“We’d better head back then, and get some sunscreen on you before you fry up like a lobster.”
She laughed. “Yes, that would be bad. Sunburnt is definitely not a good color on me.”
They turned around and Drew walked them farther up the beach into the shade on the way back.
Once inside, she headed into the kitchen.
“How about something to drink?” she asked.
“A beer sounds good.”
“Okay. Actually, that sounds pretty good to me, too.” Normally she disliked beer, but it was warm outside and she was parched, and today it felt like summer. And summer meant beer. She grabbed two beers and handed them over to Drew, who opened them both and gave her one. They went out onto the terrace and took a seat.
There wasn’t a soul out there, just the whitecaps billowing over the water. Carolina spotted a boat far off in the distance, but couldn’t make out what kind it was. It disappeared along the horizon, so all she could see then was water. No one else could be seen along their private stretch of beach. She felt like they were the only people in the universe right now. Shipwrecked, alone, and utterly in their own world.
She kind of liked it.
“Tell me how work is going.”
She shifted her gaze to Drew. “I don’t want to talk about work today. I’m on vacation.”
He cocked a brow. “I’ve never known you to not want to talk about your work.”
“So you’re saying I’m obsessed?”
He laughed. “No. I think you love your job. Nothing wrong with that. I talk about hockey a lot, because I love what I do. So do you. If you didn’t, you probably shouldn’t be doing it.”
“True. And I do love it. I’ve also been a bit obsessed by it for the past several months.”
“Rightly so, I imagine, since you have a lot riding on this being a success.”
She drew her knees to her chest. “Don’t remind me.”
“Oh, right, because you’re on vacation today and you want to obliterate it from your mind.”
Her lips lifted. “Exactly.”
“I can take your mind off work.”
“You can, huh?”
“Yeah.” He got up and grabbed his beer and hers. “Follow me.”
He led her through the door and into the house, down the hall and into the side yard, an oasis of greenery and palm trees, where there was a pool and a hot tub surrounded by a tall fence. He sat them down at the edge of the pool.
She tucked her feet and legs in the water. “Ah yes. At least this one is heated, unlike the ocean.”
Drew sat next to her and sank his legs in, too. “Yeah. And it’s a lot more private here.”
She laughed. “I didn’t see anyone out there.”
He clinked the tip of his beer bottle to hers before taking a long swallow. “But I have nefarious plans for you, and I wanted privacy.”
“Really. What kind of nefarious plans?”
“First, we’re going to take a swim, so get out of those clothes.”
“I like the sound of that.” She pulled off her top and her capris, then slid into the water, which felt warm and glorious. She swam a few laps side by side with Drew, who then scooped her into his arms and swung her around before dunking them both. She came up laughing, and then he took them under again, this time kissing her underwater. She wrapped her arms around his neck, loving the buoyant feel of the water and the way his lips felt on hers.
When they surfaced, she turned in his arms and wrapped her legs around him.
“This is a good start,” he said, pushing through the water toward the cement stairs. He sat her on the edge, then untied her bikini top, letting it fall to her waist.
Undaunted, she untied the back and tossed the top to the side of the pool. “Part of your nefarious plans?”
“I’m only just beginning. But first, sunscreen for you.”
“Oh, that’s right. We’re in the sun again.”
Drew got out, water dripping from his body as he headed over to the supply cabinet on the covered veranda. There was such fluidity to his movements, the way he walked with such ease and confident masculinity.
It was the same as when he was on the ice. When he skated, whether he was coasting or zooming along at some crazed speed, it was a beautiful thing to behold. She was mesmerized by him, and she’d caught each of his games when they were apart this past week. Not just for the lines and watching the movements of his body, but also because she’d missed him.
Which was a dilemma she had decided not to think about today.
He came back with lotion, pouring some in his hands. “Lean forward,” he said.
She did, pulling her hair out of the way so he could spread the lotion across her back and down her arms. His motions were thorough, and yet slow and sensual, heating up her body more than the sun had. Each touch was a caress, as if he was learning her body for the first time. He swirled the lotion down her spine and across her back, all the way to her bikini bottoms.