I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve always been able to swim two lengths of a full-sized pool.”
He reached forward and I waited to see what he was going to do. My breath was shallow as his long fingers cupped the back of my head, his thumb brushing gently under my eyes.
“Is it everywhere?” I said with a laugh.
Asher shook his head. “Just a bit under your eyes.”
He let me go.
“Are we going to swim?” I said, needing a distraction.
He drifted closer. “How about a race?”
My competitive streak sprang to life. “What does the winner get?”
His grin was slightly evil. “If I win, you’ll resume private water magic lessons with me. Now that we know your powers won’t be triggered by me, then we should be safe to explore your connection. I’m especially interested in honing your defensive skills using water.”
“And if I win…?” I said slowly.
He tried not to smile. Smug bastard didn’t think I had a chance. “What do you want?”
Well …wasn’t that a loaded question.
“How about, if I win, I’ll let you know.”
Asher’s lips twitched, but he just nodded and waved me toward the end of the pool. I swam smoothly, he glided, and I had a feeling he was going to destroy me in this little competition. He moved almost as one with the water. I’d never seen anyone so comfortable in it … like he was part of the water itself.
“You ready?” he said, and I nodded, pushing myself back against the wall.
“On the count of three,” he said. “One … two…”
I braced myself, focusing the best I could through my alcohol-and-Asher impaired mind.
“Three!”
We both surged forward in the water. Focusing on my own race, I didn’t even glance to the side. Freestyle was my fastest stroke, and I powered along without breathing, determined to show him I was at least competitive. When the wall neared, I chanced a glance to the side, trying to determine where Asher was. I couldn’t see him, which probably meant he was already at the wall.
Slamming my hand on the end, I swiveled to find him.No one was near me.Turning back to look along the pool, I blinked to see him still on the wall where we’d started.
“Uh … what the hell, dude? You didn’t swim,” I shouted.
He pushed off, and before I could yell again, he was swimming.Whoa.He was fast. So fast that the race would have almost been embarrassing—for me—had he actually participated. When he reached my side, he smoothly popped up next to me, and I gaped at him.
“You swim faster than a dolphin,” I said. “Why didn’t you race me? You’d have won for sure?”
He moved closer, and I swallowed hard. With that slicked-back hair, water dripping across his skin, eyes shimmery silver, he looked like an amazing, mind blowing,verybad decision waiting to happen.
“Tell me what you picked,” he said.
I didn’t think, I just surged forward and kissed him. I wanted Asher. I wanted to taste him. I wanted to know what one night with him would be like. His hands gripped my hips and he immediately pulled me into his hard body. I wrapped my legs around him, and all thought faded away. He tasted as delicious as he smelled, fresh and sweet. His tongue stroked mine, confident, skilled, and a low moan escaped.
I pressed closer as our tongues slid together, his mouth dominating mine with slightly rough, tantalizing kisses. When I was dizzy and breathless, he slowed our kiss, sucking on my bottom lip.
“Holy fuck.” I exhaled, both of us breathing heavily. “I knew we had chemistry, but that was…”
Asher made a low rumbling sound, his eyes blazing silver, and then his lips were on mine again. I barely noticed that he was moving us through the water, heading toward the wide steps that led into the pool. He sank back onto the middle step with me straddling him. I rocked my aching center against him.
His lips moved over mine and down my jaw, his hands sliding over my ass to control my hips. I could feel his hard length beneath me, and it was driving me insane. When his mouth reached the swell of my breast, he ran his tongue across the water beading there, and his hands slid up my back, releasing my bra. Breasts spilled out everywhere, and Asher lifted his head to meet my gaze.
