Geomancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 5)

“Okay,” she said slowly before taking clothes from the suitcase next to her bed and returning to the bathroom.

For the life of him, he couldn’t make himself leave. Instead, he transferred his T-shirts from his bag to the dresser as an excuse to linger. When she emerged a short while later, she was dressed in white slacks and a tunic, and her hair was pulled into a bun in her nape. She offered him a smile, but didn’t meet his eyes as she hurried through the door.

The deck was buzzing when Asia arrived in the early evening. Fifty guests were crammed into the small space. With everyone dressed in eveningwear, she was glad she’d taken the time to change into her white dress and to apply a dusting of bronze eye shadow and pale lip-gloss. The DJ played a salsa while Sean did his magic at the bar.

The sun would set soon. The view was magnificent, but not as magnificent as Sean’s show. Like everyone else, she couldn’t stop staring. He moved with an innate power and ease. His biceps flexed as he flipped bottles and poured shots. How did those arms feel around a woman’s body?

No. That wasn’t where her mind was supposed to dwell. She pushed away the thought. No matter how enticing the idea of a fling with Sean was, it wasn’t an option. They could only walk away from this week as enemies. It was hard treating him like one, though, when he’d been kind since their arrival, first when Juan had offered her a drink and then when he’d taken care of her sunburnt skin. It was a big change from his animosity when they’d met. Did he really like her, or was he only trying to manipulate her into letting him win the bet?

She homed in on the graceful movements of his strong hands while he worked. What kind of lover would he be? She bet he was dominant in bed. The notion woke fantasies best kept buried. For all her life, she’d been the one in control. Both Emily and Matt’s future was her responsibility. Just for once, she’d love to surrender control to someone she trusted. She wanted to experience what it felt like to be cared for. Her lovers had been far and few between. None had lasted long enough to earn the title of boyfriend. Their lovemaking had always been disappointing. None of them had taken charge, not like she craved. She hadn’t had an orgasm with a single one of them. Not one of the men had thought about her satisfaction. It had always come down to groping and grunting in the dark, a few shoves and pulls, and a wet spot where the condom had dropped onto her sheets. Instinctively, she knew Sean would be different. It was tempting but hopeless to think about him in such a way. It was best to keep her goal in mind—the spa, Matt’s future.

Sean looked up, spotted her, and smiled. For a breathtaking moment, her heart stopped. If only for tonight she could forget he was competing with her business, she could actually enjoy the chemistry that flowed between them. When he motioned at an empty seat by the bar, she fought her way through the crowd and took the only available bar stool.

“I saved you a spot,” he said. “How’s your back?”

“Not too bad.” She smiled as she slid onto the seat. “I’m glad you woke me when you did. Not only would I have burned redder than a lobster, but I would also have been late, and my client after lunch was Mrs. Hernandez.”

Speaking of the devil, her words weren’t cold yet when Jeanne slithered up to the bar and leaned on the counter. “Hey, lover boy. Mix me something to fit my mood. It’ll have to have lots of sex in it.” She gave a husky laugh and turned to Asia as if noticing her for the first time. “This is a guest only party, sweetheart. No staff.”

Sean’s jaw set into a hard line. Anger sparked in his blue eyes as he parted his lips to say something, but Asia stilled him with a hand on his arm. Sean had been right. Jeanne had her knife out for Asia. There was no point in dragging Sean into the fight.

Before Asia could formulate a suitable reply, a deep male voice said behind her, “I invited her.”

Turning quickly, Asia came face to face with Juan.

“You know how I feel about mixing with the staff, darling,” Jeanne said with a painted-on smile.

“Yes.” Juan pinned Sean with a stare. “You’ve made that very obvious.” To Asia, he said, “This morning’s massage was excellent.”

Sean’s shoulders tensed.

“I have an idea,” Juan continued. “I think we should set you up on the beach. Our guests will love that. Will it pose a problem from a logistical point of view?”