I needed the swim.

Splashing through the water and talking with some of the clients who were staying at the resort was fun and all, but I’d woken up with a headache, and it had only gotten worse as the day went on.

Actually, it had only gotten worse every time I saw Liam and watched as he deliberately averted his gaze.

I was pretty sure I remembered all of last night – had I done something and forgotten about it?

He sure as hell seemed to be determined to ignore me today.

Not that it bothered me, I insisted to myself, rolling onto my back and staring up at the sky.

The water lapped at my body, and I thought that I could just happily stay like this.

A couple of the people I’d met up with earlier shouted my name.

Shifting to tread water, I cocked my head, listening.

“We’re ready for lunch. You?”

“No, but you go on,” I called back.

A few more lingered in the water, closer to shore – and Liam – than I was.

Liam.

He was driving me nuts.

I stopped treading water and started to swim, lazy strokes at first, then faster. Harder.

I was out of breath when I stopped, and I looked back toward the shore, a little dismayed by how far I’d swam. I started back, well aware that I needed to be more careful.

I didn’t know how far I went before the muscle cramp all but seized my entire body, emanating from my left leg.

I went under, choking on water. Scrambling and clawing, I fought my way back to the surface. I opened my mouth to shout for help, but I was still half-choking on the water, and nothing came out.

I went under again.

I was a good swimmer, a strong one. But I’d never had this happen, and panic swept through me, eradicating any rational thought.

I clawed my way to the surface once more – or I tried.

My left leg felt all but useless, and the muscle cramp all but had me ready to sob, it hurt so bad.

My lungs screamed for air.

I beat ineffectively at the water, but the surface seemed to be getting farther away…and darker.

Vaguely, I saw a dark shape come between me and the surface.

Helplessly, I lifted a hand toward it as the darkness swam in closer, closer, closer…

A strong arm around my middle caught me, pulling me back against an equally strong body. The pressure on my belly had me gagging, but I fought it back.

Reality started to set in, and I began to shiver, even as Liam swam us both back to the shore – and safety.

Several people were gathered around, and he barked for them to get out of the way as he hauled me up into his arms.

I shivered again, wishing I could sink into that warmth.

A coughing fit overcame me, and Liam lowered me to the sand where I emptied myself of the salt water I’d choked on. The second he put my weight down on my feet, though, the muscle in my leg knotted up on me and I gasped in agony.

“What in the hell were you thinking, swimming out so far?” he demanded, grabbing my shoulders and hauling me closer.

Water sparkled off his eyelids and drops clung to his lashes.

“I…” I started to tell him, but my leg knotted up again, and I whimpered, sinking to the sand with my affected leg curling up underneath me.

Some of the pain I was feeling must have shown on my face because his features thawed a little, and he reached for my ankle, slowly drawing my leg out. I whimpered again.

“You cramped up,” he said softly.

I nodded, blinking back tears. My head was spinning from the adrenaline, and my heart raced inside my chest.

“Come on.” Liam picked me up, settling me once more against his chest. “Let’s get you out of here.”

I turned my face into his chest as he walked, more than willing to get away from the prying eyes of those who’d been watching.

I felt stupid, silly. I knew better than to swim so far from the shore alone, but I’d done it anyway.

Part of me had wanted to be reckless, to challenge Liam in the face of his unbreakable calm.

Well, I’d gotten through his wall.

He was pissed.

I could still feel the anger burning in him when we reached my bungalow, and I waited for him to put me down, but he managed to brace my weight against his body, keeping me off my feet as he swiped the keycard.

I nudged the door open.

The air-conditioned, chilly air made me shiver even harder, and Liam carried me over to the couch, dumping me onto the top of it with little ceremony. But then he picked up a blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders.

I clung to it.

“Let me see your leg.” He sat next to me on the couch, closer than he’d ever gotten to me.

He stretched my leg out once more, then cupped the back of my thigh where the muscle continued to cramp and knot up.

He dug his fingers into the knot.

I groaned. “That hurts,” I complained.

“It will keep hurting until you work the cramp out too,” he replied. And he set about doing just that, rubbing, stroking, at times digging into my muscle. Bit by bit, the cramp eased.

And my head got clearer.

Slumped back against the couch, I closed my eyes.

“You saved my life,” I said.

His hands slowed in their task slightly, then he resumed. “Doing my job, ma’am.”

I lapsed into silence, staring at his averted face as he worked on my leg.

“I think it’s gone now,” I said softly after a few more minutes.

It had actually started feeling better a while back, but I’d enjoyed the feel of his hands on me a little too much to make him stop just yet.

He eased my leg off his lap and turned to face me. “Are you alright? You weren’t under for long, but you obviously swallowed some salt water. How are you feeling?”

“Foolish,” I admitted. “I know better than to swim so far out. I wasn’t paying attention. Thank you.” He went to shrug, but I put my hand on his shoulder. “Seriously, Liam…thank you.”

He looked at me then, mouth parted as if he was going to say something.

But no words came out.

This time, I didn’t ask him to kiss me.

I kissed him.

It was a quick, easy kiss…or it should have been. He tensed and broke away.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

He shook his head and got up. “I’m glad I was there to help, Mila,” he said, his voice stilted. Formal, even.

I’d rather he yell at me like he had on the beach.

“Are you mad I kissed you?” I asked him as he turned his back on me.

He glanced over his shoulder. He didn’t look at me. It was more like he was giving the appearance of that consideration, because his gaze stayed far, far from mine.

“I’m not mad,” he said calmly.

“Then why are you so tense now? What’s with the wall you keep shoving between us?”

He rose from the couch and paced a few feet away before turning to look at me. There was a faint flush to his cheeks as he met my eyes. “There is no wall. I work for you – for your father, at least. And as for your kiss…you should save it for somebody who appreciates you the right way.”

He went to turn.

“I think you could appreciate me just fine,” I said softly.

He looked back at me then, and for a few seconds, there was no wall. It was just…him. A bleak look crossed his face. “I doubt that.”