Paradise Revival Part 5

She turned to him. "No, I found it quite stimulating, actually."

"Then why didn't you join in? I can tell you need to get off."

She inhaled and let it out slowly. "I will. Just not here, and not now."

"I see. Later then, when you're at home?"

Her lips curved in a slight smile. "Why, do you want to listen in again?"

Chapter Four.

Tony had been rendered speechless by her comment, Morgan recalled with a smile. The entire drive from the resort he hadn't said a word. He hadn't denied that he'd listened last night, either. So, she'd been right, she'd had an audience last night. And now, over dinner, he remained all but mute. Which unnerved her a great deal. He hadn't even asked any questions for the article-and really, wasn't that the whole point of his being here in the first place?

"You're quiet tonight," she said, watching as he peeled another shrimp and popped it into his mouth.

"I was hungry," he said with a mouthful.

"Obviously." She gazed over at the plate where more than a dozen and a half empty shrimp sh.e.l.ls were piled. He finally leaned back in the chair and took a drink of wine.

"You were pretty silent yourself," he said.

"I was?" She hadn't realized that, but now that she thought about it, he was right.

Maybe her silence was a response to his. She certainly didn't want to volunteer any information. If he wanted to know something, she figured he'd ask.

They'd both effectively skirted the issue of her comment about him listening in last night. Clearly, neither of them wanted to bring it up again. Morgan sighed, not at all sure how she felt about it. On the one hand, she was appalled at herself for her lack of awareness. There had been another person in the house when she went about screaming her b.l.o.o.d.y head off in ecstasy last night. On the other hand, the thought of him listening excited her. Really excited her. More than it should, considering what it all meant.

"Something on your mind?"

She looked up and shook her head. "No, not at all."

"I think we're both avoiding a discussion about something."

"About what?"

He inhaled and leaned back in the chair, giving her a delicious view of his naked chest. Great pecs, a light dusting of dark hair, broad, muscular shoulders. He was exactly the type of man she went for. Correction-used to go for.

"About last night. About what you did, what I saw and heard."

Morgan sat up straight. "Saw? You watched me?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. Couldn't help it. Those sounds you made drove me crazy. I wanted the visual to go with them, so I stepped outside and watched you through the window."

Panic slammed against her chest. What had he seen? What position had she been lying in? Then she remembered and released the breath she'd been holding. She'd been lying on her back. He hadn't seen the scars. "I see."

"How do you feel about that?" he asked, seemingly unapologetic that he'd been spying on her most private act.

How did she feel about it? She should be furious with him. She'd brought him into her home and the first night he invaded her privacy? Then again, she hadn't been quiet. But what difference should that make? It was her d.a.m.n house and if she wanted to m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e in the middle of the living room it was her right to do so. "I don't really know how I feel about it."

"p.i.s.sed off?" he offered.

"Yes."

"Violated?"

"Yes."

"Excited?"

She paused, not expecting him to be so forward. But wasn't Tony the type of man

she used to like? A real man, one who took what he wanted and made no apologies for it afterward? Was she subconsciously throwing out signals to him? And how honest should she be with him? After all, the thought of him watching, though shocking, was also incredibly erotic.

"Maybe."

"Wanna know what I think?" he asked, grinning.

"Would it matter if I said no?"

"Probably not."

"Then by all means, tell me."

He poured more wine for both of them. "I think you're an incredibly s.e.xual woman.

Your body, your mannerisms, and especially your eyes, are windows into that s.e.xuality."

"How so?"

"You have a way of carrying yourself that's s.e.xy as h.e.l.l. Dignified, but with a lazy sway to your hips that sends off 'come f.u.c.k me' signals. Your eyes travel over me as if you literally want to eat me alive, and unless I'm totally off base, I'd say you haven't had a man in awhile. A long while."

She took a quick swallow of wine to moisten her suddenly dry throat. "Why would you think I haven't had a man in awhile?"

His eyes blazed hot and dark. "You look hungry."

