Niklas smirked. “There’s more where that came from, but I’ll save it for the bedroom.”
“I can’t wait.”
I turned away into the shadows of the trees and lifted off my dress. As I undid my bra, I heard the gentle splashes from Niklas entering the water. I slipped off my panties and turned around to find Niklas, waist-deep, waiting for me. I stepped out of the shadows and into the glow of the night. Niklas stilled in the water, the silhouette of his broad shoulders and thick muscles clear against the shimmering water. As much as the day had shaken me up,this manwas who I wanted, and by some strange miracle, he felt the same way. In the dark stillness of the night, it was that simple.
I made my way across the sand to the water’s edge and stepped in. The gentle breeze felt strange around my body, blowing across places not usually exposed. The cool water lapped at my ankles, and I shivered with all the moment had to offer.
“It’s warmer out here.” Niklas’s low voice traveled over the water and rippled straight through my body.
“Are you sure?”
I could hear his smile as he answered. “No, but I can warm you up if you come closer.”
As cold as the water felt, standing on the shore naked didn’t seem like the better option. Slowly, I waded in. Darkness hid the nuances of Niklas’s expression, but his gaze burned into me, warming me as I entered the cool water. I stopped when the water reached the middle of my thighs and bent down to wet my hands. The further I walked, the cooler the water felt.
“You’re so beautiful, Caroline,” he whispered.
Oh, Niklas. His words were simple, but this reserved, turbulent man seemed to have a direct line to my heart’s deepest hopes.
I smiled, and I started forward again. I drew in a sharp breath as I waded deeper into the water. Niklas chuckled.
“Come closer.”
I closed the distance between them, pressing my body against his, taking in his warmth. He rested his hands on my ribs, his thumbs brushing over my breasts, as he came down for a kiss.
“Are you ready to dive in?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
“It’ll be refreshing,” he said. “Then we’ll have fun warming up again.”
I laughed. “Sounds enticing.”
“Together,” he said. He kissed me again on the forehead and let me go.
I turned out to face the darkness in front of me. “The water is a little eerie at night.”
“But the best things in life involve a little risk. Wouldn’t you agree?”
He wasn’t just talking about our swim.
I smiled up at him, his face shining. I nodded in answer to his question and looked back down at the water in front of us. “Ready? One, two, three…”
Together, we dove head first, into the lake. I closed my eyes, shutting out the murky darkness, and concentrated on the rush of cool water over my bare breasts and stomach. The sensation was much different without a suit, much more intimate. I took long strokes with my arms, my fingers brushing against Niklas, telling me he was still close.
I surfaced and felt around for the sandy bottom. I could still stand, though the water came to my neck. My breath came out in little pants, and my body tingled with the sensation of the water around me. Niklas appeared a moment later, just a little further out. He swam back toward me and put his arms around me.
“This feels good,” he said, taking me a few steps deeper.
I was face to face with him now, toes barely scraping the bottom while he stood. I held onto his shoulders and wrapped my legs around his waist. His wet lips met mine, warm and inviting.
I brought one of my hands to his cheek and stroked. I ran my hands down his jaw, along the stubble, until I came to his soft lips. I let my fingers glide over the worry lines on his forehead, wanting to ease them, to soothe the tension I had seen in him since we had arrived.
“This summer was the best of my life, Niklas,” I whispered. “I just want you to know that.”
He took my mouth in a kiss full of longing, slow and needy. He stroked my lips with his, warming me. Heat radiated off his body into the cool water that surrounded them, and he slid his hands to my waist to pull me against him. I felt his erection grow under me, despite the cold. He groaned as I shifted so that it pressed between our bodies.
I pulled away from his kiss and smiled.
