Ultimate Engagement by Lydia Rowan Read Free Book Online

at him, bemused. She was as beautiful now as she had been in the hotel room, more, and Adam’s heart began to pound.
    “Bet we could give Dirk and Candy a run for their money,” he whispered.
    Sloan’s eyes flashed, but then she smiled. “We migh—”
    “Sorry about that,” Candy said on a high-pitched giggle.
    Adam looked at her, saw the flush of her cheeks and slightly embarrassed expression. He looked back to Sloan, wanting to hear what she had been about to say, but she faced the other couple now, her expression soft, friendly, and not at all as it had been moments ago.
    “That’s okay,” she said, smiling a little brighter. “We know how it is. Don’t we, honey?”
    “Uh…yeah. It’s a couples’ retreat,” Adam said.
    There was a moment’s pause, but then Dirk looked at him sympathetically. “Your lady had to twist your arm to get you down here too, huh?”
    “Dirk, you know it wasn’t your arm I was twisting,” Candy interjected.
    Sloan chuckled, which reminded Adam to smile, and they watched as the couple again got swept away in a kiss that would get them arrested in at least fifty-four countries.
    “Sorry about that. Again!” Candy said, blushing more than usual, probably thanks to the excellent margaritas served with dinner.
    “No problem,” Adam said. “Couples’ retreat.”
    He heard Sloan’s soft chuckle, felt her body shift against his arm, but he didn’t look at her. First because if he did, he’d laugh and draw more attention to their table than Dirk and Candy already were. Second, if he risked looking at her, he’d feel compelled to kiss her, and he wasn’t one hundred percent sure he’d be able to resist.
    “I tell you, Adam,” Dirk said after he’d disentangled from Candy enough to pick up his fork, “when Candy started in on this trip, I said hell no. Couples’ retreat.” Dirk scoffed. “What kind of crap is that? But I tell you, it’s been paradise. And it’s just the first day!”
    “Yeah. It’s nice,” Adam said.
    “Nice. It’s paradise! Did you see that bed? And the balcony! Of course we had to try both out, if you know what I mean.” Dirk threw Adam a dirty wink. “And what about that ocean? I told Candy we need to add it to the list. Ain’t that right, baby?” Dirk said.
    The question set off yet another round of kissing, and Adam wondered how much longer this was going to go on. Dirk and Candy were annoying but seemed like good people, though Adam sure as fuck could have done without all the kissing. They’d been so distracting, he hadn’t really gotten too good a look at Alistair’s setup, more specifically the security guards that stood sentry around the resort.
    And there was the simple fact that Adam envied them. He wanted to touch Sloan, kiss her, claim her as his.
    But she wasn’t. Never would be.
    A soft hand on his thigh brought Adam out of his dark thoughts. He glanced over, met Sloan’s eyes, and she gave him a small smile that lifted his heart.
    Then she turned and said, “So, Dirk, tell me about the concrete business.”
    Dirk did, in detail, and right around the time Dirk started to explain why he preferred seven-minute quick-dry over five, Adam had tuned him out completely. He focused on Alistair’s men and their setup, taking in every detail he could, something he could only do because Sloan was so effectively running interference.
    He looked at her, grateful his cover meant he could watch her and not worry about anyone, including her, caring. Smart, beautiful, with an instinct for ops. He wondered how many more times Sloan would amaze him.
    ••••
    “You having a good time?” Adam asked, close to her ear, his warm breath tickling over her skin, and Sloan did what she could to avoid shivering.
    The dinner had gone off without a hitch, without much help from Sloan. She’d chitchatted with Dirk and Candy when they hadn’t been eating each other’s faces, but she hadn’t been able to focus on the conversation and