Morgan sucked in a breath and tried not to be thrilled at Tony's words. They didn't mean anything. He wasn't s.e.xy, and she d.a.m.n sure was not getting excited. Yeah, right.

"I'm sitting here wondering why a woman like you with so much potent s.e.xuality is so repressed."

She lifted her brows. "Repressed?"

"Yeah. Because you sure as h.e.l.l put out s.e.xy signals, but to the casual observer

you're as cold as the waters off the North Pole."

Fairly certain she'd just been insulted, she sniffed and said, "I'm running a business here, not prost.i.tuting myself for s.e.x."

He smirked. "Obviously. Otherwise you'd be sampling the adventures right in your own backyard."

"I don't mingle with the guests."

"Seems to me you don't mingle with anyone." He stood and took his gla.s.s of wine with him, then walked around the veranda.

Morgan watched him warily.

"You have this luscious playground, but no man. You invited me here to stay the week, so obviously no boyfriend comes calling on a regular basis. Considering that

there's not a huge population inhabiting this island, I'd say you keep to yourself all the time."

"What's your point?" She didn't like this turn in their conversation.

"I'm getting to it." He leaned against the arbor pillar and sipped his wine. "You're

hot, but you don't have s.e.x. I'm wondering why you're repressing your natural inclination."

"The resort is for the paying guests. The employees don't indulge, either."

"Ah, but the employees have personal lives outside their work at the resort."

"How do you know?"

The corners of his mouth lifted. "I asked a few of them. Your employees get it on regularly. Either with spouses or lovers. You don't appear to get it on at all-on or off the resort."

"I'm still waiting for your point." She couldn't believe she'd sat and listened to him for this long.

"My point is, I think you're hiding something."

"I have nothing to hide." She stood and cleared the table. He followed her inside with their gla.s.ses and bottle of wine.

"Don't you? You said your past is off limits. Most people, given the opportunity to talk about themselves, start at their birth and provide every stinking detail from then on. You don't want to talk about anything except what happened after you bought Paradise Resort. Which means every part of your life before three years ago is a complete mystery."

Morgan turned to the sink and ran water to wash the dishes, refusing to meet Tony's probing gaze. "My personal life is not the subject of this article."

"Oh, but it is. Your entire life leading up to the point you bought the resort is a subject of interest. How else will the readers know what compelled you to design and implement a place like Paradise?"

"I came into some money. I wanted to buy a resort island, and there was a lack of places where people could indulge in their s.e.xuality so freely. It's very simple, actually."

She felt him behind her. He was so close his breath whispered against her neck when he spoke. She s.h.i.+vered.

"But why? Why did you buy it? Why a place like this?"

Agreeing to this interview had been a huge mistake. She hadn't thought things out properly, hadn't planned on Tony getting so personal.

"You know," she said, drying her hands on a towel and turning around, "I'm exhausted. Can we continue this conversation in the morning?"

He hadn't stepped back when she turned. His closeness unnerved her. She could see the warm amber flecks in his dark eyes, feel the heat of his body emanating toward her. She hadn't been this close to a man since that last night with David. Only this wasn't unpleasant. This was-too much to bear.

She made a move forward and he stepped back, giving her room to skirt around him. "I'm tired, Tony. I'm going to bed."

Without waiting for his reply she headed down the hall and quickly closed the door to her room. She flopped on the bed and tried to catch her breath, her palm instinctively resting on the frantic beating of her heart. She was d.a.m.n near hyperventilating. Was it due to Tony's probing questions, or how she felt when he stood so close to her?

She already knew the answer. If she wasn't so d.a.m.ned afraid she'd have stepped into his arms and kissed him. Her body thrummed with desire, her p.u.s.s.y moist with antic.i.p.ation and excitement.

Instead she'd run to her room and shut the door, putting a physical wall between them. She'd never run from a man in her life. She'd always thought herself an enlightened woman, confident in her s.e.xuality. When she wanted a man she played no games-she went right after him.