Page 36 of Fractured Memories

She scoffs—though it sounds a little like she’s covering a laugh—and tries to pull away from me. I don’t let her, which has me half-expecting her to attack me. Luckily, she gives in to my touch. “Neither of us want that,” she argues instead.

“You might be right.” We reach the patio, and I drop her hand to push open the double glass doors. “I like you pissed off and difficult.”

She cuts me a glare that has me biting back a laugh. Before she can snap back a retort, I motion her toward the patio. When her eyes sweep over the space, taking in the night I planned for us, they widen.

My patio is built on the edge of a drop-off, giving a perfect, uninterrupted view. From here, all I can see are the rising mountains, the city down below, and the setting sun spilling color through the clouds as it dips behind a peak across the range.

With it being the middle of winter, there is snow blanketing the compound. But the patio itself is heated, no snow sticking to it. Heaters around the perimeter keep the area comfortable year-round.

Eden is frozen a few steps away, staring at the picturesque sky. I slip behind her, daring to skim my hands down her waist. “You told me at the chalet that you loved the view because you could see out over the city. I told you I had one better. I thought it should be the first thing I showed you.”

“It is better,” she breathes, her voice soft. It’s unlike her, but it makes me smile, knowing that I’ve stunned this incredible woman. “It’s unbelievable, Kieran.”

I tilt my head and place a soft kiss on her neck. She melts back into me, and I’m already forgetting the dinner that is laid out for us on the table beside the fire when I feel her pressed against me. Not to mention in this tight, black dress that shows off her long legs and clings to her body.

“You have a pool, too.”

I hum against her skin, stealing another kiss. “I do. It’s heated.” It extends right to the edge of the patio, stopping where the cliff drops off. It’s mesmerizing to be in at night, staring down at the slope of the mountain to the city built hundreds of feet below.

“Perfect.” She steps away from me, and I let out a low growl, annoyed at the interruption. But Eden doesn’t care as she walks toward the pool.

The only thing that keeps me from protesting is when I see her slip the straps from her shoulders. I knew that she’d love the view, but I wasn’t prepared to watch her slide the dress down her body and kick her heels aside.

And she is wearing nothing underneath.

My mind goes utterly blank as I take in Eden’s naked form. Tall, tanned, and lightly toned, I have never seen anyone more beautiful.

She tosses a look at me over her shoulder, clearly amused by my expression, before she steps into the pool. I don’t even move as I watch her slip into the water, going until it hits her waist. Then, she dips beneath the surface, water dripping down her gorgeous body as she comes back up.

Turning to face me, I’m met with the view of her completely topless and skin glistening. A sultry smile spreads across her lips. “Your turn.”

I want to rip the clothes from my body and dive in after her. But with her gaze on me, I force myself to move slowly and draw out the moment. With steady movements, I slowly unbutton my shirt before dropping it on the ground. Then my boots. My pants. My briefs. Until there is nothing left.

I straighten, letting Eden soak me in while I haven’t been able to rip my gaze from her. The golden sunset has painted her in a soft glow that makes her look like a wet fucking dream. Though I have no doubt that I’d think the same regardless of the time of day.

“I had dinner prepared for us.” I start toward the stairs that descend into the water. “You’re not hungry?”

There’s no way I’m pausing to eat now. But the tension between us is thick, and I like to wait until it’s unbearable before finally giving her what she wants.

Eden’s eyes drop to my cock. “Starving.”

Satisfaction heats my chest as I push through the water. “You know, you could have already had this if you had just come home with me the first time I asked.”

Her gaze roams across my bare torso, never having seen it on display. “Where’s the fun in that?”

I grip her waist, dragging her into me. It’s not close enough, so I slide my hand down to her arse, lifting her. Her legs lock around me, and I walk us deeper into the water. “I need a few days to show you all the ways there’s more than enough fun.”

Her head tips back as I kiss down her throat. “I could be convinced to give you the night.”

I chuckle. “You were never going back home tonight.” She usually slips away after our dinners or a match. But this time, I am more liable to tie her to my bed than let her go.

I still might do that. The idea is enticing.

“Cocky?”

I nip her skin before lifting my head to look into her eyes, dark with lust. “Confident.”

“Then show me you have something worth being so confident over.”