Prince of Midtown / Marriage, Manhattan Style: Prince of Midtown

One way to be straightforward.

Breath rushed out of her lungs at the sensation of his broad fingertips, moist with lotion, rubbing her skin. He smoothed the sunblock over the nape of her neck, feathering it over her vertebrae with little thumb motions. She curled her toes, trying to fight the warm pool of arousal spreading in her abdomen.

His broad palms swirled lotion over her shoulder blades, kneading her muscle at the same time. It was hard to ignore the sensation of release spreading through her.

Then his fingers slid under the scanty string of her bikini. She gasped. For some reason the gesture seemed shockingly intimate.

“Hold still. I need more lotion.” His voice was unusually gruff. She felt quite naked as he pulled his hands from her body.

She heard him rubbing the sunblock between his hands to warm it, and her skin tingled in anticipation of his touch.

Ooh. Right there in the sensitive spots on either side of her waist. She tried not to wriggle. Or giggle.

His fingers slid around to rub it over her belly button. She should protest that she could do that herself, but she’d lost the power of speech.

Probably because in reaching forward to rub her front, Sebastian had moved so close that she could smell his stirring male scent.

“Relax,” he commanded. “Why are you tightening up?”

Um, because my boss is rubbing my bare flesh with his fingers?

She managed to clear her throat. “Guess I’m overworked. Must be my demanding boss.”

“I’ll have a word with him.”

She could hear the smile in his voice.

He pushed his fingers into the tight muscle on either side of her spine, causing her to arch her back and let go a tiny moan of pleasure.

“Ah, yes.”

“What?” she croaked.

“I can see the problem.”

“What problem?” Ohhhh. His thumbs settled into the dimples above her bikini bottom. That felt…wicked.

“You need to let go of all tension.”

“I think I’m pretty close.”

“No. Your muscles are still working to hold you upright.” His palms rubbed the sides of her waist. There wasn’t even a hint of lotion left on them. Ripples of sensation skittered over her.

“Let me guess, you want me to lie down.”

“No.”

He didn’t stop kneading the muscles behind her hips. She craned her neck around to read his expression.

His dark eyes flashed mischief. “I want you to float.”

Sebastian lifted her off her chair before she could draw breath to protest. He held her in his arms, and for a second she thought he was going to heave her right into the water lapping against the stone quay.

Instead he marched to the edge, and jumped.

She let out a piercing scream as they plummeted through the air for a split second before splashing into the water. Tessa managed to close her mouth before they plunged below the blue-green surface into the silent world below.

Eyes shut tight and Sebastian’s strong arms still tight around her, she surfaced, gasping for breath. “What the—”

“Now relax.”

“Relax? You’ve half drowned me!” She struggled, trying to get free of his arms.

She looked up at his face as he brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. His expression was serious, his touch deft and careful.

Then their eyes met and her stomach did a weird leaping thing.

Being held close against his warm, wet chest felt anything but safe.

He trod water, holding them both up. His powerful legs created a swell, while his embrace seemed effortless, and strangely soothing.

“Let your legs float. I won’t let go. I promise.”

His deep voice tickled her wet ear.

She fought the ripple of pleasure it summoned. “Why would I believe you after you already dunked me?”

“The Caspian royal family never breaks a promise. Our motto is Honor Omnia Vincit.”

“Honor conquers all, huh?”

“Engraved on my heart.”

He flexed a brawny bicep in her face. There, scrolled into the pattern winding over his arm, were the words he’d spoken.

She tried to brush off the sensations sneaking through her. “I’ve got news for you. Your heart isn’t really on your sleeve. It’s an expression.”

Sebastian’s mouth creased into a smile. “Maybe I should dunk you.” He dipped her a couple of inches.

Her stomach tightened, then softened when he brought her gently back to the surface. Water played over her stomach, echoing the ripple of arousal inside it. “It’s a beautiful tattoo. Does every man in the family get one?”

Sebastian glanced down at it. The pattern of stylized leaves traced the swell of his muscles to ring his upper arm just below the shoulder. “I’ve had it so long I forget it’s there. But no, it’s not traditional.” His eyes sparkled with humor. “My mom almost died when she saw it. I got it when I was sixteen after I went to an Eric Clapton concert in London with some friends.”

Tessa laughed. “That’s such a…regular guy thing to do.”

“Who says I’m not a regular guy, as well as a prince?” He raised a brow.

Somehow that stopped her in her tracks. Not that she was making any tracks, since Sebastian still held her fast in his arms and her feet bobbed near the surface of the water. Royal trappings aside, Sebastian was just a guy. With a mind and heart and feelings. Like everyone else.