Page 22 of Tail Me No Lies
They stood chest to chest, nearly touching.
“You cannot work all the time. That is not healthy,” he said, setting the tablet aside. His arm brushed against her.
“Are you flirting with me?” she blurted out. Embarrassment flooded her cheeks. “Sorry. I think you are, but I’m bad at reading people. So, just to be clear, this is flirting?”
“Absolutely, without a doubt, this is flirting.” He leaned down, bringing his lips close to hers. “Come play with me.”
“You’re my employee. It’s unethical—” She turned away.
A finger under her chin turned her gaze back. His eyes darkened, and a rumble came from his chest, like a beast on the prowl. He said, “I quit.”
“What?”
“I quit, and now you need to tell me to stop if you don’t want me to kiss you.”
He leaned in and he was going to do it. He was going to kiss her, and she wasn’t sure if that was for the best. Did she want it? Hell yeah. Was it a good idea? No. Did she care? Maybe? She found herself caring less and less as his lips drew closer to hers.
“I don’t have a swimsuit,” Ruth said in a panic, jerking back.
Nox pulled away, seemingly untroubled by the rebuff. “Kitten, you can wear nothing and that would be just fine with me.”
Anyway, that’s how she ended up at the end of the old sun-bleached dock, her feet dangling in the cool water of the pond.
Nox
“Come in the water.” Nox pushed back wet hair from his forehead. Trees at the water’s edge kept the pond pleasantly cool, despite the heat of the afternoon. Insects buzzed. The pond had a slick, mossy bottom. Each step stirred up mud, clouding the water.
“I am in the water,” Ruth said, dangling her legs over the edge of the dock.
“You willfully misunderstand my order.”
“Oh, that was an order, was it?” She tilted her head.
The playful response gave him hope. When she rejected his kiss, he feared he had pushed her too hard. Yes, his flirting was shameless. Yes, he meant to distract her and overwhelm her better judgment. Such tactics had never failed in the past. Yet she resisted him. She was a more difficult mark than he anticipated.
His ears went back, unhappy at the classifying of Ruth as another mark. That was…confusing. Days ago, he knew exactly what he had to do: seduce the widow. A mere hour ago, he had a foolproof plan to put into action. Now? She carefully placed her spectacles on top of a folded towel, and it made him feelthings.
He dunked his head underwater to cool his thoughts. He wanted more than to simply seduce her. Well, he definitely wanted that, but he also wanted her to be cared for. She worked too much and needed someone to make sure she ate proper meals, took rest breaks, and enjoyed herself in the sunshine.
He could be that person. The thought felt forbidden, like a reward he had not earned, and he wanted it all the more. He wanted to be Ruth’s person. Her mate. Her heart.
He broke the water’s surface, emerging in a splash. Blinking away the water, Ruth was a blurry figure at the edge of the dock. Floating on his back, he closed his eyes and relished the coolness of the water. “Is this a lake or a pond? I forget.”
“I seriously doubt you forget anything.” A spray of water hit him, as if she kicked playfully in his direction.
“Perhaps I have an attraction for educators. Lecture me.” Or he had an attraction for her voice.
“That I doubt. Since you asked, I don’t know. I’d guess that a lake is larger and deeper than a pond.”
“Fascinating. Now get in the water.”
“I’m good.”
“Impossible female. You are enjoying your afternoon off incorrectly.” He opened his eyes and swam toward the dock.
“I’m enjoying myself. How am I doing it wrong?”
He’d show her.
