He slips into the bath behind me, then pulls me against him. “How do you feel?” He kisses my neck and reaches for a washcloth, lathering it up with body wash.

“Better.”

“Good.”

“Everything okay downstairs?”

“Yes. It’s quiet down there. The locksmith added a locking knob and a dead bolt.” I nod and am about to ask more questions when he leans in and whispers in my ear, “Relax. There’s nothing more you can do tonight.”

We sit in silence as he washes my arms, my back, my chest, and down my stomach to the juncture of my legs, never touching me in a sexual way, but in a soothing, cleansing manner that makes me melt against him.

Finally, he sets the washcloth aside, and while I’m still soapy, his hands glide to my shoulders and begin to knead the muscles there.

“Dear sweet Jesus, keep doing that and I’ll marry you.” The words slip out before I can stop them, before I even realize I’m saying them, and I bite my lips and cringe, hoping he doesn’t notice.

But rather than freaking out at the M-word, he simply chuckles and continues to spoil my shoulders and neck. “If I knew the way to your heart was rubbing your shoulders, I would have done it long ago.” He rinses the soap from my skin and tugs me back into his arms to rest against his chest. I curl up against him and sigh deeply as he continues to gently caress my arms and shoulders, kisses my temple, and nuzzles my ear.

When the water cools and we’re both wrinkling up like prunes, Ty pulls me from the bath, wraps a towel around his waist, and then slowly and thoroughly dries me off, his eyes warm as they roam over my skin.

“You’re gorgeous.”

I smile softly as he sets the towel aside and leads me to the bedroom and tucks us both in the bed. He pulls me against him and holds me tightly.

I’ve never felt so pampered in my life.

I don’t realize that I’ve spoken aloud until Ty whispers, “Get used to it, sweetness.”

I’m sitting in my office, my laptop set up before me, sending out e-mails and responding to requests on social media. It’s early in the morning, and I should be writing, but I just can’t concentrate.

I tossed and turned last night and gave up any hope of falling back to sleep at around five this morning and came down to work, leaving Ty to get as much rest as possible.

Jack destroyed my pool house.

I hear bare feet pad up behind me, and Ty’s strong arms circle me as he buries his face in my neck and inhales deeply. He drags his nose up to my ear, sending shivers through me.

“Good morning.” I push my fingers into his messy hair.

“I’m getting tired of waking up to an empty bed,” he responds softly. “I’d rather wake up with you under me.”

“I couldn’t sleep.”

Ty kisses my cheek, sets a mug of hot coffee on the desk for me, and shuffles over to my chaise lounge, giving me a prime view of his bare back and boxers-covered ass.

God, he has a nice ass.

“I made coffee.” He shoots me a sleepy grin. “Why couldn’t you sleep, beautiful?”

“Just a lot on my mind.” I lift one shoulder in a shrug and lean back in my chair, watching him. “Since I couldn’t swim, I decided to get up and get an early start on work.”

“Working on a Sunday?” He raises a brow.

“I work every day, Ty.”

“I think you need a day off.” He scrubs his hands through his hair with a wide yawn.

I laugh and turn my attention back to my computer screen. “After I meet next week’s deadline, we’ll talk.”

“Hmm . . .”

I glance up to find him tapping his lips with his forefinger.

“What are you thinking?”

“What would happen if you were cut off from your computer and phone for a whole day?”

“I’d most likely be set behind.”

“But it wouldn’t kill you.”

“No.” I tilt my head and watch him as he takes a sip of his coffee. My phone rings on the desk at my elbow.

“Hey, babe.” Ty’s eyebrows climb into his hairline at the term of endearment and I mouth the word Emily.

“Hey, whatcha doin’?” she asks.

“I was working, but now I’m chatting with Ty.”

“Tell him I said hello.”

I pull the phone away from my face and grin at Ty. “Emily says hello.”

Without responding, he unfolds from the chaise, approaches my desk, and holds his hand out, silently asking me to pass the phone.

I pull it back to my ear. “Uh, I think Ty wants to speak with you. Hold on.”

“Thank you.” He winks at me. “Hi, Emily, this is Ty Sullivan. . . . Oh, good, she’s told you about me.” He sends me a wide, happy smile. “I wanted to let you know that Lo will be unavailable for the rest of the day. I’m taking her hostage.”

I feel my jaw drop as I sit numbly and listen to his side of the conversation. “Ty, I can’t . . .”

He shakes his head at me and laughs at whatever Em has said on the other end of the line. “I agree, she deserves a day off. . . . Yes, I’ll take good care of her, and she’ll call you tomorrow. Thank you, Emily.”

He presses END on the phone, powers it off, and lays it across the room from me, out of my reach. Before I can respond, he grabs my laptop, closes it carefully, and also lays it out of my reach.

“You’re taking away all my toys?” I ask sarcastically.