“I don’t want to get wet,” she protested, absorbing the flex and glide of his hard pectoral muscles as he carried her across the beach. Several other sunbathers sat up quickly and peered at them over the rims of their sunglasses. The women’s envious expressions told Zandra they would gladly trade places with her in a heartbeat.
“This is ridiculous, Remy,” she complained as they reached the foaming shore. “You can’t make me go swimming if I don’t want to.”
“Aw, don’t be such a spoilsport, Z. You haven’t gotten in the water since we arrived on Monday. It’s downright unnatural, if you ask me.”
“Well, no one asked you,” she retorted.
He slanted her a lazy grin.
Looking at his sensual mouth just inches from hers, Zandra wanted to kiss him so badly she ached. When their eyes caught and held, a current of pure sexual awareness sizzled between them.
After a long, supercharged moment, Zandra averted her gaze and gruffly commanded, “I’m serious, Remy. Put me down this instant.”
His dark eyes glinted with mischief. “If you insist.”
And without further ado, he tossed her unceremoniously into the water.
*
Remy Brand had a secret.
Not the kind of secret he’d been sworn to keep in his former life—secrets involving classified intelligence and covert operations in dark, treacherous jungles. Secrets that were matters of national security.
No, this secret was far more personal.
Far more dangerous.
Because while the revelation of this secret might not get him hauled before a military tribunal or put him at the mercy of a ruthless dictator, it could definitely cause some serious damage if it were revealed too soon.
Damage to his longtime friendship with Zandra.
Damage to his ego.
Damage to his heart.
So what was the deep, dark secret he’d been guarding with his life for the past two years?
He was in love with Zandra.
Madly, deeply, hopelessly in love with the woman.
And it was killing him. Killing him.
It was crazy.
He’d survived the most brutal training to gain passage into the elite brotherhood of Navy SEALs. He’d engaged in the most dangerous combat missions in the most dangerous places in the world. He’d experienced the exhilaration and horror of taking lives.
He’d seen the bowels of hell and lived to have nightmares about it.
But nothing—absolutely nothing—could have prepared him for the sweet agony of losing his heart to a woman.
As he watched, Zandra surfaced from the cold water gasping and sputtering indignantly. “I can’t believe you just did that!”
Remy laughed. “You told me to put you down.”
“You know damn well what I meant,” she shrieked, swiping water from her eyes so she could glare at him. “I swear, Remy, you drive me crazy sometimes!”
I know the feeling, he thought, his mouth running dry at the sight of her nipples outlined sharply against the wet fabric of her cover-up. When she arched her neck back to smooth water from her black hair, blood rushed straight to his groin and made his dick throb.
“I don’t know why you have such a hard time accepting no for an answer,” she ranted. “It’s so damn annoying.”
Remy grinned unabashedly. “I got you in the water—mission accomplished.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
As she spun away and began wading toward the shore, Remy reached out and caught her around the waist.
“Hey!” she protested as he playfully dragged her backward. Squirming out of his grasp, she turned and shoved ineffectually at his chest with both hands. “Will you stop trying to manhandle me!”
Remy smiled. God, she’s beautiful when she’s all riled up. Hell, she’s beautiful, period.
And that was an understatement. Zandra Kennedy—with her sultry dark eyes, high cheekbones, erotically plump lips and luscious body—was a walking wet dream. With a seductive sway of her hips or the flash of a sexy smile, she could have any man she wanted.
Remy was determined to prove he was the only one she’d ever need.
“Do you know what this reminds me of?” he asked her.
Zandra just crossed her arms and glowered at him, drops of water clinging to her long lashes like diamonds scattered over black velvet.