He tasted the delicious sweetness of her and buried his hands in that glorious hair. She smelled of summer blossoms and rose petals, everything about her silky smooth and feminine. She pressed her luscious curves against him, winding around him like a delicate plant growing up a rough rock face.

He felt her tug at his shirt and then slide her hands over his skin, and the feel of her brought him to his senses.

The cave magnified sound. Her gasps blended with soft echoes and the hollow drip of water sliding off rock. From beyond the cave came the faint rush of moonlit waves hitting the sand and the distant sound of laughter.

It was the laughter that penetrated his desire-clouded brain.

He eased his mouth from hers and heard her moan a protest.

“Ryan—” She breathed his name and opened her eyes reluctantly. “I want—”

“I know what you want.” Despite the dim light, he could see the dark streaks of color on her cheeks.

“But you don’t want the same thing. You’re not interested.”

He wondered how the hell she could think he wasn’t interested, given that seconds ago she’d been welded against a part of him that should have told her exactly how he felt on that subject.

He thought about what Rachel had said. He thought about Lizzy. “We should get back. People will wonder where we are.”

She registered the rejection. “You’re right, we should get back.” She stepped away unsteadily, like someone absorbing a punch. “It was unfair of me to ask you to teach me to swim when you’re so busy. I’ll book with one of the swimming instructors.”

He thought about the two swimming instructors who worked at the Ocean Club, both of who had almost fallen on their faces trying to look down Emily’s dress.

“I’ll do it.”

“That isn’t necessary. I can—”

“I said, I’ll do it.”

“In that case, I’ll see you at the pool tomorrow.” The exchange was awkward and stilted.

“Sounds good.”

It didn’t sound good at all.

Chapter Twelve

Twelve

Emily stood by the entrance of the Ocean Club pool, shivering.

If someone had told her a month ago she’d be dancing at a beach barbecue and learning to swim, she would have called them deluded.

But here she was, with a bathing suit tight and uncomfortable under her clothes.

When she’d first noticed it in the bag of clothes Skylar had delivered, she’d ignored it, thinking she’d have no possible use for it. As a result, she hadn’t taken a close look until five minutes before she was ready to leave the cottage.