"Let's go inside and have lunch. Elsa came over to prepare a fruit salad and sandwiches for us. She has probably already set the table."

Nolan rolled the cooler near the entrance of the house for her.

"Don't bother to bring it inside; the cooler can stay there. One of the help will take care of it."

Nolan followed her into the house. "I need to use the john."

"Who's John?" she questioned.

Nolan laughed. "I'm referring to the bathroom."

"Sorry, not up much on slang talk. You know where the bathroom is. You're welcome to use it."

Nolan went to handle his business while Milandra went to freshen up.

Nolan found his way out to the sunroom to see that the table had been set with a bowl of fruit salad, fresh squeezed lemonade, and all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs to make a sandwich.

Upon Milandra's arrival into the sunroom, Nolan pulled the chair out for her. She sat down and he pushed her chair in. He opened her napkin and placed it on her lap. The cool, refreshing air from the central air unit cooled them off.

"This is a fantastic view of the lake," he said as he looked out of the picture window.

"I would agree. It's not as bad a view as I thought it would be. You should see the view from the estate. It's so breathtaking and it's so serene."

Nolan took a bite out of a slice of watermelon. "Maybe one day I'll get to see the view with you."

Milandra didn't answer him; she smiled as she wet her throat with lemonade.

"I'm surprised, no iced tea today?"

"We change up at times. Freshly squeezed lemonade is also one of our favorites."

Nolan took a sip of his lemonade. He grabbed two slices of wheat bread from the plate in front of him. Spreading mustard onto the bread, he layered it with pastrami, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, and romaine lettuce. He took a bite out of it while Milandra ate fruit.

"You're not up on sandwiches?" he asked.

"Oh yes," she said as she reached for the bread.

"Let me." Nolan took her plate and placed the bread on it. "Mustard?"

"Yes, a little."

Nolan pointed to each item. "Pastrami? Tomatoes?"

"No tomatoes-only cheese and lettuce."

Nolan finished and placed the plate back in front of her. Milandra cut the sandwich in half. He watched as she ate her sandwich with proper etiquette.

Milandra never leaned forward to go after her sandwich the way he did. She brought her food to her mouth. He loved her sophisticated manners.

"Do you have plans for the rest of the day?" he wondered.

"My day is clear."

"Great, how about you and I go for a swim?" he asked as his eyes fixated on the waterfall in the pool. "Today is hot enough for a swim."

Milandra thought about how she had never been seen in a bathing suit by a man, except for the pool repairman or the male servants. But a swim would surely cool her off from the heat that her body felt from the attraction she had to Nolan.

"I..." she said, her words trailed off.

"Would love to," he finished her sentence.

"Tell me, you don't have swimming trunks with you, do you?"

"I might be wearing them." He chuckled.

Milandra didn't remember seeing any signs of trunks showing through the white shorts he wore during their game of tennis.

"It wouldn't surprise me if you do. You seem to stay prepared."

Nolan laughed. "Girl, I'm playing with you. It'll take me thirty minutes to run and get my swimming trunks and a towel."

"No need to bring a towel. There are plenty in the pool's linen closet."

Nolan patted his stomach. "This will give our bellies time to settle down."

He ran off to get his swimwear. Milandra went to get her bathing suit. Going through the a.s.sortment of suits hanging in her closet, she decided on a black, one-piece bathing suit. She wrapped herself in a white cover-up. Milandra pulled her hair up and twisted it into a ball.

Nolan returned faster than expected with a Wal-Mart plastic bag in his hand. "I'm back," he said as he entered the house.

Milandra appeared in her bathing suit. Nolan admired the curves she hid behind her clothing.

She noticed his bag. "Walmart?"

"Oh yeah! I saw one on the way home. I thought, what the heck, Why go home when I can get one there?"

"I'll meet you at the pool."

Milandra made her way out of the house. Nolan hurried to change into his trunks.

Milandra looked up to see nothing but muscles popping out from his arms down to his legs as Nolan walked out into the pool area with his trunks on. Nolan watched as she feasted her eyes on him. He spun around. "You like my trunks?" he asked.

"Very vibrant!"

"I thought I would help brighten up your day."

Nolan made her laugh as he looked into her eyes and became blind by the sparkle in them.

"Stop teasing me." Milandra sat down on a lounging chair.

Nolan snuck a peek down her low-cut bathing suit before he sat down on one of the rows of loungers next to her. "Do you mind rubbing suntan lotion on my back? I don't want to burn," he said as he held a bottle in his hand.

Milandra's eyes lit up. She couldn't believe that he actually wanted her to rub it on him.

"Lost for words?" Nolan queried as he awaited her answer.

Milandra took the lotion out of his hand. "Turn around."

Nolan turned his back to her. She poured the suntan lotion into her hand and gently rubbed it into his muscles. She tried to show no signs of nervousness, but her hands trembled.

