AllFreeNovel
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“Depends on what type of day it is.”
My heart is racing a mile a minute and I’m not listening to whatever he’s currently saying. I’m just trying my hardest to stay still, keeping my eyes shut.
“Open your eyes,” he commands.
“No.” I squeeze them shut even tighter and he presses his lips against mine again—kissing me so thoroughly that I forget where the hell I am.
I feel his arm gradually moving from underneath my waist, as if he’s letting me go.
“Don’t...” I open my right eye.
“Open your other eye,” he whispers against my mouth.
I don’t.
He bites my bottom lip and moves his other hand across my breasts, softly palming them.
“Emerald...” His hand travels down to my navel.
I feel an unfamiliar fluttering in my stomach and open my left eye, clinging onto him once I realize that he did let me go.
Laughing, he wraps his arms around my waist and carries me to the shallow part of the water—setting me down on my feet.
“You lied to me.” I hiss and start to make my way back towards the dock, but he grabs me from behind and holds me against his chest.
“I’m sorry.” He kisses the back of my neck, doing nothing to calm my anger. “I didn’t know you were that scared.”
“Well, I am.” I’m trying not to explode, trying to take deep breaths and act like he didn’t just do that to me. “I never learned how to swim and I don’t want to. Ever.”
He whispers that he’s sorry again, that he won’t let me go, and I slowly calm down.
“Are you okay now?” He sounds sincere.
“Yes...”
“What does this tattoo on the back of your neck mean?”
I sigh as his fingers gently trace the grey and black feather pen. “It stands for writing. My mom took me to get it when I was fifteen.”
“And this quote on your shoulder?” He kisses it before reading what it says. “Life changes in an instant. An ordinary instant.”
“It’s by Joan Didion. She wrote it after her husband died in the middle of dinner...My mom died hours after we’d had a great lunch together, after I came back from a shopping trip.” I stiffen once I realize that I said that aloud.
“I’m so sorry.”
I don’t respond. I’m just grateful that he’s holding me tighter now.
I briefly shut my eyes and see Leah’s lifeless body, see her leaving me without any notice, without any care about my feelings.
Block it out, block it out...
I take a deep breath and slowly turn around to face him. “Was your strategy to drag me into the water and make me answer personal questions?”
“Is it working?”
“No.” I roll my eyes and turn back around, determined to lighten the mood again. “Ask me something else, something fun.”
He tugs at my bikini string underneath the water. “Why did you start working at The Phoenix?”
“I needed the money. Why are you a frequent visitor there? Are you going to admit to your naked woman addiction?”
“I don’t have an addiction.” He kisses my hair. “I was there for a friend’s bachelor party the first time. The second time I came to see if my favorite performer would be there.”
“And the time you happened to be at the diner? Weren’t you leaving the club?”
“I was in the area and happened to be hungry. I haven’t been back since I saw you onstage.”
“Any reason why?”
“Fucking you onstage isn’t allowed.”
I blush again. “Oh...”
“Yes. Oh.” He laughs and lets me go, taking my hand and pulling me towards the dock.
When we get there, he picks me up and places me on the edge. “Do you enjoy stripping?” He grabs a towel and presses it against my skin.
“It’s the best job I’ve ever had.” I bite my lip as he caresses my inner thigh. “I’m sure you secretly think it’s trashy or classless, but—”
“I don’t. I think you should enjoy whatever you do for a living.”
“Do you enjoy what you do for a living?”
“Sometimes.” He presses the towel against my stomach and motions for me to scoot back and make room for him.
I watch him dry himself in slow motion, wishing I was his towel, and before I know it, he’s sitting in front of me, pulling me into his lap so we’re facing each other.
“You’re a lot nicer in private settings.” He drags his thumbs across my lips. “And a lot more open...”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“I won’t.” He looks into my eyes.
“Since you’ve had a field day asking me questions on this date—”
