Paradise Revival Part 6

But not now. Now she ran. She cowered. She feared.

G.o.ddamit, she feared.

d.a.m.n David to h.e.l.l for doing this to her!

After Morgan had made her exit, Tony contemplated taking a swim to cool off. But he figured he might as well try to get some sleep. He'd stripped and slid into bed, hoping like h.e.l.l the sounds of Morgan's pa.s.sionate moans and groans wouldn't permeate through the walls tonight.

And they hadn't. Okay, he admitted to himself, so he'd purposely listened for them. But fortunately or unfortunately, he hadn't heard a sound from her room. She'd probably gone right to sleep.

He wished he'd been as lucky. Rolling over again to look at the clock, he pulled a pillow over his head and cursed. Three f.u.c.king hours ago he'd gone to bed. And for three f.u.c.king hours he'd tossed and turned and rolled around and couldn't for the life of him get anywhere even near drowsy.

So now what? He supposed he could turn on the light and do some work on his laptop. He flipped it open and stared at the screen for a good five minutes, mentally d.a.m.ning the woman next door for s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g with his ability to think straight.

If she wasn't so d.a.m.n mysterious about everything he could do his job and forget about her. But no, she had to be all secretive about her past. Which only got his journalistic juices flowing like Niagara Falls.

Right. And he wasn't attracted to her on a personal level at all.

Get over yourself, Marino . You're so hot for her you can smell her sweet scent from here.

He scrubbed his hand over his face and stared at the laptop screen. Then an idea hit.

If she wouldn't come forth with information about her past, then he'd d.a.m.n well dig it up himself. He had plenty of PI contacts out there who owed him a favor. He'd put out some feelers and get the dirt on Morgan Brown himself.

He went online and shot out some e-mails, supremely satisfied with himself. That'll teach Morgan to clam up on him. He might have to resort to dirty tricks to get the goods on her past, but by G.o.d n.o.body pulled one over on him. If he wanted information, he'd get it.

Ignoring the niggling of guilt sledgehammering his gut, he closed the laptop and turned out the light, hoping he might be able to get some sleep. But as he walked past the window a movement caught his eye. He stopped and looked out toward the pool.

Morgan was out there, wearing a long white robe that s.h.i.+mmied against her body like a lapping wave. It clung to every one of her lush curves, making it easy for Tony to see she was naked underneath it.

She approached the pool and stood there for a moment, looking to her right and then her left. Then she did an about face and looked toward his room.

He ducked back quickly, not wanting to be caught spying on her yet again. s.h.i.+t, he still couldn't believe he'd voluntarily told her he'd watched her m.a.s.t.u.r.b.a.t.e last night.

What a f.u.c.king idiot. She'd have never known if he hadn't said something. And he still couldn't understand what compelled him to admit that he'd loitered outside her bedroom window while she got herself off.

Mentally counting the seconds since she'd looked his way, he took a chance and peered out the window again. She'd turned her back to him again, gingerly slipping one foot in the water, then taking it back out.

He hardened instantly, thinking about the hidden treasures under her robe. What she might look like naked, hoping against hope that she was out there to- Yes! He pumped his fist in the air in triumph as she untied the robe and let it slowly slide down over her shoulders. His breathing quickened in antic.i.p.ation of once again seeing her gorgeous body, this time from a completely different angle. He'd been dying to know if her a.s.s looked as good in reality as it did under her clothes.

Briefly he wondered if he was turning into some kind of pervert, then cast the thought aside as lame. If she was going to parade around in the backyard buck a.s.s naked and he just happened to be pa.s.sing by his window, then she was fair game.

He'd always been good at rationalization.

The robe stopped its downward motion as it rested on the swell of her hips, then pooled at her feet after she wriggled her a.s.s. He groaned at her movements, which certainly got his c.o.c.k's attention. It was upright, wide awake and pointing toward the pool as if to say, 'Get out there and f.u.c.k her, you moron! We're h.o.r.n.y!'

But as she stood there naked, her body silhouetted clearly in the moonlight, his heart slammed against his chest and he sucked in a breath.

On the lower half of her back were a half dozen criss-crossed scars. Not new ones because they showed white against her tanned skin. But they weren't ancient ones, either. From the looks of them, probably a few years old at the most.

Tony had done enough articles and research into the seamier side of life to know exactly how she'd gotten those scars.

She'd been beaten. Whipped. Viciously.

Son of a b.i.t.c.h!

