“Very well.” She answered, and a wave of excitement swept through his body that she would accept his challenge.
God knew the moment he’d caught sight of her in the pool—even before he’d touched her—he’d craved her nearness.
Another dash-it-all to add to his day.
She stepped out of the slippers on her feet—barely-there slippers that might as well have been non-existent—and carefully entered the water where the floor gradually sloped toward him. As she did so, he braced himself, anticipating her to do something unexpected. Because she never did the expected, and that was one reason he’d had trouble dismissing her from his mind.
Even so, she caught him off guard when she deliberately slapped her hand onto the surface, sending a sharp spray of water flying at him.
Greys locked his gaze with hers. “You should not have resorted to such a juvenile tactic, My dear Diana.” But she was no juvenile. Standing thigh-deep in the water, her fist planted on her hip, chin up and shoulders back, she was all woman.
“Are you going to bring me my ribbon?” She tilted her head to the opposite side—flirtatious little minx. But, of course, she knew precisely what she was doing.
Didn’t she?
He held up his hand, the soaking ribbon dangling from his fingers. “As I said, you’ll need to come and get it.”
“You will splash me back.”
“Will I?” he cocked one brow, feigning shock.
Greys was not a man who flirted, and yet here he was. He could almost understand how perfectly respectable gentlemen devolved into rakehells. Greys oddly disconnected himself from his behavior.
She drifted closer, and while tempted to succumb to his baser needs, the noble, serious-minded part of himself looked on in disapproval.
“Don’t you dare dunk me.” She was less than ten feet away from him now, her bright eyes filled with excitement but also a hint of fear. Not real fear, but the kind one whips up for themselves by, for instance, splashing someone much larger than herself and also a far better swimmer.
Greys slinked under the water and swam near the floor of the swimming bath until he was directly in front of her, much the same as he’d done earlier when she’d swallowed half the water.
But this time, he was in no hurry to surface. Instead, reaching out, he seized her ankles, then dragged his fingertips up her calves, her thighs… barely rejecting the urge to bury his face between her legs.
He was going to hell for this. His entire legacy would go to hell for this.
Crouching beside her, he emerged from the water the moment her fingertips dragged through his hair. He paused, his face level with her navel, which showed dark through the flimsy material. For half a second, he imagined pulling her hips forward, pressing his face into her belly and then dipping his tongue into the sweet indentation.
Before he could give into temptation, he jerked his head up to meet her eyes.
“Such a gentleman,” she said. “To bring me my ribbon after all.” Her words were teasing, but her expression wasn’t.
Dazed, he offered her the soaked piece of cotton. “I’m a cad, Diana.” It was true. Because as much as he wanted her, he couldn’t court her properly. And as much as he hated himself for acting inappropriately with her, he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He didn’twantto stop himself.
“Then I must have a soft spot for cads,” her hands cradled his jaw now, and he pulled her down into the water, wanting more than he rightfully should.
He was depraved where she was concerned. He had no business touching her.
She wound her arms around him, and her body floated into his.
What would Chaswick have to say about this? As her brother, one of his most loyal friends would have no choice but to invite Greys to meet him on a field of honor. Greys would do the same if the tables were turned. But then he remembered Chaswick had compromised his baroness.
Although the man had, in fact, gone on to marry Lady Bethany after… the incident.
But Greys was all but promised to another lady.
A very pretty, innocent lady of impeccable noble birth. How was it that none of that mattered when he was with Diana?
Drawing his siren toward him, Greys stared into her eyes. Even in the cold water, he had no chance in hell squashing this desire he had for her. He rocked his hips against her belly, much as he’d done when he’d suspended her on the bridge. Only this time, far less clothing separated them.
