wading in toward me.
“I was looking over your shoulder at an exotic bird.”
“Is that right?” He looked amused.
I waded forward to meet him halfway and accepted the drink from him.
“If you kiss me,” I said, “I imagine it would make a great photo.”
“Not sure that’s necessary.” But that sidelong glance told me he liked the idea.
“I think it’s important we play our part,” I added.
“You mean something like this?” He leaned forward and nuzzled my neck, his lips tracing my jawline and gliding to my earlobe, causing a shiver of need to run through me.
He reached for my drink and moved over to set our glasses on the edge of the pool. “Or are you thinking of something more like this?”
He cupped my face and leaned in, pressing his mouth against mine, sparking a passionate response from me. Our kiss erupted into a frenzied attack. We explored each other’s mouths with firm lips and sensual tongues, deep and needy, wanton and full of truth. Our secret affection spilled out, exposing our hearts.
I wanted this to be real. An authentic us, but I knew a love like this wasn’t possible. We were too entrenched on the path that was expected of us and there’d been too much hate between our families for this relationship to ever work.
He would always keep holding back.
For some reason, it hurt to believe this…and it shouldn’t. I’d been working for so long on not caring, but I couldn’t get enough of his touch. I found myself missing him even when he was close, as though our love existed in an alternate universe and was bright and vibrant but totally inaccessible.
He cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “You’re not the girl I thought you were.”
“Is that good or bad?” I asked breathlessly.
His smile widened against my lips, feeding my anticipation, causing hope to flare inside me.
“Damien…”
“What do you need? Tell me.”
“Help me escape,” I said quietly.
He pulled back abruptly and stared at me.
“Help me get out of this life.”
Surprise filled his eyes. “You want me to…”
I tried to let my true feelings show in my eyes. “After the election, obviously.”
“I can’t do that.”
My lips quivered. “But I can’t live like this—as another person’s symbol. No ability to choose my own way.”
Because if I couldn’t have him, it would be no one.
He pressed a fingertip to my lips. “I’ll make it bearable.”
So many times, I had secretly plotted a way out of this existence, planning to extract myself from a loveless family.
And later, this man.
Damien may have shown me his true colors and they were bright and vivid and so addictive—but it was an illusion.
Maybe it was all this pristine water that was having a healing effect, or the fresh air and the bright sunlight and the wildlife that showed little fear for humans. My thoughts were clearer because the clutter of chaos was gone.
Damien lifted me into his arms and waded over to the tile steps, carrying me out of the pool and over to the Jacuzzi. We descended the steps into the hot water and he nudged me up against the tile.
The shock of the steamy heat was welcoming. Bubbles caressed my skin and my thoughts wanted to wander free. My soul had been tricked into believing I’d found freedom here with Damien.
From his kisses trailing along my sensitive neck, to the way his lips found mine again and savaged me with a scorching passion that stole my breath, he halted time. Our frantic hands were searching and grabbing—his for my bikini and mine for his swimming trunks—until we’d set our bodies free to enjoy skin on skin contact with nothing between us but our lies.
His flesh felt hot against mine as we deliriously fought to remain close. Desperate to be closer still, I lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist, drawing his cock toward me, tipping my hips in a way that begged for him to enter. That first thrust of his erection stretched me open.
Fully immersed, with only our heads above water, we moved against each other rhythmically, up and down, secretly fucking. We were one now. Every caress, every glance, and every touch tender and loving. His gestures first gentle and then savage, taking everything from me. Our feelings rose and clashed and fought for new ground, our passion rising to heights we couldn’t deny—our awed expressions showing we were both aware of the bridge we’d crossed where there could be no more pretense.
Coming hard, my orgasm stole my breath