“Sure, boss. Whatever you say. Not discussing the fact that you finally banged the guy you’ve been lusting after your whole life.”

They didn’t realize what was happening between Rhett and me was so much more, but I wasn’t about to lay it out for them right now.

“And moving on . . . Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

Both Erik and Esme morphed into the super-capable employees I knew they were and gave me a rundown on everything I’d missed. Basically, despite the increased security measures, things were running smoothly.

“There’s only one thing that was a little weird,” Esme said. “I wasn’t going to mention it, but given the situation . . .”

“What?”

“Jan Hofer called in sick three days in a row after having nearly perfect attendance since her appendix was removed a few years ago.”

Jan Hofer was an R&D scientist who was part of the facial-recognition project.

“Have you called her? Checked on her? Found out if she’s really sick or if she’s missing?”

“We’re on it. We’re going to have security check out her place to make sure everything’s okay. HR called her twice, but got her voice mail both times.”

A creepy sense of uneasiness swept over me. “Tell them to be careful. Let me know what they say ASAP.”

“No problem. We’ll report back,” Esme promised.

When we hung up, I logged into my company’s intranet and dug up Jan’s notes from her research the last few weeks. Nothing was out of the ordinary, but still . . . I didn’t like the coincidence.

I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but I wouldn’t feel settled about it until Esme and Erik called back with more information. She can just be sick, I told myself.

In the meantime, I needed a distraction.

Rhett opened the door to the bedroom. “Hey, Red. You in a good place to take a break for a couple hours?”

Exactly the distraction I needed.

My stomach growled, and I realized it had been almost six hours since we’d eaten last. “I could be talked into that.”

He nodded. “Good. Then meet me down in the pool room when you’re finished. We’ve got a date.”

“A date?”

“Yeah. And if you wanted to put on a dress and no panties, I wouldn’t argue with you.” With a wink, Rhett closed the door before I could respond.

A dress with no panties?

I looked around the room as though someone else could confirm what I’d just heard, but there was no one.

What does he have planned? I rose from the bed and stretched my arms and kinked muscles before moving to the closet where my limited wardrobe hung. My gaze locked on a navy-blue T-shirt dress with a V-neck that I wouldn’t look out of place walking around in at home.

I stripped off my shorts and panties, and pulled it on.

Ask and you shall receive, Rhett Hennessy.

49

Ariel

When I entered the pool room after primping for ten minutes, candlelight flickered off the walls and the surface of the water from votive candles scattered across the stamped concrete decking surrounding the indoor pool. Through the tinted glass sliders, the sun was setting outside, showing me just how much I’d lost track of time.

Who really needed two pools anyway? I wondered at the motivation of whoever had built this place.

Then I pushed the thought out of my head and focused on how deliciously naughty I felt wearing a dress with no panties. I’d never done that before, and found it was something worth repeating.

Rhett stood by a table as he lit two taller candles in the middle. He’d managed to find a button-down shirt and paired it with worn jeans but no shoes. It was a very good look on him with his messy dark blond hair and the scruff on his jaw.

“Wow. Someone decided to go all out.”

“My mama told me to wine and dine you, and I always try to listen to what she tells me.”

I smiled. “Is that so?”

He nodded and pulled out a chair. “Sure is. Would you like to have a seat so I can tell you what we’re eating tonight?”

I crossed the concrete toward him, also barefoot because nothing else had felt right, and stopped next to the table. “Thank you for doing this. It’s really sweet.”

Rhett’s gaze dropped to my red-painted toenails and dragged up my body to my hair, pulled halfway up in a messy casual style. “You look beautiful.”

My cheeks heated. Not at the compliment, but at what I was about to say. “I decided to honor your request.”

Hunger blazed in his green eyes. “Is that right?”

I nodded.

“Show me.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What?”

“Show me,” he said again.

I swallowed. Oh hell, what did I get myself into?

I reached down and caught the hem of my dress on my left side and dragged the fabric up until it hit my hip and the lack of any panties was visible.

Rhett didn’t move. Didn’t touch. But his stare was enough to raise goose bumps all over my skin. “That’s so fucking sexy.”

I dropped the fabric and it slid down my thigh, but Rhett’s eyes lifted to mine.

“You’re wet right now, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

He reached out a hand like he was offering to seat me for dinner, but that wasn’t his purpose at all. “Show me.”

My heart thundered in my chest. “What do you mean?”

Rhett stepped forward, reached for my hand, and wrapped my fingers around his wrist. “I want you to show me.”

My thighs clenched when I put together exactly what he meant. He wanted me to put his hand . . . oh sweet Jesus.

With my fingers trembling, I directed his hand under my dress and up between my legs. I sucked in a breath when the pads of his wide fingers skimmed my leg and then ghosted over my lips.

“Spread your legs, Red.”

My teeth caught my bottom lip as I scooted my feet further apart, making room for his hand.

Rhett kept his fingers completely motionless as his skin slid through my wetness. His nostrils flared, and my hips pushed forward almost of their own accord. Back and forth, I dragged his hand through my heat, touching lightly enough to drive us both crazy.

“Touch me. Please. I can’t take it.”