As she reached the middle of the pool, his hand suddenly shot out.
Sophia barely had time to react before his fingers wrapped around her waist from behind. She gasped as he halted her mid-stroke and yanked her back without warning, pulling her hard against him. Water surged around them as her balance broke, her body colliding with his, both of them coming to a dead stop in the center of the pool.
Her back hit his chest.
Then he twisted her around in one sharp, practiced motion, forcing her back until her spine met the cold edge of the pool. The wall stopped her retreat instantly. He closed in, her chest crushed against his. One hand caught her wrists and pinned them behind her back with ruthless ease, leaving her completely at his mercy.
Sophia’s breath came fast now, shallow and uneven. Her chest rose and fell rapidly between them, every inhale brushing against him. Water slid down her cheeks and jawline, clinging to her lashes before dripping away. Her bun had completely come undone, dark strands spilling loose, sticking to her neck and shoulders, plastered against her skin.
Magnus leaned closer. The space between them vanished. His eyes had darkened, stripped of amusement, fixed on her with an intensity that made her pulse stutter.
“You know I’ve already won, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice low and taunting, his breath grazing her ear. “It’s too late to regret it now.”
She twisted, trying to break free and then drove her knee against his leg.
The sudden force caught him off guard.
His footing slipped and he stumbled straight into her.
Their lips collided.
For a heartbeat, everything stilled.
Soft against firm. Warm breath. Her familiar scent rushing into him all at once.
Magnus froze.
Then his eyes sharpened.
He pulled back briefly and something dark flickered across his face. His jaw clenched, tension snapping tight, and the next second he leaned in again, claiming her mouth without hesitation.
This time, the kiss was deeper.
Rough.
One hand caught her wrists, pinning them securely, while the other slid around her waist, fingers digging into her hip as he held her there. The water trembled around them, rippling with the force of their bodies pressed together.
Sophia struggled, breath already unsteady as his lips moved against hers. She turned her face away, shoving at his chest, finally breaking the kiss, shoving at his chest as she dragged in air. But he still didn’t release her.
“Magnus,” she hissed, the name sharp despite her breathlessness. “Stop taking advantage.” Her eyes flashed with irritation. “Let go of me.”
He didn’t.
Instead, he shifted closer, pressing more of his weight against her, pinning her effortlessly as his forehead dropped to her shoulder. His breath brushed her skin as he spoke low.
“You broke my leg,” he said. “I don’t think I can swim out now.”
Sophia let out a scoff, planting her palms against his arm and pushing uselessly.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she snapped. “It’s not broken. I didn’t hit you that hard.”
Still, he didn’t move.
Instead, his grip tightened subtly as he leaned in again, pressing closer and cutting off her protest entirely. His face buried into her neck, lips finding her pulse. His tongue slid out, roaming over her skin. Her breathing turned harsh, rough, and uneven. Then he bit down.
“Mmh,” she muffled the sound, pressing her lips together as her eyes fluttered shut. His mouth continued to roam over her neck, sliding lower. She wanted to breathe, but his lips were everywhere, her throat, her collarbone, his tongue dragging over her skin with unrelenting hunger that did not fade.
His lips closed around her throat, sucking and licking. She could barely breathe, her body straining against his chest as he held her there. His mouth trailed from her collarbone to her shoulder, then up again, brushing her ear, the back of her ear, his tongue gliding over the sensitive skin.
