TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1) by Kallypso Masters (the false prince TXT) 📕

in double-time. Could she make it inside the house before he caught up to her? Had she locked the gate earlier after checking out the beach?

Holding the cover-up in front of her body—as if it afforded any protection whatsoever—she wished she had some sort of weapon nearby. While she’d taken basic self-defense courses in college, none of the techniques came to her mind right now.

Was she about to become another crime statistic in paradise on the very first day of her vacation?

Chapter Twenty-One

A goddess.

Tony had never seen a woman more beautiful than Carmella d’Alessio in his entire life. He followed the droplets of water running from her sleek black hair over her high, firm breasts and down to the dark triangle between her legs.

She gasped when she saw him standing there and quickly grabbed a cover-up from the chair, but the flimsy, see-through, now-wet material did little to hide any of her attributes. Not that he would ever forget what her body looked like coming out of Angelina’s hot tub.

Tony needed to stop coming up on this woman emerging naked from the water, or he wasn’t going to be able to continue to resist temptation. But she’d invited him to come here to unwind and get in some warm-water dives, and he’d decided this morning to take her up on her offer after spending a restless night in his apartment. Still, that didn’t mean she wanted to have sex with him.

“What do you want?”

Besides you? Not a thing in this world, dolcezza.

“This is private property. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police.” A slight tremor in her voice was his first indication that she couldn’t see who he was. He took a few steps forward out of the shadows of the palm trees and leafy bushes, but she stepped back automatically until she teetered on the edge of the pool.

In a flash, Carm’s fear turned to surprise and recognition. “Tony?” Unfortunately, she continued to fall backward, flailing her arms in the air for balance as the cover-up tumbled into the pool. Afraid she might injure herself if she fell in too, Tony bolted forward to grab her. Just in the nick of time, he grasped one of her hands and yanked her toward him. He wrapped his arms around her in an effort to stabilize her, his hand coming into direct contact with the bare skin of her back.

Jesus, take me now.

Her breasts pressed against his chest, short-circuiting any thoughts about how they’d found themselves in this position. His gaze landed on her lips. God, he wanted to lean in for a kiss in the worst way.

“Tony!?!” Carm punched him on the shoulder with her free hand, breaking the spell in an instant. He loosened his hold, but she didn’t wriggle out of his embrace completely. “You scared the crap out of me!”

He should step away but couldn’t let her go just yet. What if she lost her balance again?

Yeah, tell yourself that’s why you’re holding onto her delightfully naked body.

“You can let me go now, T.G. I’m not going to fall into the pool.”

After making sure she was steady on her feet, he slid his hand from her back to her elbow and slowly loosened his grip on her arm. Unfortunately, this only gave him a better view of her ample charms. Her nipples hardened before his eyes. Was that a reaction to his holding her a moment ago or to the cool air hitting her wet body?

All too soon, Carm reached for a beach towel to dry herself and wrapped it around her torso, tucking the ends into her delicious cleavage. Too bad. He’d have loved to join her for a skinny dip.

But with her body covered now, at least he could try and keep his mind on something nonsexual.

Yeah, right.

“You just took ten years off my life. I thought I was about to become some horrible statistic.”

“I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t realize you couldn’t see it was me standing there until you threatened to call the cops. I thought you’d be expecting me.” Realization dawned on him. “If you didn’t get my message, then why was the gate propped open?”

She glanced over his shoulder at the gate and furrowed her brow before returning her gaze to him. “What message?”

Apparently, she wasn’t going to answer his question about her lapse in security measures, so Tony turned and walked back to lock the gate for her, saying over his shoulder, “About half an hour ago. I texted you that I’d changed my mind and was heading over from the airport.” Tony slid the heavy bolt on the gate and turned back to face her as Carm cocked her head.

“When did you leave Colorado? I’ve only been here a few hours myself; but we weren’t on the same flights.”

He walked back toward her. “Not long after you flew out, actually. I felt bad about the way I left you last night and wanted to apologize.”

“You could have called or texted an apology. You didn’t have to deliver it in person.”

Uncertain how to explain his change of heart, he shook his head. “The apology was only part of it. The more I thought about your offer, the more I knew I needed to take you up on it.”

Following Carm to the islands just might be the second-biggest mistake of his life. But at least this one should have far less dire consequences.

She glanced down at his shirt. “I got you all wet.” Tony wished more than anything that his being here and holding her a moment ago had made her wet too. Had her voice grown a little husky, or was that wishful thinking on his part? His cock grew hard.

Carm blinked a few times—unaware, he was sure—and picked up the conversation again. “My phone pinged before I came out to swim, but I thought it was someone from work.” She cocked her head. “You could have messaged me when you left Colorado to give me