Chapter Five.

A red haze of anger blinded him. Tony gripped the windowsill and tried to calm the rage bubbling up inside.

He felt sick. Not because Morgan's scars were repulsive. If anything, they showed how courageous she was. To survive beatings like that must have taken incredible strength. The scars were merely physical proof of how vulnerable a woman could be.

And how sick and s.a.d.i.s.tic some f.u.c.king b.a.s.t.a.r.d had been to do that to her.

He caught her profile as she walked down the stairs into the pool. Despite his state of shock, Tony couldn't calm the arousal the mere sight of her caused. She was truly an amazingly beautiful woman. Smart, courageous, with a lush, curvaceous body that begged for a man's touch.

His touch. G.o.d, he wanted to touch her. Everywhere. And kiss and nibble and lick every ounce of skin-including the scars on her back.

He should give her privacy. Obviously she'd gone swimming in the middle of the night because she wanted time by herself. Not once had she joined him in the pool during the early evening hours.

She wanted to be alone. And he should let her. But he couldn't. Stupid as it was, he slid open the door and stepped outside, not bothering to hide his nudity nor the raging hard-on that wouldn't subside.

Like a water nymph, she floated on the surface of the pool, the moonlight bathing her in an almost ethereal glow. Her hair fanned out in all directions, undulating with the lapping waves.

She hadn't noticed him standing there at the edge of the pool, until she slowly opened her eyes, then widened them, shock evident on her surprised face.

Scrambling neck deep under the water she shouted at him. "You scared me half to death, G.o.ddamit!"

"Sorry."

Despite her anger she looked him over from top to bottom, her gaze lingering on his still-hard c.o.c.k. Which made it stand up, even more painfully erect now that she watched him. She looked up and he smiled at her.

She wasn't smiling back. "I don't suppose I could be given a moment's privacy in my own home, could I?"

He sat on the edge of the pool and dangled his legs in the water. "Guess not."

Her face flamed. "Go away and leave me alone!"

"Why?" he asked, knowing she was trying to hide her scars. Despite the fact her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were visible to him through the clear water, she didn't turn her back.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm naked. I'm trying to take a swim. Alone. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"No, I'm pretty adept at figuring out what someone's thinking." He made no move to leave. Nor was he going to. Morgan Brown needed to come out of hiding. He didn't really know why he felt like her rescuer, and frankly didn't want to delve too deeply into that thought at the moment. All he knew was the little pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit. But there was more he needed to know.

"Apparently you're not as adept as you think. Could I make it any clearer to you?"

Tony tilted his head and admired her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her nipples pebbled and he couldn't hide his smirk. "It's looking pretty d.a.m.n clear to me from here, thanks."

She huffed a huge sigh, which only showed off her b.r.e.a.s.t.s more. His c.o.c.k appreciated the view. Clearly it had no intent on deflating any time soon. He ached with the pulsing need to come. Right between the legs of the flaming siren in the pool.

"Tony, go away. Please."

"How did you get those scars, Morgan?"

She froze instantly and stared at him. He waited, then finally she asked in a near whisper. "You saw them?"

He nodded.

"Dammit, I told you to leave me alone!" She swam toward the stairs, but before she

could get out he slipped in the water and blocked her exit.

"Don't run. Talk to me."

She s.h.i.+vered and shook her head. The water was warm, the night balmy. She was

afraid, but why?

"Get out of my way!"

"No. Tell me what happened to you."

"It's none of your business."

He made a movement toward her and she quickly backed away, splas.h.i.+ng water in

her wake. She treaded water in the middle of the pool, her eyes wary.

"Morgan, I won't touch you. I promise."

She didn't answer. Somehow he knew she didn't believe him. Then again, what

reason would she have to trust him in the first place? He was a stranger to her. A

stranger who had already violated her privacy once.

He had to calm her down. He read the panic in her widened eyes, saw the tremors making her s.h.i.+ver. Her breathing was short and rapid, her body full of adrenalin.

"Morgan. Relax. I'm going to sit on the stairs here, see?"

As slowly as he could he backed up and sat on the stairs, the water reaching his

chest.

But still, she didn't move.

"Tell me what happened to you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I told you. It's none of your business. My life isn't fodder for some tabloid

journalist."

He held up both his hands. "Our conversation tonight is strictly off the record.

Nothing we discuss will ever be printed."

She wanted to believe him, he could see it. She sucked in her lower lip and worried it