In Too Deep_ Husband Material & the Sheikh's Bargained Bride - Brenda Jackson [21]
But the thought of that man taking care of business at all where Carmen was concerned had steam coming out of his ears and a tic working in his jaw. Deciding it was time to rev up his plans of seduction a notch, he left the kitchen to go upstairs to change.
Carmen opened her eyes when she heard footsteps on the brick pavers. She took one look at Matthew and wished she’d kept them closed. He was walking toward her wearing a pair of swim trunks that would probably be outlawed if worn in public.
Her gaze settled on his face and the intense expression she saw there, before lowering her eyes to the sculpted muscles of his bare chest and then sliding down to his midsection. The waistband of his trunks hung low and fully outlined a purely masculine male.
She stiffened slightly when she felt a deep stirring in the middle of her stomach and fought to keep perspective. She sat up on the chaise longue and held his stare, wishing her heart would stop beating so rapidly.
And wishing she still didn’t love him like she knew she still did.
That stark realization had her moving quickly, jumping out her seat, nearly knocking over a small table in her haste. “What are you doing here, Matthew?”
He came to a stop in front of her. “Why do you always ask me that like I’m out of place or something?”
Silence hung heavy between them. Then she lifted her chin and said, “Probably because I feel like you are. I’m not exactly used to having you around.” She then moved toward the pool.
Matthew didn’t say anything, mainly because he was focused on the pain in her voice—as well as the realization that she was right. This was the longest they had been together in the same place in a long time—including when they were married.
Suddenly, he couldn’t even fortify himself with the excuse that all those hours he’d been away working had been for her. Because in the end, he’d still failed to give her the one thing she’d wanted and needed the most: his time.
He had missed this—her presence, the connection they’d shared in the beginning but had somehow lost in the end. How could he have been so wrong about what he thought she truly wanted and needed? He had wanted them both to find happiness, but they sure as hell weren’t happy now. At least, he wasn’t. His stomach clenched at the thought of just how unhappy he was. His plan for revenge didn’t taste as sweet as it had yesterday, and he had no idea what to do.
He watched as she stood by the pool, untying the sarong from around her waist and dropping it to the ground. And then she dove in, hitting the water with a splash. He stood watching her, remembering when all he’d wanted was to make her his wife and to have children together one day. He had loved and wanted her so much.
And I still love her and want her.
The admission was like a sharp punch to his gut. Nothing mattered at that moment—not the humiliation he’d felt when she left, nor the anger or frustration he’d suffered when she chose to file for a divorce. What he was sure about more than anything was that he wanted her and if given the chance to repair the damage, he would handle things differently. What he was unsure about was whether or not she wanted another go with him. There was one way to find out.
It was time he was driven by a different motivation, not of revenge but of resolution. He moved toward the pool and dived in after her.
It was time to get his wife back.
Nine
Carmen surfaced when she heard a big splash behind her. Seeing Matthew in the water, she decided it was time to get out of the pool and began swimming toward the other side.
She eased herself out to sit on the edge and watch him, studying his strokes, meticulous and defined, and the way he was fluidly gliding through the water. He was an excellent swimmer, of course—after all, he had attended UCLA on a swimming scholarship.
He swam toward her until he was right