Rich, Rugged And Royal: The Maverick Prince. Catherine Mann

naptime. She’d been taken aback at the leap of excitement in her stomach over spending time alone with him.

      The beach road took them all the way to the edge of the shoreline. He shifted the car in Park, his legs flexing in black board shorts as he left the car silently. He’d been quiet for the whole drive, and she didn’t feel the need to fill the moment with aimless babbling. Being together and quiet had an appeal all its own.

      Tugging on the edge of the white cover-up, she eyed the secluded stretch of beach. Could this be the end of the “romancing” and the shift back to intimacy? Her stomach fluttered faster.

      She stepped from the car before he could open her door. Wind ruffled his hair and whipped his shorts, low slung on his hips. She knew his body well but still the muscled hardness hitched her breath in her throat. Bronzed and toned—smart, rich and royal to boot. Life had handed him an amazing hand, and yet he still chose to work insane hours. In fact, she’d spent more time with him this past week than during the months they’d dated in Galveston.

      And everything she learned confused her more than solving questions.

      She jammed her hands in the pockets of her cover-up. “Are you going to tell me why we’re here?”

      “Over there.” He pointed to a cluster of palm trees with surfboards propped and waiting.

      “You’re kidding, right? Tony, I don’t surf, and the water must be cold.”

      “You’ll warm up. The waves aren’t high enough today for surfing. But there’re still some things even a beginner can do.” He peeled off his T-shirt and she realized she was staring, damn it. “You won’t break anything. Trust me.”

      He extended a hand.

      Trust? Easier said than done. She eyed the boards and looked back at him. They were on the island, she reminded herself, removed from real life. And bottom line, while she wasn’t sure she trusted him with her heart, she totally trusted him with her body. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

      Decision made, she whipped her cover-up over her head, revealing her crocheted swimsuit. His eyes flamed over her before he took her cover-up and tossed it in the SUV along with his T-shirt. He closed his hands around hers in a warm steady grip and started toward the boards.

      She eyed the pair propped against trees—obviously set up in advance for their outing. One shiny and new, bright white with tropical flowers around the edges. The other was simpler, just yellow, faded from time and use. She looked at the water again, starting to have second—

      “Hey.” He squeezed her hand. “We’re just going to paddle out. Nothing too adventurous today, but I think you’re going to find even slow and steady has some unexpected thrills.”

      And didn’t that send her heart double timing?

      Thank goodness he moved quickly. Mere minutes later she was on her stomach, on the board, paddling away from shore to … nowhere. Nothing but aqua blue waters blending into a paler sky. Mild waves rolled beneath her but somehow never lifted her high enough to be scary, more of a gentle rocking. The chilly water turned to a neutral sluice over her body, soothing her into becoming one with the ocean.

      One stroke at a time she let go of goals and racing to the finish line. Her life had been on fast-paced frenetic since Nolan died. Now, for the first time in longer than she could remember, she was able to unwind, almost hypnotized by the dip, dip, dip of her hands and Tony’s into the water.

      Tension she hadn’t even realized kinked her muscles began to ease. Somehow, Tony must have known. She turned her head to thank him and found him staring back at her.

      She threaded her fingers through the water, sun baking her back. “It’s so quiet out here.”

      “I thought you would appreciate the time away.”

      “You were right.” She slowed her paddling and just floated. “You’ve given over a lot of your time to make sure Kolby and I stayed entertained. Don’t you need to get back to work?”

      “I work from the island using my computer and telecoms.” His hair, even darker when wet, was slicked back from his face, his damp skin glinting in the sun. “More and more of business is being conducted that way.”

      “Do you ever sleep?”

      “Not so much lately, but that has nothing to do with work.” He held her with his eyes locked on her face, no suggestive body sweep, just intense, undiluted Tony.

      And she couldn’t help but wonder why he went to so much trouble when they weren’t sleeping together anymore. If his conscience bothered him, he could have assigned guards to watch over her and she wouldn’t have argued for Kolby’s sake. Yet here he was. With her.

      “What do you see in me?” She rested her cheek on her folded hands. “I’m not fishing for compliments, honest to God, it’s just we seem so wrong for each other on so many levels. Is it just the challenge, like building your business?”

      “Shanny, you take challenge to a whole ‘nother level.”

      She flicked water in his face. “I’m being serious here. No joking around, please.”

      “Seriously?” He stared out at the horizon for a second as if gathering his thoughts. “Since you brought up the business analogy, let’s run with that. At work you would be someone I want on my team. Your tenacity, your refusal to give up—even your frustrating rejection of my help—impress the hell out of me. You’re an amazing woman, so much so that sometimes I can’t even look away.”

      He made her feel strong and special with a few words. After feeling guilty for so long, of wondering if she could hold it all together for Kolby, she welcomed the reassurance coursing through her veins as surely as the current underneath her.

      Tony slid from his board and ducked under. She watched through the clear surface as he freed the ankle leash attaching him to his board.

      Resurfacing beside her, he stroked the line of her back. “Sit up for a minute.”

      “What?” She’d barely heard him, too focused on the feel of his hand low on her waist.

      “Sit up on the board and swing your legs over the side.” He held the edge. “I won’t let you fall.”

      “But your board’s drifting.” She watched the faded yellow inch away.

      “I’ll get it later. Come on.” He palmed her back, helping her balance as finally, she wriggled her way upright.

      She bobbled. Stifled a squeal. Then realized what was the worst that could happen? She would be in the water. Big deal. And suddenly the surfboard steadied a little, still rocking but not out of control. The waters lapped around her legs, cool, exciting.

      “I did it.” She laughed, sending her voice out into that endlessness.

      “Perfect. Now hold still,” he said and somehow slid effortlessly behind her.

      Her balance went haywire again for a second, the horizon tilting until she was sure they would both topple over.

      “Relax,” he said against her ear. “Out here, it’s not about fighting, it’s the one place you can totally let go.”

      The one place he could let go? And suddenly she realized this was about more than getting her to relax. He was sharing something about himself with her. Even a man as driven and successful as himself needed a break from the demands of everyday life. Perhaps because of moments like these he kept it all together rather than letting the tension tighten until it snapped.

      She fit herself against him, his legs behind hers as they drifted. Her muscles slowly melted until she leaned into him. The waves curled underneath, his chest wet and bristly against her skin. A new tension coiled inside her, deep in her belly. Her swimsuit suddenly felt too tight against her breasts that swelled and yearned for the brush of the air and Tony’s mouth.

      His palms rested