Just Deserts. Brenda Jackson

put on my swim trunks and will be back out in a second.”

      “All right.”

      And then he disappeared, putting a closed door between him and temptation.

      “So, what were you going to ask me about earlier on the elevator?”

      Danielle glanced over at Tristan. They were lying side by side on loungers by the pool. It was a beautiful July day and a bright sun was in the sky. She thought the swim trunks Tristan wore looked sexy on him. She’d always thought he had a nice body.

      Earlier, when she’d gotten up to get drinks for them at the poolside bar, she’d noticed a woman trying to catch his eye. Danielle knew enough about women to know that although the woman had a nice body, she was probably in her fifties. She was definitely a cougar. And Danielle had no intention of letting her get her claws into Tristan. At first the thought of her being so overprotective gave her pause. Hadn’t she felt the same way about Karin Stokes? But then she realized Tristan was such a nice guy, someone had to look out for him. There were too many unscrupulous women out there, like the cougar in the lounger on the other side of the pool who was still trying to get his eye. Why didn’t the woman just give up?

      “Um, I was just wondering,” she said, deciding to respond since he had inquired, “why you aren’t seriously dating anybody.”

      He released her gaze to look out over the pool. “I don’t have the time.”

      She grinned. “I thought that was one of the things in life that a man typically made time for. Paul usually did.”

      Tristan chuckled. “Yeah, he did, didn’t he?”

      Both of them knew her brother had been a ladies’ man. She and Tristan hadn’t been the only ones grieving over his death. A lot of the single ladies in Port St. Lucie had been grieving as well. “So, Tris, what’s the real deal?”

      Tristan didn’t say anything at first, deciding to think about what response he would give Danielle. He could come right out and say he wasn’t dating anyone because she was the one and only woman for him. But he reconsidered. Given what she was going through right now and had gone through over the past two months, hearing that would be the last thing she needed. He made his head rule his heart and said, “I’ve been too busy.”

      “And I guess I haven’t been helping matters.”

      He frowned. “I thought we weren’t going there, Dani. Don’t bring him on this trip,” he said rather harshly and then regretted it.

      For once he wanted her to relax and have a good time without thinking of what had been going on in her life for the past couple of months. He knew for her it would be hard to do, but he wanted her to try.

      “Sorry.”

      “You’re forgiven.”

      A few silent moments passed and then she said, “Did I tell you I got a call from Jeri?”

      His frown deepened. Jeri had been her agent. More than once the woman had tried luring Danielle back into the world of glitz and glamour. “No, you didn’t. What did she want?” he asked, trying to keep the irritation he felt out of his voice.

      “A major designer is putting a project together for the holidays and wants me included.”

      Alarm rammed through his nervous system. He couldn’t help wondering if this thing with Marc would be what sent her back to the world she’d left behind five years ago. “What did you tell her?”

      “I told her there was no way I could participate. I have a full-time job at A&T.”

      He appreciated her loyalty to the company and was grateful she wasn’t thinking about leaving A&T. To be open-minded and fair, he said, “You know, if you really want to do it, we could arrange things for you to take some time off. It might be a good opportunity for you.”