“Race you to the deep end?” he suggested.
“What does the winner get?” I bit the side of my lip, feeling naughty.
“Whatever they want.”
I unwrapped from him immediately and took off swimming. He was faster, his strokes more efficient, but I gave it everything I had.
He won, touching the wall before me.
“What do you want?” I asked, treading water beside him.
He pulled me close again, his hand cupping the back of my neck. “This.”
Then he kissed me. Deep, thorough, and filled with promise. When he pulled back, we were both breathing hard.
“Best prize ever,” I said.
“Agreed.” He pressed another quick kiss to my lips. “Come on. Let’s go back to the other end. I want to just float with you for a while.”
We grabbed innertubes and settled into them. Lex held onto my tube, keeping us connected as we floated.
“Thank you for today,” I said, looking up at the ceiling.
“We’re not done yet,” he said. “This was just part one.”
“There’s more?”
“So much more.” He squeezed my hand. “I told you. I have you for the entire day. I’m not wasting a second of it.”
As we floated in comfortable silence I felt a contentment I’d never experienced before. This was what I’d been missing. The easy joy and playful connection with a partner. With Lex, I was learning that dominance didn’t always mean intensity. Sometimes it meant knowing when to just be.
However, I didn’t fail to see that even in fun, he was always in control. That he was always aware of my mood, how I was, and even my mood temperature. This dominance thing was deeply embedded in him and not something he did to show off. It was his nature. That’s why I’d felt safe with him immediately, because I didn’t need to be “on” all the time. He effortlessly handled everything around him in a way that wasn’t condescending. It made me feel powerful and free.
I hated to admit it, but I’d never had the kind of calm strength that he exuded. The kind that was ever-present whether people were around or not. No, in fact, his predictability in demeanor meant that I would always be safe with him. My nervous regulatory system would always be calm when Lex was near.
I swallowed deep as I looked at him. He was exactly what I wanted in a man.
Chapter Twenty
Cami
Back at the cabin, Lex and I raided the kitchen for deli meat, cheese, and fresh bread. We made sandwiches piled high with turkey and all the fixings, grabbed chips and fruit, and settled on the couch to eat.
“I’m exhausted,” I admitted after finishing half my sandwich. “In the best way.”
“Pool will do that to you.” Lex stretched out, pulling me against his side. “We should nap. Recharge.”
“A nap sounds perfect.”
We moved to his bed, and I curled into him fully clothed, my head on his chest. His fingers traced lazy patterns on my back, and within minutes, I was drifting off to the sound of his steady heartbeat.
I woke to the most incredible smells. Garlic, cheese, tomato sauce, something savory and rich. My stomach growled immediately, and I sat up, disoriented. Lex was still asleep beside me, his face relaxed and peaceful. I checked the time. We’d been asleep for two hours, and it was just past 6 p.m. Carefully, I slipped out of bed and followed the scents downstairs.
Majesty was in the kitchen, and the sight of him made my heart skip. All black t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, and his jeans that fit perfectly. The counter was covered with pizzas. Pepperoni, veggie, cheese, what looked like Italian meatball, and chicken Alfredo. A large salad sat in a bowl, and sweet-heat BBQ wings were just coming out of the oven.
“Majesty,” I breathed.
He looked up and his face broke into a warm smile as he placed the tray on the stovetop. “Hey, beautiful. Good nap?”
