Page 195 of Captive Ruin

“Uh… no?” I lie.

“You seemed confident at the time.”

“I am.” I’ve been swimming plenty these past months.

He leans back in his chair and winks at me. “Well, then?”

Van Wyk just winked at me. My monster just winked at me.

Such a small thing, but it’s so… goddamn charming. I can’t seem to move past it. He’s so gorgeous in this moment that I can’t help but gaze at him. My nipples are so tight they’re aching, my panties are wet, and I’m certain I’ve just ovulated.

How does he do that?

It takes me three steadying breaths before I’m back in some semblance of control.

Am I really going to agree to this?

Damn it, part of me wants to. I’ve missed him.

But I’m going to show him. I’m going to win.

“Fine.” I use the word deliberately, accepting his challenge and throwing one back at him in the same moment.

He gives me a flat look. “Are you aware I am not a fan of that word? At least, not when you use it.”

I can’t help my smile. “You’ve never mentioned.”

He pushes back his chair and rises, waiting for me. “You deserve so much more than fine.”

Is that his reason? I don’t know what to say.

He leads me outside into a mild evening. It’s late March, the few clouds shining silver under the moon. Path lights illuminate our way with a gentle glow, and the lights in the pool are already on, shining an ethereal blue through the water.

Van Wyk stops at the edge. “I’ve barely used this since I’ve lived here,” he muses. “At one point, I thought of getting rid of it.” He turns to me, eyes in shadow yet no less intense. “Now I’m glad I didn’t.”

“Did you swim much?”

“It’s been a while.” He smiles playfully. “Don’t worry, I can still take you.”

He starts unbuttoning his shirt. I glance at the pool house where there are several swimsuits that I rotate through, then mentally shrug and enjoy the strip tease he’s giving me.

He throws his shirt onto the nearest lounger, shadows and refracted blue light playing across the muscles of his chest and stomach. His shoes follow, then he unfastens his slacks and pushes them down.

“Are you joining me?” he asks, standing there in just his boxers.

“I’m getting to it.”

It’s an effort to keep my eyes on his face, and even more so when he sweeps his underwear down his legs. I haven’t often had the opportunity to gaze at him like this, and I’m not planning to waste it.

Naked, he stands at the edge of the pool, his tight ass just begging to have teeth sunk into it. Then he dives in. His form is perfect, but I can’t help wince. Can that be comfortable, with his… rudder… hanging free and semi-hard like that?

He swims beneath the surface for half the pool length, coming up for air and extending into a decent freestyle stroke. Okay, he’s no slouch, but he’s not all that fast. I can still take him.

He’s also not watching, and I strip off my strappy top and jeans. I hesitate over my bra and panties, then decide what the hell and remove those too. It’s not every day I get to swim au naturel, especially at night, and it’s a special kind of freedom. Ever so slightly naughty, until it’s compared to some of the things we’ve done. Then it pales in comparison.

I dive into the cool water, the lights on the bottom of the pool shimmering beneath me. I miss my goggles immediately, but he doesn’t have them either, so it’s fair at least. I’m not going to let him win.

He’s waiting for me at the end of the pool. “Right then, Little Stray. Four lengths. Are you ready?”