Wife by Agreement

The condition of his body had made it starkly obvious what he thought her eyes had been saying. The idea that he had been privy to her erotic fantasies as she'd admired him brought hot colour to her cheeks.

As much to divert her thoughts as anything else, she pfeeled off her clothes swiftly, leaving them in a crumpled heap. Unlike Ethan, she walked around the perimeter to the opposite, shallow end of the pool. She kept on her bra and pants which, she reasoned, covered more than most swimsuits.

She was standing with her toes barely covered by water on the top step when Ethan's dark head emerged from the water several feet away. He waded towards her.

'Coward!'

'I told you I don't like water. I'm cold,' she complained.

'Cold? I have it on the best authority that this place is kept at a constantly humidified heat of eighty-four degrees. Actually, I was referring to your outfit.' He shrugged as he examined the white cotton broderie an-glaise set. 'Maybe it'll make it easier to concentrate on the task in hand,' he conceded.

Hannah shivered again. She wasn't proof against the erotic movement of his hips as he surveyed her through half-closed eyes. 'Nothing will make this easy,' she muttered as she eased her way to the next step.

Take your time.'

'I've every intention of—' She let out a shrill cry as she lost her footing. 'Ouch!' she gasped as she landed on her bottom. The sudden realisation that water was lapping past her middle made her stroke out in panic.

'Calm down, no damage done.' Panic receded but Hannah remained tense and suspicious. 'It wasn't your behind that cushioned the fall,' she grumbled feelingly. Ethan's grin was very white and shockingly heartless.

'Come on, take my hands. What's wrong? Don't you trust me?' He looked boyishly injured at the idea.

'Now you come to mention it...' she said slowly, not impressed by his act. Tentatively she reached across to bridge the gap between them. She was genuinely terrified of water. Logic told her she was perfectly safe, but logic didn't prevent the adrenaline being pumped in massive quantities around her body. Her heart was beating so hard she felt physically sick.

'Go on—the first step's the worst.'

He was right, but the second and third weren't much better.

The first time, half an hour later, she put her head under the water she emerged breathless but triumphant.

'I did it!' She flung her arms around Ethan's neck and kissed him firmly on the lips.

'If only all my students showed their gratitude so nicely.'

'How many other women have you taught to swim?' She let her hands rest loosely on his shoulders and very daringly let her feet float gently off the floor. Ethan's wet skin had a gorgeous rich texture.

'I haven't taught you yet.'

'You didn't answer my question.'

'You noticed that, did you?'

'Why do you have to talk like...like a lawyer?' she sniffed.

'I am lawyer.'

'Feeble excuse.'

'Have you had enough for one day?'

'Probably,' she confessed.

'But you enjoyed it. Admit it, Hannah.'

'Sort of, once I relaxed a bit.1

I’ll have a quick swim whilst you get a shower.'

She was rather disappointed; she'd half expected the intimacy of the occasion and the setting would have led inevitably to a less businesslike encounter. But it would seem the only thing he'd had in mind was teaching her to swim. She watched for a moment as Ethan lapped the pool with slow, effortless elegance and then did as he suggested.

Whilst she was still combing her damp hair she heard him turn on the shower. She squeezed the excess moisture out of her wet underwear and took one last glance at her reflection before making her way back to the pool edge, to wait for him there.

'You're looking a bit warm,' Ethan observed, leaning on the back of her lounger.

Hannah opened her eyes and found herself looking up into his face. 'This place must cost a fortune to heat,' she said, dabbing the slight film of moisture over her upper lip with the tip of her tongue.

Ethan caught her elbow as she got to her feet. 'I've been thinking about getting one at home. What do you think?'

'Isn't that a bit extravagant?' 'I think the budget might stretch.' His teasing wasn't of the unkind variety, but Hannah immediately felt gauche and awkward.

'I forget sometimes,' she murmured as they retraced their steps through the flat. 'What did you forget?'

"That you're rich. I expect that sounds stupid to you, but watching the pennies is sort of an ingrained habit with me.'

'How old were you when your parents died?' 'I never knew my father, so I suppose he might still be out there somewhere. Mum died when I was four and I went to live with my gran. I went into care when she had a bad stroke.'

'It must have been tough.'

'I'm tough.' Her frown didn't invite sympathy; it wasn't intended to.