After what was probably one of the worst nights of sleep I’d had in my life – and I didn’t always sleep well anyway – I was up at dawn.

We had a full day ahead of us, and if the tension remained between Mila and me, it was going to make that day even longer.

I was ready to go back to New York, but we didn’t fly out until morning.

Another day, trapped in close quarters with Mila, wanting her like I did. I thought about what she’d offered and told myself I’d done the right thing. I shouldn’t have slept with her anyway – I could lose my job if my boss found out, and rightfully so.

Getting distracted by the client wasn’t part of the job.

I might be new at this, but even I knew that much.

Yet all Mila did was distract me.

The quiet of the bungalow seemed to close in around me. Needing to get away from it, I dressed for a run and headed out.

I kept to the paths close to the bungalow, although my gut told me that the biggest threat to Mila right now was herself. I still couldn’t believe how close she’d come to drowning.

If I wasn’t a strong swimmer, I wouldn’t have gotten to her in time. It would have been too late.

It was a thought that was totally unacceptable, and not just because I wasn’t big on failure. She’d gotten to me, right under my skin, and I couldn’t stand the thought of her being hurt.

The sound of my shoes slapping against the stones of the walkway was almost hypnotic, and I tried to focus on the run and nothing else.

It wasn’t working.

Mila, her smile, the way she’d pulled me to her…it kept playing over and over in my head.

I ran harder, pushing myself to my limit, and it wasn’t until the burn in my lungs was almost intolerable that I let up. Slowing my pace, I jogged for another five minutes then slowed to a walk.

As I turned up the pathway that led to the bungalow, somebody called out my name.

I turned and met the bright green eyes of Mila’s grandmother. Millie Thatcher came rushing toward me, her hands outstretched. I took them automatically, and she squeezed my palms then let go of my hands and pulled me into a hug. “Liam…I’ve been up half the night waiting to talk to you.”

“Is everything okay?”

She pulled back and cupped my face in her hands. “I heard about what you did…that you saved Mila.”

I blinked.

The slim, genteel older woman pulled me down to her level and pressed a kiss to my right cheek, then my left. “You saved my girl,” she said, her voice hitching a little.

“I was just doing my job,” I said, uncomfortable now. I eased back and tugged free of her hands. “That’s what I’m here for.”

“You saved my girl,” Millie said again, shaking her head. “I can’t ever repay you for that.”

“There’s nothing to repay.” I shifted from one foot to the other, ready to head back to the bungalow, but unable to leave while this woman looked at me with such emotion in her eyes. “I was just–”

“Your job, yes, I know.” She waved a hand, then used that same hand to dab a handkerchief under her eyes. “One of the guests who was out in the water with Mila told me what you did. I can’t bear to think what would have happened if you hadn’t been there.”

“Don’t do that to yourself,” I told her, shaking my head. “I was there. That’s what matters.”

“Yes.” She smiled at me now, and the smile took on a warmth as she held my eyes. “She watches you, you know. And I’ve seen you watch her.”

I fought down the blush that threatened to scald my face. Be professional, I told myself. “It’s my job to watch her.”

Millie laughed. “Not like that, it isn’t. And she watches you the same way. You two complement each other.”

She held out her hands once more while I puzzled over that comment. “You saved her. Thank you.” She smiled at me as she squeezed my hands. “I owe you a debt now.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Hush.” She pulled her hands free and pointed a finger at me. “You don’t get to argue with me over this.” The stern look on her face melted away, and she touched my cheek. “You saved Mila. If you ever need anything from me, you just have to ask.”

* * *

I had no idea what made Millie think that her granddaughter and I complemented each other. We couldn’t have been more different.

I made myself walk another ten minutes, hoping my muscles didn’t tighten up on me, and the entire time, Millie’s words seemed to echo in my head.

How could an assured, beautiful, sexy woman like Mila and me complement each other?

Still brooding over it, I made my way back to the bungalow. I wanted a long, hot shower.

And Mila.

I pushed that thought out of my head as I swiped my keycard, letting myself inside. I hadn’t even had a chance to close the door when I saw Mila rising from the couch where I’d slept.

She wore a robe, unbelted so that it gaped in the front. She was unperturbed by the fact. I very much wasn’t.

That gap revealed inches of her beautiful body, the inner curves of her breasts, her belly, the curls between her thighs.

I wanted to push the material off her shoulders and do exactly what she’d told me to yesterday. Find out what I like. Show me what you like.

Mila lifted her chin as we stared at each other, the challenge on her face undeniable.

“I’m not going to offer again,” she said, reaching up to push the robe off her shoulders. It fell in a puddle at her feet, and she stared at me, completely naked. “Forget about what your head is telling you, Liam. Do you want to be with me?”

I knew she meant what she said. If I said no this time, that was it.

The thought of never being able to touch her smooth skin wasn’t what drove me to take a step forward though.

It was that look in her eyes.

That determined, challenging look.

I reached up and cupped her cheek.

She rubbed her face against my hand.

I was a goner.