"Don't forget to apply some around my spine." He pointed to his back.

Milandra moved down to the top of his trunks. Nolan was tickled because he could tell that she was hesitant about coming in contact with him. She finished and handed him back the lotion.

Milandra lay back down on her lounger.

Nolan went on to apply the lotion on the front part of his body. He made conversation with her as he ma.s.saged the lotion on his chest. "Would you like some lotion?"

"Not at this time."

"Girl, it's hot out here. You know you need suntan lotion on you. You scared for me to put my hands on you?"

Nolan stood up and applied lotion to his legs. He ma.s.saged his inner thigh. Milandra began to have tingling feelings in her private parts. She would melt in the heat if he touched her the way he was applying the suntan lotion to himself. She didn't want him to notice that he was turning her on.

"Don't flatter yourself," she said.

"Girl, turn over on your back. I'll be real quick."

"You're so persistent."

Milandra saw a lot of her ways in him. Nolan sat on the edge of the lounger that she laid on and applied lotion to the back of her neck. He took both hands and ma.s.saged her neck and shoulders. He slid his hand under her bathing suit straps and applied the lotion.

She closed her eyes as her skin absorbed his strong hands. Her body ached for him. But that was forbidden.

Nolan poured more suntan lotion into his hands. He started at her feet and worked the lotion into her skin all the way up her legs, making sure that he did not accidentally slide his hands past her thighs. Milandra felt like he was her ma.s.seur.

Nolan patted her on the back of her leg. "I'm done."

Milandra was too weak from his touch to move. She whispered, "Thank you."

Nolan went back to his lounger. He looked over at her as he watched her take her time turning back over. He could tell that with a little more work she would release the roaring lioness that was hidden within her.

They lay back on the loungers and chatted for a while.

Nolan was ready for a dive. He got up. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to take a swim."

Nolan ran toward the pool and dived in. Milandra watched as the water glistened like crystals on his body. He swam like a professional swimmer before he swam back over to the edge of the pool where she was. "What are you waiting for? Come join me," he said as he wiped the water that drenched his face.

Milandra got up and dived in. She swam around the pool.

"You're like a swan."

Nolan swam over to her. Together they swam all over the pool. Milandra went over to the edge of the pool that was farthest away. She cleared her ears and eyes of water. Nolan joined her. He admired her b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the wet fabric.

"You're a great swimmer."

"Thanks," she said. "I've been swimming since I was born. My parents taught us girls to swim before they taught us to walk. How about you? You swim very well."

"My adoptive parents put me into swimming when I was seven years old."

"You say adoptive. You don't know your real parents?"

"No. My mother was on drugs. She left me with her best friend when I was born."

Milandra couldn't imagine not knowing her parents.

"It must be difficult, at times, to deal with not knowing who your parents are."

Nolan began to see the compa.s.sionate side of her. "Having good adoptive parents all my life, it never bothered me. They're the only parents I know."

"I can see they did a great job with you," Milandra said. She left him and started swimming.

Nolan followed and swam behind her. They completed two laps before they stopped again. Milandra stopped in a corner of the pool and Nolan blocked her in. He took his hands and wiped the water from her face. She felt more heat from him than from the sunrays.

He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Milandra froze. "I'm sorry if I'm out of bounds, but I'm so attracted to you that it's making me sick," he said as he kissed her again. "Don't tell me you're not sick for me, too."

"This is all new to me," she admitted.

"You have the best teacher. Let me help you through this journey."

Nolan took her into his arms and kissed her pa.s.sionately. Milandra felt so weak from the kiss that she thought she was going to drown; Nolan held her up. He cupped his hands under her b.u.t.t. Milandra panicked and swam to the steps of the pool and got out. She went over and sat in the Jacuzzi.

"I'm sorry if I was out of line," he called as he swam over to the steps of the pool and got out. He went over to the Jacuzzi. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It's just that I'm not a loose woman."

Nolan eased into the Jacuzzi and sat on the opposite side of Milandra. "I'll talk to you from here. I know you're not a wild lady. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Do you forgive me?" he asked as he reached out his hand to shake hers.

Milandra held her hand out and shook his.

"I apologize if I overreacted."

"No need to apologize. I'm attracted to you. I believe you're attracted to me but don't know how to handle it."

Milandra couldn't hold back her emotions. Her eyes became tearful. "Can we discuss something else?"

Nolan reached and turned the Jacuzzi on. Ma.s.ses of bubbles began to form. He moved closer to her, held her hands, and stared into her eyes. "I'm yours whenever you decide you're ready for me," he said as he kissed her on the lips. Milandra kissed him back.

Nolan let go of her hand, got out of the Jacuzzi, and dove back into the pool. "What are you waiting for? Come join me," he said.