He nods, releasing me to quickly strip down to his boxers. I try not to stare at his body—lean and athletic, with the kind of muscle definition that comes from actual use rather than gym workouts. A scattering of scars marks his skin—evidence of a life spent chasing adrenaline on mountains and waves.
I pull my tank top over my head and step out of my underwear. The night air pebbles my nipples and raises goosebumps along my arms, but I don’t feel cold. Not with the way Kai is looking at me—like I’m something precious and wild all at once.
“You’re beautiful,” he says simply.
I smile and turn toward the pool, feeling his eyes on me as I step carefully into the water. It’s hot—not scalding, but hot enough to make me ease in gradually, sighing as the heat envelops my legs, then my hips, then my waist. I move toward the center where the water reaches my shoulders, then turn to watch Kai enter.
He’s less cautious than I am, sliding into the water with the easy confidence of someone who’s done this many times before. In a few strokes, he’s beside me, water beading on his shoulders and in his hair.
“How’s the hand?” I ask, nodding toward his bandaged arm, which he’s holding carefully above the water.
“Fine.” He grins. “I’ve got another one.”
As if to demonstrate, he slides his uninjured hand around my waist underwater, drawing me closer until our bodies are almost touching. The hot water amplifies his scent—snow and mint swirling through the steam—making my head swim pleasantly.
“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice low.
In answer, I close the distance between us, pressing my naked body against his. The feeling of skin on skin, slick with mineral-rich water, sends a shiver through me that has nothing to do with temperature. Kai’s breath catches, his arm tightening around my waist.
I kiss him, more boldly this time, nipping at his lower lip. He groans softly, the sound vibrating through his chest and into mine. His hand slides lower, cupping my ass and pulling me more firmly against him. I can feel his erection straining against his boxers, hot even through the water.
“These need to go,” I murmur, tugging at the waistband of his boxers.
He hesitates for just a moment, then nods. I help him slide them down his legs, and he kicks them off, sending them floating toward the edge of the pool. Now we’re both completely naked, our bodies touching from chest to thigh in the buoyant water.
Kai kisses along my jaw to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. “Tell me what you want,” he whispers.
The question surprises me. Noah takes charge during intimate moments, and Grayson communicates more with actions than words. But Kai is asking—giving me control in a way that feels both empowering and incredibly arousing.
“Touch me,” I breathe, guiding his hand between my legs. “Like this.”
He follows my lead, his fingers exploring me with gentle curiosity. I show him how I like to be touched, guiding his movements until he finds a rhythm that makes my breath hitch. All the while, he watches my face, attentive to every reaction.
“You’re so responsive,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. “So beautiful like this.”
The praise warms me from the inside, adding to the heat building low in my belly. I reach between us to stroke him, feeling him throb against my palm. He’s impressively hard, his length hot and silky in my hand.
“I want you inside me,” I tell him, my voice husky with desire.
Kai’s eyes darken. “Here? In the water?”
I nod, already positioning myself. The natural buoyancy of the hot spring makes it easy to wrap my legs around his waist, my arms looping around his neck. His good hand supports my lower back while his bandaged one rests lightly on my hip.
“Like this?” he asks, the head of his cock nudging against my entrance.
“Yes,” I breathe, sinking down slowly onto him.
We both gasp as he fills me—the angle, the water, the setting all combining to make the sensation incredibly intense. For a moment, we stay perfectly still, adjusting to the feeling of being joined.
Then Kai starts to thrust, using the water’s buoyancy to establish a gentle rhythm. I cling to him, my face buried in his neck, breathing in his scent with each thrust. It’s different from being with Noah or Grayson—less urgent, more exploratory. Kai takes his time, finding angles that make me moan, adjusting when I tighten my legs around him in encouragement.
“You feel amazing,” he murmurs against my ear. “So perfect. So right.”
The praise washes over me like warm water, heightening every sensation. I can feel myself getting close, the familiartension building at my core. Kai seems to sense it, his movements becoming more focused, more deliberate.
“That’s it,” he encourages softly. “Let go for me, Holly. I’ve got you.”
It’s those words—I’ve got you—that push me over the edge. My climax crashes through me in waves, making me cry out into the night. Kai holds me through it, his arms strong and secure around me, his lips pressing kisses to my temple, my cheek, my mouth.
