“We have the whole night to ourselves.” Brooklyn took my hands off his shoulders and held them gently in his. “You want to explore a little?”
I glanced at the bed, neatly made and so inviting, and then back at Brooklyn, still grinning and glowing and everything that made my stomach flutter.
“Lead the way,” I told him.
“I have an idea.” He gave me a wink, then quickly pulled me out of the suite and down to the courtyard below. Tiny lights twinkled above us in the trees, and a cool breeze cut through me and sent goose bumps prickling up my skin.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
Brooklyn stayed silent and raised his eyebrows. He led me through the courtyard and out to the empty pool deck. The surface of the pool was calm and clear, like a sheet of glass had been laid over it. The lights above the pool reflected glowing pale-yellow dots on the water.
“Up for a late-night swim?” he asked with a grin as he pushed the gate to the pool open.
“Of course, the one item I didn’t pack was a bathing suit.” I chuckled, my arms still wrapped around my shivering body.
Brooklyn shot me a knowing glance. He grabbed the hem of his faded Carolina Panthers T-shirt and pulled it over his head, exposing his freckled chest. Goose bumps continued to run along my skin as I watched him with the intent of tackling him where he stood.
“You’ve never gone skinny dipping before, have you?” he asked, but he knew the answer.
“I intend on keeping it that way. Someone could totally see us here.”
“Come on,” Brooklyn pleaded. He slid his shorts off so that he was only in his boxers. “Live a little, babe.”
Suddenly I wasn’t so cold anymore. He motioned for me to come over to him, and with every step I took I heard my heart throb in my ears.
“What if someone catches us?” I whispered.
Brooklyn reached down and tenderly pulled my loose cotton dress over my head. I silently thanked past me for picking out a lacy matching bra and panties set. He discarded the dress next to his own clothes. “Look around. Nobody’s here. We’re out of sight. I promise it’ll be fine.”
“Okay, but—”
Before I could even finish my sentence, my whole body jerked forward and hit the surface of the water. I sank to the bottom, letting the cold chill my heated nerves. When I came back up for air, I felt Brooklyn pull me up into his chest. I smacked him on the arm.
“Not funny,” I snapped. “I wasn’t ready!”
“That’s the whole point.” He grinned and reached into the water and wiggled me out of my bra and underwear, tossing them and his boxers onto the side of the pool.
“That’s not so bad, is it?”
“No.” I sighed, giving him a faint smile. “It’s great, actually.”
Brooklyn smoothed my wet hair back and kissed my forehead. “You’re beautiful.”
“No,you’rebeautiful,” I teased him, sending a gentle splash his way.
“Stop it.” Brooklyn splashed me back. “I mean it. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you. You’re so fucking great.”
He looked down at me, and I swore that the moon had come down from the sky and made a home in his eyes. My heart swelled, and I leaned my head into Brooklyn’s so our foreheads were touching. Water dripped off our hair and onto each other’s cheeks.
“I’m so glad I met you, Brooklyn Keller,” I said in a breathy whisper. “You make me feel so seen and so understood. I don’t take that for granted.” Our noses rubbed against each other. Brooklyn brought his lips gently to mine, and I felt him smiling against my mouth.
“Me too,” he whispered between kisses. “You make me want to be a better person, better than I ever thought I could be.”
“Youarea good person.” I held his face in my hands and stroked his cheeks with my thumbs. “I promise.”
Brooklyn pulled away from me and his smile faded. I ran my fingers along his jaw, stopping at his mouth and letting them brush over his lips.
“Nat,” he mumbled against my hand. “I have to tell you something.”
