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And I do.

Every curve and angle of her is pure perfection, from the top of her ebony head to the soles of her petite feet.

“What if I don’t want you to be?”

“Adelaide,” I growl, and everything in me wants to pin her up against the rocks and take her right here and right now, showing her exactly how much of a gentleman I am not.

But I can’t. Not now.

She turns, giving me one last look over her shoulder as she slowly wades into the water.

“What if something goes wrong?” she whispers of the sound of the water falling.

I remove one boot and then the other setting them aside. “It won’t.”

But I’ll be ready if it does.

When she’s waist-high, Adelaide turns back to look at me. She’s breathtaking.

“That’s it, you can do this. You’re almost there, Princess.” She moves deeper, and when she reaches the last step, the water is nearly up to her chest. Barely covering her breasts, she faces me.

Her slender arms float out at her sides, on top of the water.

“It’s time.” I nod, holding my breath, never taking my eyes off hers. She lowers herself down into the deep blue depths, and the air hums, and bubbles litter the surface. I hold my breath the whole time she’s under.

When she comes back up, I look at her expectantly, water dripping from the dark lashes of her unblinking eyes as she stares blankly at me.

“Princess?” I ask when the silence becomes unbearable.

The horrified expression on her face confirms that my worst fears have come true. She remembers… everything.

* * *

Adelaide

I remember… nothing.

“Adelaide?” Riven steps toward the water’s edge, concern etched on his handsome face. “Princess?”

“I remember… nothing.” I sob. Nothing about my childhood, nothing about my parents, and nothing about my dreams. My tears fall like rain, pouring into the enchanted water swirling around me.

Riven tears off his shirt and wades down the stairs to get to me.

“I must have done something wrong.” I shake my head back and forth.

“It’s okay, Princess.” Strong arms pull me into his chest.

“Maybe we’re at the wrong place?” I struggle to get away. “Maybe you took me to the wrong cave?”

“It’s the right one.”

“No. No. No. No. No. It can’t be. I don’t remember, Riven. I don’t remember.” My voice is frantic. The harder I cry, the tighter he holds me.

Numb. I feel nothing… except him. Our bodies are pressed together as he holds me for seconds or maybe hours, lost in the feeling, suddenly realizing for the first time that our naked skin is pressed together. And a warmth fills me from the inside out, desire clawing to the surface.

“Riven…”

“Don’t think about it.”