Free Summer Fling by Serenity Woods Page A

and to refresh their glasses.
    Chloe kept on the periphery, joining in
occasionally with the conversation, but most of the time she was content to sit
and listen to the talk around her.
    To her surprise, Garth kept his distance.
Occasionally he talked to Mat, but usually, like her, he stayed on the edge of
groups and listened rather than acted as the life and soul. His easy manner
suggested a familiarity with social situations, but after the look she’d seen
on his face when he’d told her she made him feel free, she remained convinced
something caused him to seek solitude where maybe once he’d been more sociable.
    Due to the way Garth rarely took his gaze
off her every time she spoke to Nick Stewart, she also remained convinced the
other man had something to do with it.
    Although he’d seen their embrace on the
beach, Nick continued to move from group to group with her, clearly interested
in getting to know her better. He followed her into the water and splashed her
playfully to make her squeal, fetched her drinks and food and offered her sun
lotion. He was very pleasant, and she appreciated the attention, but all the
while she was aware of Garth’s eyes on her, and her heart rate remained at an
all-time high.
    The sun sank lower in the sky and some of
the guests moved inside to escape the growing number of insects attracted by
all the bare flesh. Nick joined Chloe when she sat on the sofa, and she tried
not to be annoyed at his constant presence. Garth stood over by the wall,
leaning on it and sipping his beer while Nick related an amusing story to those
seated around them. Garth had taken off his sunglasses, and his eyes were cool
as he watched them. She tried to ignore him. It wasn’t her fault Nick had sat
next to her.
    Then Nick put his hand on her leg and squeezed
her knee.
    Her cheeks flamed at the possessive and
familiar gesture. Jeez, she barely knew the man. What made him think he could
do something so intimate? Stella’s eyebrows rose by an inch, and a couple of
the others looked mildly surprised. Embarrassed, she glanced over at Garth, but
he’d turned away to talk on his phone. Had he seen it?
    Annoyed and frustrated with herself for
caring what he thought, she uncrossed her legs and re-crossed them the other
way, moving very slightly out of Nick’s range so his hand slipped off her knee.
He continued to talk, seemingly undeterred by her delicate rebuff. Perhaps she should
have been more overt and asked loudly what the hell he thought he was doing.
But that wasn’t her way, and she’d learned long ago she had to deal with things
the best she could.
    The conversation continued with barely a
pause, and she got up and walked into the kitchen to refill her glass and have
a nibble at one of the chocolates she’d retrieved from the fridge for everyone.
As she hesitated over the box of truffles, pondering which one to choose, she
turned as someone appeared at her side.
    Garth studied the box. “So what’s the best
one?” He leaned on the breakfast bar next to her. “Come on, tempt me.”

Chapter Thirteen
    She hesitated for a moment, enjoying the
warmth of his arm pressed against hers. She’d been physically aware of him all
day, a frisson tingling along her spine every time he moved or spoke, and she
knew he’d been watching her. Was he as conscious of her every move as she was
of his? Did he feel this same tingling every time they were near each other?
    She cleared her throat. “Tempt you?”
    You’re flirting again , scolded the angel.
    “Mm. I’m a complete Philistine when it
comes to chocolate. Teach me something.”
    Her lips curved. That she could deal with.
“Okay.” She looked at the box. “Try these.” She indicated a line of round truffles.
    “These are dark chocolate, I presume.”
    “Oh yes. Always. Like men and coffee,
chocolate is always better rich.” She grinned as his lips twisted wryly. “First,
try one and have a think about what you can taste. Then I’ll tell you what