Chapter Twenty
Ant
Lilavati steps into the pool beside me. We melt towards each other, our legs seeming to give out, and we sink silently into the still water, silky on our bare flesh.
My heart thunders as we kiss for the first time, fuelled by lips that taste of champagne and sea spray. The pool is shallow enough here for us to stand. I plant my feet and sweep Lil into my arms before pushing off into the deeper water. And then we float, kissing, sinking, rising. Careful not to make a sound.
Without urging, she wraps her legs around my hips, settling the warmth of her core against my erection. The heat of her, the temptation of her, has every nerve in my body screaming with guilt.
As gently as I can, I ease her away. The confusion and hurt on her face nearly break my determination. But I can’t do this without her knowing the truth. Because Lilavati is not the kind of woman you mess around with and walk away with no hard feelings. If we go there, we’re going from fake dating to real dating. And beyond. I need to know she’s sure about what shewants, and that she knows what she’s getting. And we both need to be stone-cold sober when we have the conversation.
With my hands on her upper arms, I dip my head to look her in the eye.
“Sparky, we need to slow down.” The hardest sentence I’ve ever had to say.
“So, you don’t want to …”
I groan and shake my head. “It’s not that I don’t want to. I don’t even have words to tell you how much I want to. But you were the one who said this was fake dating. I want you to be sure this is what you want. You need to make an intentional choice not fuelled by champagne and dancing.”
She opens her mouth to speak, but I shake my head again.
“Sleep on it, my charming one. Be sure. And we’ll talk about it tomorrow without the champagne buzz. The last thing I want, for either of us, is for you to have regrets.”
Which is ironic because I’m pretty sure my dick is currently regretting every word that’s just come out of my mouth.
But I hadn’t reckoned on what a force of nature Lilavati is.
She takes a moment to process what I’ve said, her trademark scowl softened by the desire that’s clear in her eyes.
“I agree. I don’t want regrets either. And what I know is, if we don’t do this, I will regret it.”
“There are things you need to know …”
“There’s only one thing I need right now, and talking isn’t it.”
Her legs wrap around me again, and she pulls herself tight against my body. The contrast between the warmth of her body and the chill of the swirling water is sensuous, arousing us both still further.
I surrender.
I don’t think there’s anything Lilavati could ask of me that I wouldn’t give. I just hope this doesn’t backfire because once I’ve had her, I know in my soul I won’t ever want to give her up.
With a moan, I lift her until I can draw a nipple, stiffened by cold and desire, into my mouth, nipping gently. She lets out an almost-silent sigh, shifting her core against me.
“Not here,” I whisper against the firm flesh of her breast. “I want to hear you moan. Plead. Shout my name. We need to go upstairs.”
Like a couple of giddy kids drunk on their parents’ wine, we stagger out of the pool. Luckily, there are still a few towels rolled and stacked on the towel trolley. I wrap one around her, and secure one around my waist. We gather up our clothes and creep quietly out of the pool area and up the nearby stairs to our room.
The door hasn’t even shut behind us when our lips meet again, our clothes and the damp towels dropped where we stand. I scoop Lil into my arms and stride into the bedroom where the resort has turned on the bedside lamp, turned down the bed, and left a heart-shaped chocolate on each pillow.
“Condom,” Lilavati whispers, a note of desperation in her voice. “Do you have one?”
I have a box. Because I’m an optimist. I nod and, depositing her on the bed, go into the walk-in robe, rifle through my duffel bag, and return with the box of condoms.
“Tell me what you want,” I whisper against the satiny flesh of her ribs as I climb over her on the bed.
“Everything,” Lil replies with a sigh and an arch of her back.
“Your wish …” I answer, hoping I can deliver, because I’m more turned on than I’ve ever been in my life.
