Page 34 of Pulled By the Tail
“Another building to be converted?” Her hands flexed, automatically reaching for a non-existent railing. Mentally, she added that to the list as well.
“No, this one is acceptable as is,” Talen said. He held out a hand to stabilize her, which she took gratefully.
Palm-to-palm, the gloves prevented skin-to-skin contact. She focused on her feet as she traversed the last few steps. At the bottom, Talen continued to hold her hand. She glanced up, their eyes catching, and the moment stretched out between them, warm and sweet like toffee.
“Your face changed color,” he said. “Are you cold?”
“Umm, a bit.” She snatched her hand back and pressed it to her face, desperately trying to cover a blush.
“You’ll be warm soon. Come along.”
The building had no door. Dried leaves scattered through the entrance. Georgia made another mental note about cleaning the building out.
Humidity hit her first, instantly bringing sweat to her brow. Unzipping her coat, she detected the unmistakable scent of sulfur. She stripped off the gloves and wool hat, stuffing them in the coat’s pockets.
A round pool took up the center of the room. Sunlight glimmered on the shifting water, sparkling like diamonds. The edges of the room remained shrouded in shadows, but pale flowers clung to the rough-cut stone walls.
“Our own, private thermal bath, fed by a natural hot spring.” Talen sat at the edge of the pool, then removed his boots.
“This is gorgeous,” she breathed.
Talen stood and shucked off his trousers and shirt.
Georgia turned around quickly, finding the flowers and the wall to be suddenly fascinating. She heard a splash and a chuckle.
“Come and warm up. I won’t bite,” he called.
“No. I’m good.” She kept her eyes focused on the wall.
“Soak your feet. I can tell they’re hurting you from your walk.”
“New boots, that’s all. I’m breaking them in.” And blistering her heels.
Soaking her feet did sound tempting. She sat at the edge of the pool and kept her eyes downward. More splashing. She refused to look. The brief glimpse she saw of the tightly corded muscles and the flex of his thigh—
Not going to look.
“Are you shy?”
“I’m not shy,” she said.
“Then you should come in the water. It’s the best way to warm up.”
“No thanks.” Not without a swimsuit and not with an audience. She’d rather avoid displaying all her jiggly bits. “I don’t want to walk back all wet,” she added, which was a perfectly plausible reason and not a cop-out.
“Next time.” He heaved himself over the ledge and flopped onto his back. Naked. Wet. Next to her.
She scooted over a foot or two. He chuckled. That fucker enjoyed teasing her.
“It’s not funny. This could be sexual harassment,” she said.
He rolled toward her, his dick resting heavily on his thigh. “Why? I haven’t asked you to do anything.”
Oh, but the things she wanted to do to him, her boss and husband by technicality.
She looked up at the circular gap in the roof. Vines hung down, reaching toward the warmth of the water. “Other than skinny dipping.”
“My apologies. The Navy beat any scrap of modesty out of me.” He sat upright and draped his shirt over his crotch. A ship’s anchor with a star decorated his right bicep. “Acceptable?”
