“You wish,” she breathes, her eyes locking with mine, daring me. “I’m burning up.”
Her hand reaches out, slow, hesitant. It brushes my waist, just above the waterline. Accidental, maybe. Strategic, definitely. A delicate touch that sends a jolt through me, igniting a fire in my blood, a primal ache that spreads through my groin.
We’re chest to chest now, the water swirling around us. There’s no camera here. No audience. Her eyes are wide, unblinking, pulling me into a dark, intoxicating abyss. My gaze drops to her lips, parted slightly, glistening with water, full and inviting, begging to be kissed.
She lifts her chin, just a fraction. An invitation or a dare, I don’t care. And I almost, almost succumb. My head tilts, my body leans in, drawn by an irresistible force, by the scent of her, subtle and sweet, filling my senses, intoxicating me, blurring the edges of my control. I feel the warmth of her breath on my face, the promise of her mouth, so close.
No.
The single, sharp word rings in my head, pulling me back from the cliff, a lifeline thrown by the last gasp of my self-control.
This isn’t real.
This is only a game, a necessary deception for show to protect my empire.
And to protect her.
I force myself to pull back, just an inch, a devastating retreat that feels like tearing myself away from a vital part of me.
Her lips part in surprise, the vulnerability returning, raw and exposed. She seems genuinely shocked, as if she expected me to finally break, to finally take her.
“I told you.” I grasp her shoulders, my fingers pressing into her wet skin, a warning in my touch, a desperate attempt to reassert control. “This is for show. This is a performance. Not pleasure. Not for us. Not ever. This can’t happen.”
“Speak for yourself,” she snaps, her eyes still fixed on mine, but they’re no longer challenging. They’re searching, seeking an answer I can’t give her, an answer I can’t even give myself.
I release her and climb out of the pool without another word. The water cascades off my body, creating small splashes on the patio. I don’t look back. I walk away, dripping, the cool night air a sharp contrast to the heat that still burns beneath my skin. I stride through the silent villa, leaving the shimmering pool and Nikki behind, leaving behind the temptation that threatens to burn my whole fucking world to the ground.
I reach my office and flick on the desk lamp. The computer screens glow, displaying the cold, hard facts of my business.
This is my reality. This is where I must remain.
Because if I didn't walk away, if I didn't pull back in that moment, I'd still be in there. Her arms around me. My mouth on hers. Tasting her, touching her.
And forgetting every single reason why I ever planned to let her go.
Forgetting the danger.
Forgetting the price.
Forgetting everything except the feel of her body wrapped around mine.
And that, I can't afford.
Not ever.
The cost to both of us is too high.
CHAPTER 15
NIKKI
He walks away dripping, and I swear I almost moan. Not because of the water cascading down his impossibly toned back like some ridiculously expensive cologne commercial, or the fact that his abs are annoyingly symmetrical.
Mostly, it’s because he ran. Not out of fear. But because if he’d stayed, he would’ve done something reckless. Something real.
And that?
That was glorious. Because I’ve cracked the uncrackable. And now I know, he’s human. He wants me. And it’s killing him
