landed on her shoulders, smooth and cool with lotion. Big hands, confident hands, that glided across her skin with strong strokes, his thumbs skimming along behind his fingers.
Damien had leaned over closer—she could hear his breathing, smell toothpaste and the coconut scent of the sunscreen. “And people think I’m tense. Relax, Mandy.”
He had no idea what he was asking of her. If she relaxed, really and truly relaxed, she’d sink in to his touch, sigh and moan and revel in the feeling of a man’s strong but gentle hands caressing her.
It was hell being stoic all the time, and she wasn’t even doing a very good job of it. And Damien was so gorgeous and competent and broad-shouldered, with those delectable baby blues.
He skimmed her spine, sending a shiver rolling through her and setting her inner thighs burning with desire.
She groaned, a long, low sound of abandonment.
Damien knew he was pushing into dangerous territory. Hell, he’d jumped into a fucking volcano.
His plan to avoid Mandy had just failed. And then some.
After shutting himself in his hotel room for two straight days, working like a fiend, and intermittently wondering what Mandy was doing, and what she was wearing, he’d needed some fresh air. It had been a happy coincidence that ten steps on the beach and he’d found Mandy lying in a chaise lounge, reading a magazine.
Except he supposed it didn’t count as a coincidence at all since he had the funny feeling he would have paced up and down the beach like an expectant father until he’d found her.
Even so, he hadn’t meant to put his hands on her. That had been an impulse. A stupid one. A head-up-his-ass impulse.
But she had looked so good.
Every imagining he’d had of Mandy wearing a bikini hadn’t prepared him for the sight of her stretched out in an army green scrap of nothing bathing suit. He had always pictured Mandy as thin and fragile, probably because she’d had the flu when they first met.
But she wasn’t thin and bony and untouchable. She was curvy and lush and delicious, with full breasts straining the tiny triangles and making his mouth water. So he’d pressed an excuse on her to rub his hands all over her back and shoulders.
And she was groaning.
He felt like doing the same.
Instead, he said, “Do you want to go to the buffet together tonight? The room service is really slow, and I need to get out a little anyway.”
Her head fell forward. “I’d love to. I’m sure the older couple I’ve been shadowing would like some time alone. Though they did say I remind them of their daughter Annie, who’s off at university. The one they told me in the next breath is something of a screw-up.”
Damien chuckled and refilled his hands with lotion. “Lift your hair and I’ll get your neck.” He leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear, his fingers tracing her clavicle bones. “I owe you an apology. I asked you on this trip impulsively and never considered the inconvenience to you.”
That was probably the first time ever that he had admitted a wrong to one of his assistants. But he knew it was true. He was harsh and inflexible sometimes, and thought only of himself.
Mandy’s elbows were out as she piled hair in a bundle on her head, and he spoke right over her shoulder. A little push forward and he could skim his lips along her jaw, kiss that dimple in her cheek that appeared when she smiled.
“While I accept your apology, I have to say it’s very relaxing, actually, which is something I really needed. I’ve been under a bit of stress lately.”
He paused. “I heard your boss is an ogre.”
She laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I like working for you, believe it or not. There’s just been some personal…issues I’m dealing with.”
Lord knew he could understand that. But she’d said she didn’t have a boyfriend or a husband, so before rational thought could intrude, he tugged on the tie that held her bikini top in place.
She grabbed the
Damien had leaned over closer—she could hear his breathing, smell toothpaste and the coconut scent of the sunscreen. “And people think I’m tense. Relax, Mandy.”
He had no idea what he was asking of her. If she relaxed, really and truly relaxed, she’d sink in to his touch, sigh and moan and revel in the feeling of a man’s strong but gentle hands caressing her.
It was hell being stoic all the time, and she wasn’t even doing a very good job of it. And Damien was so gorgeous and competent and broad-shouldered, with those delectable baby blues.
He skimmed her spine, sending a shiver rolling through her and setting her inner thighs burning with desire.
She groaned, a long, low sound of abandonment.
Damien knew he was pushing into dangerous territory. Hell, he’d jumped into a fucking volcano.
His plan to avoid Mandy had just failed. And then some.
After shutting himself in his hotel room for two straight days, working like a fiend, and intermittently wondering what Mandy was doing, and what she was wearing, he’d needed some fresh air. It had been a happy coincidence that ten steps on the beach and he’d found Mandy lying in a chaise lounge, reading a magazine.
Except he supposed it didn’t count as a coincidence at all since he had the funny feeling he would have paced up and down the beach like an expectant father until he’d found her.
Even so, he hadn’t meant to put his hands on her. That had been an impulse. A stupid one. A head-up-his-ass impulse.
But she had looked so good.
Every imagining he’d had of Mandy wearing a bikini hadn’t prepared him for the sight of her stretched out in an army green scrap of nothing bathing suit. He had always pictured Mandy as thin and fragile, probably because she’d had the flu when they first met.
But she wasn’t thin and bony and untouchable. She was curvy and lush and delicious, with full breasts straining the tiny triangles and making his mouth water. So he’d pressed an excuse on her to rub his hands all over her back and shoulders.
And she was groaning.
He felt like doing the same.
Instead, he said, “Do you want to go to the buffet together tonight? The room service is really slow, and I need to get out a little anyway.”
Her head fell forward. “I’d love to. I’m sure the older couple I’ve been shadowing would like some time alone. Though they did say I remind them of their daughter Annie, who’s off at university. The one they told me in the next breath is something of a screw-up.”
Damien chuckled and refilled his hands with lotion. “Lift your hair and I’ll get your neck.” He leaned forward until his mouth was near her ear, his fingers tracing her clavicle bones. “I owe you an apology. I asked you on this trip impulsively and never considered the inconvenience to you.”
That was probably the first time ever that he had admitted a wrong to one of his assistants. But he knew it was true. He was harsh and inflexible sometimes, and thought only of himself.
Mandy’s elbows were out as she piled hair in a bundle on her head, and he spoke right over her shoulder. A little push forward and he could skim his lips along her jaw, kiss that dimple in her cheek that appeared when she smiled.
“While I accept your apology, I have to say it’s very relaxing, actually, which is something I really needed. I’ve been under a bit of stress lately.”
He paused. “I heard your boss is an ogre.”
She laughed. “That’s not what I meant. I like working for you, believe it or not. There’s just been some personal…issues I’m dealing with.”
Lord knew he could understand that. But she’d said she didn’t have a boyfriend or a husband, so before rational thought could intrude, he tugged on the tie that held her bikini top in place.
She grabbed the
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