“Making me turn. It was a pointless effort,” he said, closing in.
“How’s that?” I asked, gulping down a giddy giggle.
“Because,” he said, rushing me playfully and wrapping his hands around my waist. My hands rested on his wet shoulders. “Tsk, tsk, Miss Price, skin to skin. What would Karina say?”
I pushed at his chest. “Ian.”
“I’m only playing.” He ran his hands up my back and settled them on my neck. “There. Comfortable?”
I jokingly pushed him a little in answer.
It got quiet for a moment. He reached both hands up and ran them over the top of my head and gathered the rest of my hair, twisting it in a fist at the back of my neck. “I’m going home,” he told my brow.
My heart dropped.
“What?” I asked, suddenly confused, my stomach mixing space with my heart.
“My brother Simon wrote me last week asking if I’d come home for a two-day visit. It seems he has something to tell me and he’d prefer to do it in person.”
“Oh, I-I-I mean, that’s-that’s great, Ian. When do you leave?” I asked, swallowing back my uneasiness.
I didn’t want him to go. I realized in that moment that I equated Ian with security. The idea of him gone made my chest press and feel tight.
“Day after tomorrow,” he told me, running his thumbs across my forehead and down my cheeks.
“So-so soon?” I gulped.
“I realize it’s short notice and all...”
“It’s okay.”
“But I was wondering if, maybe, you might be interested in going with?”
My eyes shot open. “Seriously?”
He smiled. “Seriously. It’s only two days. Karina already said yes. She’ll keep that out of the report she is sending back with you for court,” he winked.
My heart started pounding but this time in excitement. “Oh my word, yes.”
He picked me up and swung me around in the water. “Good,” he simply stated.
“What do you think Simon wants?” I asked when he set me back down.
He shrugged his shoulders. “No earthly idea, but I’m glad you’ll be meeting my family.”
“You-you are?” I asked, stunned. No one had ever willingly wanted me to meet their parents before.
“Of course,” Ian explained, looking at me like I was making no sense. “Simon especially will adore you.”
“Is Simon older or younger?” I asked, curious.
“He’s older, twenty-five, the charming one. My parents adore him. He’s also the one who always gets the girls.”
I balked at that. “My God, he’s the one who gets the girls? What? Is he made of chocolate or something? I can’t imagine anyone would be interested in anyone else but you, no matter who you’re pitted against.”
o;That’s fine with me.”
He raised his left hand and placed his palm on the back of my neck, sending a tight heat barreling through my body only for it to settle in my belly. I smiled at him. He flirtatiously smiled back and I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing. He squeezed a little bit and dropped his hand. I felt a little sad for the brief moment his skin had touched mine. It never seemed long enough. It was incredible to me that I felt that way.