“I’m pretty sure that could be arranged.” Gio hands me an ice-cold bottle of water, but pulls it back as I reach for it and leans it against my neck. I sag with relief. The cold bottle is better than anything I’ve ever felt.
“Let me go and get swimming shorts on and I’ll show you the delights the pool has to offer.”
I take the bottle from Gio and watch him walk away from me like an Adonis. His muscular frame stretches the material of his shorts and shirt.
I give myself a fan and slide open the patio doors that lead out to the back garden. The pool does look inviting, I’ll give him that. I put my bottle of water on the table and walk over to dip my toes in the water. I sit down on the edge of the pool. The cold water sends me into a trance. At this moment, I don’t care who sees me sitting here soaking up the sun. My body is craving the coolness more than my self-conscious mind needs privacy.
“I’ve brought out some water-resistant sunscreen. I don’t want that beautiful skin of yours burning.” I jump as Gio comes up behind me, because I was carried away with the coolness on my skin rather than concentrating on my surroundings.
He throws down towels on the lounger. He kneels behind me, moves my hair to the side, and massages cold cream onto my bare shoulders. It sends my whole body into a tailspin. I’ve never felt so cared for, apart from my family, but you expect that from your family. This is a good feeling. A feeling I didn’t think I’d crave as much if it came along. Who am I kidding? I never thought I’d come across a man so kind and caring.
“That feels so good,” I moan.
“Good.”
He stops massaging my back, shoulders, and arms a little too quickly for my liking. I could sit here and let my front fry with the sun if it meant Gio kept doing what he did. I’m glad I put this play suit on today, because the back is pretty bare with thin spaghetti straps. It gives him perfect access to my back and shoulders without me needing to take it off.
I look over my shoulder to see what Gio’s doing, but he jumps into the pool and surfaces, rubbing the water off his face and hair. I’m a little annoyed that I didn’t get to ogle his body with no clothes on. My cheeks heat at the thought, and I look down to my hands linked together between my knees. Gio swims over to me, lifts my hands out from between my legs and runs his fingers through mine.
“Don’t over-think things, remember. Why don’t you join me?”
I look down at my suit and stall. Eurgh! I want to join him, I do. I just wish I had more confidence to dive in headfirst.
“You can come in with your suit on if you like. I’m sure I can find a t-shirt and shorts to fit you after we get out.”
I like how Gio seems to read my mind. It saves me going into embarrassing conversations. I take in a deep breath and imagine myself pulling up my big girl panties. I stand up from the side and let my suit fall to my feet. I pick it up and throw it over to the lounger. I slide into the cold water and gasp as every nerve ending tingles and protests the cold water, but it’s an invigorating feeling. I feel amazing.
“Better?” Gio asks.
“Yeah. I could get used to this. I haven’t spent any time in the pool since I arrived, and usually that’s the first place I visit first.”
“Well, feel free to come and use my pool anytime you like. The pool at the hotel doesn’t get too crowded, but if you’re looking for an escape then it can be a bit much.”
“Thanks. Do you spend a lot of time in the pool?”
He swims farther away from me on his back. “I swim every morning if the weather is decent. There’s something very invigorating about a swim in a cold pool to start your day.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
I swim out to the middle of the pool to be beside Gio. He sits up from his back quickly and wraps his arm around my waist to draw me to him.
“I’ve wanted to do this all day. In fact, if I’m being honest, I’ve wanted to do this since the first moment I saw you. Something about you called to my heart and soul.”
“Ditto. But I’m not particularly good at things like this.”
“Said who?”
“You just lie there like a sack of potatoes. You’re absolutely no use in the bedroom. I don’t know why I put up with your Virgin Mary attitude.”
I look into Gio’s eyes, take charge, wrap my legs around his waist, and pull myself as close to his body as I can. “It doesn’t matter. It was a nobody. I need to stop living in the past.”
“And right here, we’re very much in the present. Just two adults, living their best life, enjoying each other’s company. Nothing needs to go any further. We take this at your own pace, even if that means we spend your full holiday visiting sights, drinking alcohol, and swimming in my pool.”
I take the lead for the first time in my life, lean in, and capture Giovani’s lips with mine. It’s soft and careful, empowering and life-changing, because no other kiss will ever compare to this.
His hands wrap in my hair and tilt my head to give him better access. Thankfully, the water is keeping me in place because I’ve been rendered powerless. The passion, the heat, and the tenderness are enough to leave me soaring high.
Gio pulls back from me and our foreheads lean against one another’s. His hands caress from my neck, down to my shoulders and back, finishing on my hips to hold me in place.
