“Sorry. I couldn’t wait.” I swam the few feet of distance between us and kissed him.
“You could have taken your shoes off before you jumped in.”
I cut off his complaints with another kiss. Missing him had made me desperate. “I want you. Please.”
That was all it took for his gaze to darken.
“Your clothes will be harder to take off wet.”
He walked me to the shallow end. I kicked off my trainers on the way. I pulled my shirt over my head and his mouth made a meal of my breasts still covered by the wet lace of my bra. I took that off too, fingers slipping over the wet hooks.
Between us we struggled with my jeans. With a groan of frustration, he lifted me up and put me down on the side of the pool. I laughed as he yanked on my jeans, fighting with them until I was finally free. My underwear disappeared with them to float alongside the rest of my clothes. In the space of a few minutes, I’d turned his glorious swimming pool into the bottom of my wardrobe.
His mouth fell on me, tongue flicking over that sensitive bundle of nerves. I gasped, crying out. My back arched on the wet tile. My nipples pebbled despite the humidity. I slid myfingers into his damp hair, holding him to me just in case he tried to stop. He knew my body so well there was no need to guide him. All I had to do was hold on for the ride.
I climbed, riding the rollercoaster higher and higher. I wasn’t shy with my pleasure, I didn’t try to stay quiet. I ground against his mouth, turning his name into an erotic prayer as I came.
Head still spinning, he pulled me back into his arms again. His hand dove between my legs, two fingers plunging inside, checking I was ready for him.
“Hold onto me.”
I was dizzy, my body limp, but I did as he said. He adjusted his grip so my legs rested over his arms in the crook of his elbows, his hands grabbed the safety bar behind me. The buoyancy of the water held my weight and I bounced there, chest to chest, nose to nose with Alfie Tell.
I snaked a hand between us, feeling for his length. I guided it to my entrance and with one smooth thrust, he was inside to the hilt. I immediately felt calmer, but Alfie’s grey gaze grew hooded.
“Move with me.” His voice was harsh, echoing around the room.
Our mouths met as he moved inside me, my flesh rippling over him. He moved slowly and it wasn’t enough.
“Don’t be gentle.” I gripped his hair, pulling enough to make his jaw tick. “Don’t be gentle with me.”
He looked conflicted for barely a heartbeat before hunger took over. I yelled as he slammed inside. He groaned through gritted teeth. The vein in his neck pulsed, I licked it, biting him to make him take me harder. It was deep like this, intense and heady. How had I survived years without this?
He let go of the bar, gripping my hips. His fingers dug into me, not caring if he left bruises. I held on, our mouths moving over each other, breath mingling, sweat beading. His bodytrembled as he grew close. He tried to bury his head in my neck but I pulled his hair, forcing him to look at me.
“Don’t hide. I want to watch you.” It was so beautiful watching him fall apart. He stiffened as he filled me, hissing his release through gritted teeth. I soaked up every minute, relishing the feeling of fullness.
Exhausted, he rested against the wall of the pool, arms on the side, his face pressed into my neck. I held onto him, the water taking my weight.
“Hey,” I nuzzled him, kissing along the line of his jaw. “Come back to me.”
“I’m here.” His mouth found mine, pulling me in for the deepest of kisses. When he finally pulled away, his eyes were dense with a dozen emotions. “It’s only been three days. This is fucking ridiculous.”
I kissed him again. He wasn’t wrong.
We sweated it out in the sauna for a while. I lay in his arms, my fingers playing over the palm of his hand. I traced his lifeline, it was longer than mine and that made me happy. Our marriage lines were exactly the same length though. Keira and I had our palms read for fun once a few years ago. She’d thought it hilarious that her marriage line was practically non-existent.
“You’re quiet,” Alfie murmured, kissing my cheek. “Talk to me.”
“I’m just thinking about us. Being back home this week, it was like walking through our past. There were ghosts of us everywhere in Harrington House. I don’t mind it though. I’ve been thinking that I’d like to have our wedding there. In the Evergarden. What do you think?”
He was quiet for a long moment. “Yes. It will do.”
“It will do?” I said, full of indignation, but when I turned I found his eyes brimming with tears. “Oh.”
He kissed me softly before I could say more. Marrying in our Evergarden had clearly been a dream of his. A dream he hadn’t wanted to mention to me. My chest constricted, feeling both guilty and grateful that he’d kept his dreams to himself so as not to put pressure on me.
He was trying so hard. I needed to do better for him.
