Slow Hands by Leslie Kelly

Author:Leslie Kelly
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Published: 2013-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

8

MADDY HAD ALREADY BEEN aboard the Magdalena when she called Jake on Saturday. The decision to ask him to come with her this afternoon had been an impromptu one. Well, mostly.

She’d intended to call him, having thought all night about her sister’s suggestion. At the very least, she wanted to feel him out about the possibility of working “exclusively” for her.

But she hadn’t intended to take him out on the water. That had been spontaneous. And also a little sneaky.

It wouldn’t be easy for him to laugh in her face and walk away at the very idea if they were a few miles from shore. Not unless he was a really good swimmer.

“My God, I’m turning into my sister,” she whispered, knowing Tabitha would approve of the manipulative tactics.

She’d probably also approve of Maddy’s attire. Though she hadn’t dressed with Jake in mind when she’d made the decision to take the boat out today, she wore a devastatingly skimpy fire-engine red bikini beneath her shorts and tank top.

She usually took the cutter out alone, despite her father’s frequent protests. But she was able to handle herself on the lake. And when out there alone, she liked to sunbathe without wearing even as much as that skimpy little bathing suit.

How much fun would it be to do it with someone else?

She’d readied the sails and finished preparations when she saw him walking up the dock toward her. Waving, she called, “I see you found it okay.”

“Uh-huh.” He gestured toward the side, where Magdalena was lovingly painted in large, script letters. “I like the name.”

“My mother’s,” she murmured.

Jake nodded, making no weak, inane, “I’m sorry for your loss” comment like so many people made when they learned she’d lost her mother at such a young age. She liked that about him. One of many things she liked about him.

He looked over the cutter again, from the cabin up to the top of the mast, obviously taken aback by its size. “Do I have to ask for permission to come aboard?”

“You don’t have to. Permission is granted.”

Then he was there, beside her, all tan and masculine, wearing a loose-fitting T-shirt, swim trunks and leather flip-flops. He even had beautiful legs and feet for a man.

She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing, waiting for some sign from him. Was he angry? Curious? Optimistic?

When he finally did speak, she realized she hadn’t even come close to guessing his mood.

“I’m glad you called,” he murmured, tenderly scraping his lips across her temple. “Really glad.”

And just like that, with his sweet touch and his sweeter words, she knew she couldn’t trick him, couldn’t get him out so far that he’d have no choice but to listen to her offer. Nor could she just seduce him into agreement by stripping off her shorts and top and laying herself out like a curvy appetizer.

She had to come clean.

“Jake, I think you already know me enough to realize how difficult this is for me.”

“Mmm, hmm.” And he wasn’t making it any easier, simply waiting for her to continue.

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