"Yeah, right. Not going to be able to think about anything else," I grumble.
“Oh, challenge accepted.” Marlow grabs my hand, pulling me along as he steps backward. "Don't you realize the rare opportunity we have here? We're alone."
"We've been alone for the majority of the time we've known each other," I point out.
"No," he corrects me, a smirk playing on his lips. "My gargoyle shadow has been with us."
"Oh."
“Let me take your mind off everything.” Marlow grins, looking like a demon kid on his equivalent of Christmas morning. "I found something before I gave up on wandering aimlessly without you. I think it's right around here."
We step into a clearing where a spring comes into view. Wow, I haven’t been swimming in this secluded little oasis for a long time. It’s popular with the younger members of the pack in the summer but usually empty this time of year. Water bubbles up from the ground, creating a serene pool surrounded by moss and smooth stones.
“Let’s go for a dip,” Marlow suggests.
“No, absolutely not. We’re heading back.”
“Come on, the water’s fine.”
“How do you know? You haven’t been in—” Marlow strips off his shirt and pants so fast that I could swear he has super speed powers. He sprints toward the spring and dives into the water. The splash sends ripples across the surface.
Marlow surfaces with a triumphant grin, water glistening on his chest. “See? Water’s fine!”
Water droplets cling to his skin, catching the sunlight filtering through the trees. I force myself to look away.
"This isn't a vacation," I insist, crossing my arms over my chest. "You're a fugitive, Marlow. Wanted fugitiveshide.They don't take swims."
"If you think about it, being on the run is similar to a vacation. It's a getaway, of sorts."
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. "A getaway where we have to constantly watch our backs and evade the authorities. Some vacation."
"You're only getting me out of the water if you come in and get me."
I know he's baiting me… Dammit. It's working.
I let out an exasperated sigh as I shrug my shirt over my head. "We just had a room to ourselves. Didn't you get enough then?"
Marlow's grin widens as he watches me undress. "Nope, not nearly enough. I need more."
Well, that’s nice to hear.
I wade into the water, only taking a step or two before I stop short. Oh, fuck! Cold, cold, cold. The frigid temperature sends a shock through my system.
"Ah! You said the water was fine."
Marlow swims closer, that devilish smirk firmly in place. "I lied." He reaches out, his fingers trailing along my arm. "But I know how to warm you up."
The spring isn't on one of the paths wolves normally run through when they roam the woods, and now that the cold water hits me, I remember why this spot is dead all year round, except during the summer. We should be in the clear.
I let the water swallow me up, even as my skin breaks out in goose bumps. I sink into Marlow's embrace, my body molding against his as the cool water laps around us. Having his hands move across my chest and down does get my blood pumping faster, that's for sure.
Maybe this is a risk worth taking.
"Mmm, you feel good." His low, sultry voice sends a flood of heat through me.
"You've felt me before."
Marlow chuckles. "Never wet."
