“Your turn,” he says.
Heat moves through my chest and lower. I lift my shirt and drop it. Seth’s gaze follows every inch of skin. My bra comes off next. His eyes darken when they settle on my breasts.
My leggings slide down my hips. My underwear follows, leaving me bare in the warm air.
He looks at me like it is the first time, and then he takes my hand.
We step into the pool together.
Warm water climbs our legs while “Cherry Waves” pulses softly around us. Steam drifts across the surface as Seth moves closer.
My pulse quickens.
Water reaches my thighs, easing muscles that have been tight for hours. When it touches my hips, memory pushes back. The slow rise against my skin echoes too closely to another pool.
Seth feels the shift immediately.
His hands settle on my waist.
“You alright?” he asks quietly.
I nod even though my breath catches.
“We stop when you say stop,” he says. “You control this.”
“I know.”
As we move deeper, water climbs my ribs and chest. The room smells clean and warm, nothing like the chemical bite of the manor pool, yet my nerves still react.
Seth draws me against him.
When the water reaches our collarbones, he kisses me again.
Then he lowers his voice.
“I’m gonna put you under, okay?”
My eyes widen.
He brushes his thumb across my cheek.
“I promise. This will help. It’ll let you take back everything they stole.”
My stomach twists.
Images slam into me. Sophie forcing my head under water. Elliot pressing down while I fight for air. Kristie smiling while bubbles escape my mouth.
The moment I almost died.
My breath trembles.
But this is not their pool.
This is Seth.
I nod.
He kisses me slowly, letting our breaths mix. Then his arm wraps around my waist and he guides us under.
