She was magnificent, standing tall and proud in the waves as they gently lapped at her thighs. The very picture of female beauty.
A sense of contentment washed over him, taking him by surprise.
Being here with Soli felt so very right.
He was both amazed and pleased by how much he’d found he enjoyed sharing things with her. Being an only child, he wasn’t used to sharing, so he was surprised to find how much he actually liked it. Soli took such joy in being introduced to new things too and she seemed to genuinely enjoy them. The women he usually dated were well used to the high life and didn’t tend to comment much on the places he took them or the gifts he bought, so it had been wonderful to see Soli’s genuine appreciation. It made him feel as though he was making a valuable contribution to her happiness, and her life. Something he’d never experienced before with a partner.
She was so full of wonder and enchantment with the world, despite the trials she’d been through in her life.
He’d never met such a positive person and it thrilled him to his core.
What was he doing, anyway, just lying there alone? He should take her lead and go and enjoy himself in the water.
With her.
Pushing himself up to standing, he walked swiftly across the hot sand, feeling acute pleasure as the cool sea rushed over his feet and lapped against his legs. He waded towards where she was bobbing about in the water and when she turned and saw him coming her face broke into a smile.
Euphoria swelled in the pit of his stomach, then rushed up through his chest, taking his breath away.
‘The water feels incredible against your hot skin,’ she called, moving forwards to meet him.
All he could think about at that moment was what it would feel like to touch her slick skin and feel her incredible body pressed against him.
Her smile faltered as he got closer and he realised that the longing he was feeling must be showing on his face.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked, reaching out to him and putting her hand on his shoulder. Before he knew what was happening a particularly strong wave had pushed her towards him and their bodies connected, their mouths only inches apart now. The feeling of her pressed against him tipped him over the edge and without another thought he dropped his mouth to hers, sliding his hands around her waist to steady them both.
Everything else faded away as the sensation of her soft lips under his took over his entire awareness, plunging him into a state of desire so intense it left him breathless. Instinctively he deepened the kiss and felt her respond, opening her mouth so he could slide his tongue inside. She tasted just as sweet as he remembered, but also salty from the seawater, and he let out a groan of pleasure deep in his throat. Her body was slippery and smooth against his and he pulled her closer to him, losing himself in pure physical indulgence.
He’d wanted to do this for so damn long.
His body responded as his desire deepened, hardening and pressing into her with obvious intent.
‘Oh!’ she gasped against his mouth and the sound of her surprise shocked him out of his erotic daze. He pulled away abruptly, suddenly furious with himself for allowing his need to override his common sense. What was he doing? He couldn’t kiss her like this and expect everything to stay the same between them.
But did he really want it to?
Yes. They couldn’t afford to let their agreement slip; it wasn’t sensible.
‘Sorry,’ he muttered, drawing away from her and noting with a sting of regret how shell-shocked she seemed by his sudden withdrawal. ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’
‘No. Okay,’ she rasped, her confusion clear on her face.
‘I’m going for a swim, then we should think about getting back to the house,’ he said gruffly, diving underneath the cool water before she had a chance to answer him, praying it would bring him back to his senses and extinguish his driving need to swim right back and kiss her again.
* * *
‘You know, you’re very mature for your age. I guess that comes from taking on so much responsibility when you were so young,’ he said to her later, back at the house, while they sat on the terrace gazing out over the water, sipping their second large glasses of wine, trying to pretend that the kiss hadn’t really happened.
She turned to shoot him a startled smile. ‘Do you think so? Most of the time I feel like I have no idea how to be an adult.’
He gave her a wry smile back. ‘I think most people feel like that. We’re all just making it up as we go along.’
‘That’s good to hear.’
There was a small pause where they just looked at each other.
‘I’m… er… just going to get a glass of water. This wine’s going straight to my head,’ she said, standing up quickly and stumbling as she caught her foot on the chair leg.
