was what she’d get.
We’d see who caved first.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Alaya
“I hate him. I truly, utterly, completely hate him,” I whined to Rose for the umpteenth time. She worked behind the bar, and every time I got a lull in serving drinks around the pool or returned with an order I had a new complaint.
Leaning against the mahogany top, I spun my black, circular tray around and waited for her to make up the iced teas a couple had ordered.
“Yeah right. You can deny it all you want, but you like him.”
I frowned at her. “No I don’t.”
Rose shrugged. “What’s he doing now?”
“He’s just … he’s just … ugh!” I dropped my head into my arms, muffling the groan of frustration. When I regained control, I looked up to find Rose placing the first drink in front of me with a smile. “He knows exactly what he’s doing. Every time I walk past the jackass he touches me. His fingers only graze my leg or back, but I’m surprised I haven’t walked into the pool when he combines it with his comments. He shouldn’t be allowed to say the things he does.”
“Have you tried not walking past him? I think the heat is beginning to fry your brain if you can’t figure that one out.”
My grimace deepened. “Believe me, I tried. It only draws a wolf whistle from him, and out of the two I prefer the silent torment because at least it doesn’t attract attention from the other guests.”
Rose giggled. I was glad somebody found it amusing, because I didn’t find a speck of humour in Cole’s actions. He’d been at it for three hours and I was dangerously close to dumping the iced teas over his head if he didn’t cut it out soon.
“It’s not funny!” I took her silent shakes of amusement as disagreement. “Just give me the damned drinks.”
Swiping the tray off the bar, I balanced it on my hand and made my way over to the far end of the pool where a couple sunbathed. As I moved past Cole his fingers grazed the back of my calf. While only a feather-light touch, it caused my knees to weaken and my breath to catch.
Deliberately, I gazed in the opposite direction, not paying him any attention. My steps quickened so that soon I could place the couple’s drinks on their table and return to the bar where I could relax in the shade and admire Cole from a distance. Of course I’d have my sunglasses on, so he wouldn’t notice my staring.
Anticipating his touch on the way back, I gave him a wide berth, only his touch never came. I’d successfully passed him and three other loungers when I heard his voice.
“Gingernut, can you give me a hand?”
My steps halted and I gritted my teeth. For a moment I remained glowering at the bar, wondering what he could possibly need. I used the time to pull up my best false smile—the one I used with irritating customers—and then turned slowly to face him.
“What can I do for you, Hazel?” I enquired, taking a step in his direction. If I hadn’t been on duty I wouldn’t have been so polite.
His eyes burned at the name—the only dig I could get in during work hours. However, when he held up a bottle of sun cream and waved it in front of him with a grin, I came close to ignoring all code of conduct.
“I can’t reach my back. Think you can help?”
I strode towards him quickly and hissed, “Can you stop it? I’m trying to do my job here.”
He replaced his grin instantly with false innocence.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the almost-kiss, or the sensation of her soft skin against my jaw all night and morning. If she thought she could get away with teasing me throughout the duration of my stay then she was in for a surprise. She had nothing wild planned for the next two days due to work, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to exact my revenge.
If she wanted a war, then war was what she’d get.
We’d see who caved first.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Alaya
“I hate him. I truly, utterly, completely hate him,” I whined to Rose for the umpteenth time. She worked behind the bar, and every time I got a lull in serving drinks around the pool or returned with an order I had a new complaint.
Leaning against the mahogany top, I spun my black, circular tray around and waited for her to make up the iced teas a couple had ordered.
“Yeah right. You can deny it all you want, but you like him.”
I frowned at her. “No I don’t.”
Rose shrugged. “What’s he doing now?”
“He’s just … he’s just … ugh!” I dropped my head into my arms, muffling the groan of frustration. When I regained control, I looked up to find Rose placing the first drink in front of me with a smile. “He knows exactly what he’s doing. Every time I walk past the jackass he touches me. His fingers only graze my leg or back, but I’m surprised I haven’t walked into the pool when he combines it with his comments. He shouldn’t be allowed to say the things he does.”
“Have you tried not walking past him? I think the heat is beginning to fry your brain if you can’t figure that one out.”
My grimace deepened. “Believe me, I tried. It only draws a wolf whistle from him, and out of the two I prefer the silent torment because at least it doesn’t attract attention from the other guests.”
Rose giggled. I was glad somebody found it amusing, because I didn’t find a speck of humour in Cole’s actions. He’d been at it for three hours and I was dangerously close to dumping the iced teas over his head if he didn’t cut it out soon.
“It’s not funny!” I took her silent shakes of amusement as disagreement. “Just give me the damned drinks.”
Swiping the tray off the bar, I balanced it on my hand and made my way over to the far end of the pool where a couple sunbathed. As I moved past Cole his fingers grazed the back of my calf. While only a feather-light touch, it caused my knees to weaken and my breath to catch.
Deliberately, I gazed in the opposite direction, not paying him any attention. My steps quickened so that soon I could place the couple’s drinks on their table and return to the bar where I could relax in the shade and admire Cole from a distance. Of course I’d have my sunglasses on, so he wouldn’t notice my staring.
Anticipating his touch on the way back, I gave him a wide berth, only his touch never came. I’d successfully passed him and three other loungers when I heard his voice.
“Gingernut, can you give me a hand?”
My steps halted and I gritted my teeth. For a moment I remained glowering at the bar, wondering what he could possibly need. I used the time to pull up my best false smile—the one I used with irritating customers—and then turned slowly to face him.
“What can I do for you, Hazel?” I enquired, taking a step in his direction. If I hadn’t been on duty I wouldn’t have been so polite.
His eyes burned at the name—the only dig I could get in during work hours. However, when he held up a bottle of sun cream and waved it in front of him with a grin, I came close to ignoring all code of conduct.
“I can’t reach my back. Think you can help?”
I strode towards him quickly and hissed, “Can you stop it? I’m trying to do my job here.”
He replaced his grin instantly with false innocence.
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