“I want to show you more, but the choice, as always, is yours.”
She stared at him asmoreunfurled in her mind—hundreds of eyes on her, the sting of erotic pain, the rush of soaring pleasure, and Alec, utterly in command. Dread fluttered through her, but excitement rose fast and eclipsed it. This was another chance to step further into his world, and she wasn’t going to let it pass her by.
“I choose yes,” she whispered.
Chapter 16
Emily no longer felt like an intruder at Devil’s Pointe. The once-intimidating house—deceptively elegant on the outside, wicked at its core—had become strangely familiar. She knew the soft glow of the entryway lights, the faint trace of jasmine drifting in from the courtyard, the hum of anticipation that seemed to breathe through its walls. But tonight, she wasn’t here as an observer. Tonight, she was Alec’s.
Inside, they moved through the main hall toward the back of the house, Alec’s presence steady at her side. When they passed the corridor leading to the playroom and theme rooms, Emily couldn’t help glancing down it—curiosity stirring, pulse ticking up despite herself.
He must have sensed her nervousness because his voice dropped into the velvet murmur she loved. “No rush. Let’s relax on the patio for a bit.”
She nodded, grateful. He guided her through the crowd with a hand resting lightly at her waist—lightly anchoring. They stepped out onto the patio, where the heavy night air scented of the rain forecasted and a hint of chlorine.
At the bar, he ordered her a Diet Coke and grabbed water for himself. The patio couches were full, so he steered her to one near the pool, where the waterfall’s soft roar muffled the music—which was all right by her. She had her drink halfway to her lips then jerked in surprise, splashing a ribbon of soda onto the ground.
Before she could spill the rest, Alec caught the glass and slid it neatly from her fingers.
“Easy, baby.”
Emily barely registered his words. Her attention locked onto the scene across the pool.
Rhys stood shirtless near the cascading waterfall, moonlight glinting off the water beading on his chest. Beside him, mist clung to Gaby’s skin, her clingy black dress already damp.
He lifted the hem drawing it over her head. Her springy curls tumbled around her shoulders as he tossed it aside. Even from across the yard, Emilysaw the way he looked at her—focused, hungry, unmistakably possessive. Then came the skirt. With a flick of his fingers, Gaby stepped free, bare in the moonlight. She stood proud, radiant, unashamed.
“This feels wrong,” she whispered, unable to look away. “I know them, Alec. I shouldn’t stare, but I can’t stop.”
He leaned closer, murmuring, “There’s a voyeur in all of us, sweetheart. Only some of us admit it.”
Not her. Not yet.
She knew she ought to look away, but the chemistry between Rhys and Gaby was magnetic, intimate in a way that pulled the breath right out of her.
He circled her slowly, fingertips gliding over her skin, his gaze focused solely on her. Rhys reached for a rope swing suspended beneath the falls and lifted her onto it. Emily heard her gasp of surprise over the splashing water.
She’d caught only a glimpse of the wooden seat but was immediately suspicious. “That’s no ordinary swing, is it?” she asked, mesmerized by the scene.
“At the Pointe, even the ordinary comes with… Shall we say, modifications.”
She didn’t ask him to elaborate, unsure if she wanted all the intimate details.
Rhys secured Gaby’s wrists above her head with practiced ease. She let him, trusting him.
Her body swayed, water cascading behind her in a shimmering curtain. He pushed her gently under the spray, her lips parted, eyes fluttering shut. When she swung toward him, he pushed her again, following this time, letting the water drench him too.
He caught her, stepping close—one hand on her hip, the other sliding beneath her wet curls—and kissed her. Open mouths, angled heads, Gaby arching into him as if she couldn’t help it.
It wasn’t just erotic. It was electric, so charged she expected to see sparks crackle in the mist.
“Wow,” Emily breathed, spellbound. “They’re amazing together. Have they been a couple long?”
Alec, equally captivated, shook his head. “They’re not.”
Emily tore her gaze away just long enough to gape at him. “Seriously?”
“Not that I know of. But their chemistry is undeniable. He’s been searching for something since he moved to Florida. Maybe he’s finally found it.”
