Page 29 of The Love Lie
sam
When they arriveat the beach for their jet ski tour, Nina is there waiting. The producer offers an overly cheerful wave. Sam does her best not to scowl.
I swear that woman is stalking us.
One afternoon. All she wanted was one afternoon without watchful eyes. One afternoon off. One afternoon with a little bit of distance from the man who is now casually threading his fingers through hers and pulling her closer. His touch is tender, but with a rough edge, his calloused palm scratching in just the right way. It’s impossible not to imagine that gentle scrape against the soft skin of her stomach, those large, commanding fingers dipping low.
Aaaaaand I’m thinking about sex again…
Fuck.
She swallows and straightens her spine. This is the problem with Cooper. He’s too damn hot. He walks inconspicuously into the room and—bam! Her hormones rage. Her imagination cartwheels into dangerous territory. And worse, her heart…twinges. An uncomfortable ache has pinched her chest all morning, and she’s over it.
Screw you, cowboy!
Why did he have to say her name in that deep, sexy rumble that seemed to touch every sensitive part of her? She can still hear him.
They can’t hold you either, Samantha.
Not Cuj.
Not Sam.
Samantha.
Even now, a shiver ripples across her skin. As if feeling it, Cooper glances over. She refuses to meet his questioning gaze. As if it’s not enough for him to have six-pack abs and a jawline cut from diamonds, he’s got to stand there all devilishly handsome and wax poetic about how she deserves more out of life. Then, THEN, he walks around with a camera looking all artistic and brooding and shit.
My god.
A girl can only take so much.
You cannot go there, Sam. Think of Em. Think of her business. She’s depending on you not to screw this up. Well, more than you already have.
It’s the kick in the ass she needs.
“Hi, Nina!” Sam waves back politely. Then she grabs Cooper’s arm with her free hand and leans in to give his obnoxiously firm bicep a hug. It’s the worst. Not really. But—ugh. “How are you?”
“Good. Sort of. Actually, I’m bored to death with Trish and Fred, and I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I joined you guys for the jet ski tour.”
“Not at all,” Cooper immediately supplies, ever the gentleman.
Asshole.
“Great!” Nina’s entire face brightens. Her dark brown gaze slides to the side. “The tour guide said we only had two jet skisreserved and it was too late to change that, but you two don’t mind sharing, right?”
Sam is too busy trying to shoot lasers from her eyes to answer.
Cooper squeezes her hand. “Right.”
“Perfect.”
The tour guide steps forward. He’s middle aged and bald with the most infectious smile she’s ever seen, white teeth bright against his golden-brown skin. He seems like a nice guy, the sort to jump from an airplane at the drop of a hat just for the thrill. Too bad she’s too busy imagining how to rip every one of Nina’s limbs from her body to pay attention to a single thing he says. A continuous stream of curse words simmers in the back of Sam’s thoughts, the metaphorical current surging as they wade into the water and climb onto their jet skis. Cooper grabs her by the waist and heaves her easily into the seat as if she weighs nothing at all. Lightning strikes deep in her abdomen, a sudden flash of heat.
Kill me now.
The last thing Sam needs is the freedom to wrap her arms around Cooper’s torso for the next two hours andaccidentallyfeel up every inch of those rock-hard abs. Yes, they’re wearing life jackets. No, that will not stop her traitorous hands.
She launches herself into the driver’s seat and grips the handles.
