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19
Carm
My body sinks in the water, Bella’s slim body above mine. Her hip bone jabs me in the stomach, but I hold her to me, not wanting to let her go. I know once we rise above the waterline, her armor will be back up. So instead of giving in to my constricting lungs, I turn her around and secure her to me by wrapping my arms around her middle.
Both our eyes open under water. Hers are full of shock over what I’m doing. My hand mindlessly moves up her back until it’s lost in her flowing red hair. Our legs slide along one another’s, my thigh making its way between hers.
For the first time, she doesn’t pull away from me. I wish we were sea creatures who could survive without air.
Sadly, just as I’m enjoying her pressed against me, neither of us has a choice but to kick to the surface. Just as I predicted, once we’ve sucked in the air needed to stay alive, her eyes burn with flames.
She hollows out her palm and slaps water into my face. “You’re an asshole.” Her arms extend as she swims to the side.
I grab her ankle and pull her back. I can’t even explain my actions other than I want her warm body on mine again. It’s a selfish act. There’s no way I can give her what she wants. I’m not ready for a wife and kids and a scheduled dinner-and-movie night.
Her feet flail and she fights me, but I’m stronger, which only pisses her off more.
“Just stop,” I say, wrangling her enough to follow me to the shallow end where my feet can touch.
“Why? Why do you keep doing this?” There’s a desperation in her voice that sends a chill down my spine, and I release her immediately.
She treads water before realizing she can stand too, then she beelines to the steps to climb out.
“Wait.” Rain pings on the surface, creating ripples and indents along the top of the water. My clothes are like a second skin now.
She spins around. “What?”
I slowly walk through the water toward her. “I lied.”
“About what?” Exhaustion takes over her body and her shoulders sag.
“I’m not here because of my ma. I’m here because of you. Because I can’t get you out of my head.”
She fights the smile teasing her lips. “Really?”
“You’re the one thing I’m telling myself I can’t have.”
Her hands slide through the water. “Why? I mean, I get that I’m the unofficial enemy, me being a FSBO brokerage and you being a traditional broker. I know Greg has us working against one another, but what’s the real reason you haven’t taken what you want from me?”
Hearing the word take from her mouth almost makes my dick overrule my brain. I’d take her in every damn room of this house. I’d spend fifteen minutes wrangling her wet clothes off her body right now for a moment of bliss with her warm skin touching mine.
I place my finger over her lips. “It’s not that. You scare me. What happened to Enzo… scares me. Being with you once won’t be enough, because every time you yell at me, I want to shut you up with a kiss. Every time I smell your perfume lingering in the elevator, I want to bust into your office and bend you over your desk. Every time you walk ahead of me and I see your ass, I imagine sliding my hand up your skirt to see how wet you are. That’s why I beat off to images of you every night and sometimes mid-day—because you consume my every thought. And it’s exactly why I shouldn’t have you.”
“Yet you still have self-control around me.” The grin that was starting to appear fades.
I’m not bragging, but I can read women, and Bella’s disappointment that I’m not ripping off her clothes is as clear as the water in this pool.
“It’s hanging on a thread, especially since you’re not wearing a bra and your nipples are poking through your shirt.”
She glances at her chest and crosses her arms over her breasts.
“No sense covering up now. I’ve committed the image to memory and I’m already rock-hard with the thought of licking this water off you. It’s pathetic really.”
Her cheeks flush. “You think it’s pathetic that you’re attracted to me? I’m not sure what game you’re playing, but I’m calling the game over now.”
She tries to stomp out of the pool, but she’s not getting far very fast. She’s dead-set on walking instead of swimming and I watch her straightened back and prissy attitude as she thrashes through the water.
“I think the question is, what do you want?”
