Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122506 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
“I’m sorry,” I splutter as I surface. “I didn’t mean—”
“Mila,” he growls in reprimand.
I squeal, overcome with excitement and his darkened expression and the way his hands disappear as he yanks his shorts back into place. I use the pause in proceedings to duck under the surface and power away.
A quicksilver thrill courses over me as I glide through the water, making for the shore. I imagine him behind me, his fingers reaching for me, just inches away. Exhilaration floods my bloodstream, my fight-or-flight instinct fueling my swim as my legs power me through the ocean’s resistance. I’m a decent swimmer, though I don’t have Fin’s strength, but as something brushes my ankle, my excitement peaks. My heart beats wildly when it happens again. Then Fin pulls me back—pulls me under. Our eyes meet under the surface, air bubbles streaming from our noses before we break together.
“You pinched my bum!” I protest breathlessly as I swipe back my hair, the tips of my toes grazing the sea floor. “You deserved—”
He yanks my body closer, no small feat given the water’s resistance.
I gasp as our bodies connect.
“Fuck, Mila, you make me not want to be a gentleman.”
That is possibly the hottest thing I have ever heard. And this might be the hottest version of Fin, his gray eyes storm cloud dark and his expression hungry.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders, ignoring the warning bells going off in my head. “What does that look like? You not being a gentleman. Seeing as you’ve such a strong sense of propriety, ordinarily.”
His chuckle sounds almost tortured, but that might be the result of me sliding the inside of my knee up his thigh. “No one likes a tease,” he utters, gripping it and holding it there.
“Which is exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you.”
“What am I gonna do with you?”
“Leave me alone,” I whisper, sliding my finger around the glistening shell of his ear. A shiver-inducing caress.
“Not a chance.”
“Maybe stop looking at my boobs, then?”
“I’m not looking at your boobs. I’m looking at your swimsuit. Didn’t I tell you I have a kink for swimwear?”
“Kink?” I repeat, but not because I don’t understand. I just wondered if it would sound the same if I said it.
“A huge kink.”
I know something else that’s huge, not-Ronny whispers.
“There’s just something about the wet look that does it for me,” he adds.
“Does what, exactly?” Like I have to ask. Like I can’t feel what it does, thanks to the close press of our bodies.
“Revs my engine.”
“I’ll leave it out for you tonight, if you like. You can use it in your special alone time.”
He laughs, throwing back his head, exposing the strong line of his throat. Why does it seem erotic, that stretch of him? Skin and tendons, the muscles working with his swallow.
“It’s gotta be wet.”
“You can dunk it in the pool.”
“Wet hair too. It looks as sexy as fuck on you.”
“Better than snakes?”
“I like snakes.”
My eyes dip, along with his, and I watch as the tip of his forefinger glides over the soft swell of my breast.
“See how shiny your skin is?”
I nod but—holy moly—cool water, LYCRA, and nipples do not make a modest trinity. Quartet, if I include the main reason for their stiffness. I can’t seem to help myself as I repeat the stroking action across his glistening cheekbone. “You could sharpen knives on these.”
“What’s the necklace.” Is he interested, or is it just another reason to touch me? I’m not complaining, either way.
“My grandmother gave it to me when I was small. It’s to ward off trouble. Ill wishes and evil spirits.”
“Doesn’t work, huh?”
“Idiot,” I chuckle. My bloodstream feels like it’s been filled with champagne bubbles as he continues to finger my pendant.
Maybe you should ask him to finger—
Not-Ronny has such a mouth on her.
“These cheekbones are wasted on a man.”
“Meaning?”
“I’m jealous of your bone structure.”
“Your bone structure gives my bone structure,” he replies with perfect seriousness.
Mila girl. You might as well whip off your knickers and hit that good and hard!
“Swimsuit,” I say, correcting not-Ronny’s admonishment.
“You make the swimsuit work. You’re built like a goddess, and you’re so beautiful, and I fucking hate that you don’t think I’m being serious when I say so.”
“I don’t—”
“You pull a face or roll your eyes. I’m not even sure you know you’re doing it.”
But he’s right. I brush off even the mildest of compliments.
When did I learn to dislike myself so much?
Chapter 13
Mila
The question sticks with me, annoying and embarrassing, like a seed stuck between my front teeth.
Has my self-confidence really eroded away to nothing? Did I do it to myself? Have I allowed my experiences to grind me down?
“You okay?” From across the table, Fin watches me, his glass paused in the air.
“Sorry.” I pull my head from my thoughts. “I zoned out. Watching the sunset.” The sky is beautiful, not that I was paying it my full attention, my thoughts turned inward, rather. But I am looking at the sky now, the expanse a wash of watermelon and violet as the sun’s hazy tangerine orb descends over the horizon.