Water cascades around us, muffling the small sounds escaping my throat. Slade backs me against the rock wall, his body pressing into mine from chest to thigh. I can feel every hard plane of him, every rigid muscle. And I can feel his arousal, matching my own, pushing against my hip.
This should terrify me. Should disgust me. Instead, I arch into it, seeking more contact, more friction. His hand slides down my back, lower, gripping my ass with possessive strength, pulling me harder against him.
“Fuck,” I breathe when he breaks the kiss, his mouth moving to my jaw, my neck. “Slade—”
“I’ve been thinking about this,” he murmurs against my skin. “Since last night. Since I felt you were hard against me.”
His words send a fresh surge of heat through me. His hand moves up my side, across my chest, thumb brushing over my nipple. The sensation makes me jerk, a strangled sound escaping me.
“Sensitive,” he notes, repeating the motion with more pressure. “I like that.”
My head falls back against the rock, eyes closing. His mouth finds my exposed throat, teeth grazing the skin. I’m achingly hard now, straining against the confines of my swim trunks. Each roll of his hips against mine sends shocks of pleasure through my body.
“We need to stop,” I manage, even as my hands slide down his spine, urging him closer. “The others—”
“Can’t see us,” he finishes. “But you’re right. It’s better to take this somewhere more…comfortable.” Despite his words, his mouth finds mine again, swallowing my moans.
When he pulls back this time, his eyes are dark with want, pupils dilated. “Skip the pottery class. Wait for me in our room.”
It’s not a request. It’s a command. And in spite of everything I thought I knew about myself, I nod.
“Okay.”
He leans back, putting space between us, though his gaze remains hungry. “Go back first. I’ll follow in a minute.”
I push away from the wall on unsteady legs, adjusting myself as discreetly as possible. Before I can move toward the waterfall, Slade catches my wrist, pulling me in for one more searing kiss that leaves me dizzy.
“Don’t overthink this,” he says against my lips.
Then he releases me, and I go back into the water, past the pouring curtain, emerging into the sunlight and the ordinary world where nothing makes sense anymore.
Zara waves to me from a nearby rock. “Where’d you disappear to?”
“Just exploring,” I say, swimming toward her. “The waterfall is pretty intense up close.”
A minute later, Slade emerges from behind the fall, joining Bryce and Ava on the far side of the pool. Bryce says something to him, glancing in my direction with a furrowed brow. Slade responds with a shrug, but I catch the way Bryce’s eyes dart between us.
The rest of the swim passes in a blur because my mind keeps returning to the alcove.
When Ava announces it’s time to head back, I’m both relieved and filled with nervous anticipation. The hike down the trail seems to take half as long, gravity pulling us along at a quicker pace. I walk with Naya, grateful for her dreamy monologues about the waterfall’s energy that require minimal input from me.
Back at the lodge, as the group gathers in the lobby to plan the next activity, I see my opportunity.
“I think I’ll skip the pottery class,” I tell Ava, summoning my most apologetic expression. “Still feeling queasy from last night, and need some rest.”
Her face falls. “But Owen, it’s supposed to be a really cool experience. The instructor uses all natural clays and—”
“As a medical professional,” Slade interjects, “I think rest is the best prescription. Dehydration from alcohol can take twenty-four hours to resolve.”
Ava looks between us, torn between her desire for perfect attendance at her planned activities and concern for my wellbeing. “Well…if you’re sure…”
“I am,” I assure her. “I want to be fresh for dinner tonight. Don’t worry, I’ll just take a nap and be good as new.”
“Fine,” she sighs. “But text me if you need anything, okay?”
I nod, backing toward the elevators. “Enjoy the pottery. Make me something nice.”
As the doors slide open, I step inside, turning for one last look at the group. My eyes meet Slade’s across the lobby. His expression gives nothing away, but there’s a promise in his gaze that sends a shiver through me.
