*****
Dean preferred to take out his frustration another way. He had flown in at the club late afternoon on Friday and went straight to his assigned rooms, where he spent the night drinking and then tossing and turning on the bed.
That spring morning, he had decided against having breakfast in his suite and went out to one of the various dining rooms available to the members. The spring weather had brought out the members in droves. Wanting to avoid the familiar faces, he had elected to have a late breakfast on the balcony, grateful that he had been left alone with his thoughts and his meal.
He wanted to call her. There were several times he started to reach for the phone just so he could hear the sound of her cultured voice. He wanted her calm nature to soothe his tattered soul. But he deliberately decided against it. He was pissed with her. She had brought him down to a level where he no longer recognized himself.
He had almost begged her to let him make love to her. He never had before and he had no damn intention of allowing a woman,no matter how bloody special, to reduce him to begging for her favor or giving her so much power over him.
Pouring another mug of coffee, he wandered over to the railing to lean against it. The morning was almost gone, the afternoon creeping in. From his vantage point, he could see movements on the various courts. A rousing game of tennis was going on. A few feet away, people were gathered on the golf course. Several of the pools were occupied, the sounds of laughter drifting towards him.
He saw familiar faces. David and his wife Amber were one of the couples on the tennis court. And he had seen Kane and Kelly in one of the pools. He did not especially want to socialize, but he suspected he was not going to be left alone for very long. The invitations to his wedding were out and the shock of him tying the knot was making the speculative rounds. There were going to be questions, ones he was not prepared to answer.
Tossing back the rest of the coffee, he went back to his room to change into swimwear.
After the tenth lap, he figured he'd had enough. His muscles were screaming and the weather had taken a turn. The chilling breeze that had sprung up had goose bumps popping up on his skin. Dragging his fingers through his wet hair, he blinked water from his eyes, and it was then he saw her.
Hazel Whitbourne had been a lover of his as recently as four months ago and they had parted on good terms, or so he thought, until she started calling him at all times of the day and night.
Now she was here, her minuscule red bathing suit barely covering her lush bosom.
"Darling," she purred, long talon-like nails that matched her suit exactly, running up and down her bosom, limpid blue eyes very inviting. "I heard you were here."
He stiffened when she reached behind her to tug at the strings of her bikini top.
"Don't!" His cold voice issuing the command had her pausing.
"I don't understand." She looked genuinely puzzled.
"I assume you heard that I'm engaged to be married." He started to haul himself over the lip of the pool when she glided towards him.
"I'm married and that never stopped you before." She pointed out sulkily.
He felt the sickness in the pit of his stomach at that statement.
"You were separated." He knew how weak that sounded and almost cringed. Before he met Catherine, his life was a free for all where he never gave a blessed damn who he hurt. Now he did. And he would never hurt her. "And I'm a different person now." His expression gentled. "You told me that you were trying to make things up with your husband. He loves you, Hazel, and that should count for something. Make it work."
"You're here alone and so am I. We could..."
"No." He shook his head and firmly but decidedly put her out of the way. "I'm not interested." Without waiting for her response, he climbed out and grabbed the towel he had placed on the chaise. Abandoning the idea of just taking in some of the late afternoon sun, he headed for the outside bar. Kame Takahashi and Adam Whitmore were lounging on bar stools, drinks in their hands, and had obviously seen the altercation.
"Quite the control you showed back there," Adam drawled, a lazy smile flashing across his face.
"She was practically naked," Kane observed in his own inimitable way. "Very entertaining." Observant dark eyes studied the faint flush on the younger man's face. "The old Dean would have given us quite a show."
"Scotch, on the rocks," he told the bartender tersely as he took his seat.
"That Dean is no longer." Sliding onto the stool, he deliberately turned his back on the woman still bobbing around in the pool. "Do either of you find her attractive?"
Adam glanced over at the curvy blonde with appraising eyes. "I am a connoisseur of women, and I can objectively say she's quite attractive." He lifted his Perrier with the twist of lemon and took a sip. "Amber will have my head if I display the slightest interest." His lips curved slightly. "And frankly, I think my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world."
"Only second to my Kelly." To his absolute fascination, the mostly stoic Kane had a bemused look on his face. "Kindly remember that." They both turned their attention to Dean who was dividing his glance between them.
"Don't tell me you've joined the club?" Adam asked in amusement.
"What club might that be?"
"The one where we're completely and utterly monogamous."