He was leaning against one of the banisters on the porch, and he knew from her location she couldn’t see him, not clearly at least, so watching her made him feel like an even bigger asshole.
But despite telling himself to leave, he couldn’t stop staring in aroused lust as she climbed out of the pond. Sherman was next to climb out, and with a massive shake, he succeeded in getting the water off of him.
She grabbed her hair and started wringing it out, and all Marius could do was watch as the water dripped down her body. Even from the distance, he could see the transparency of her undergarments, saw the dark triangle of her pussy hair visible through her panties.
“Fuck,” he said under his breath and felt his cock give a jerk. He was being a voyeur right now and should have felt disgusted enough with himself to turn away. But then she lifted her head, and he swore their eyes locked. For a second, they just looked at each other, and then he felt like the biggest fucking pervert.
He turned and headed back toward the front of the house, telling himself he’d stay by the front door and watch the woods until she was inside.
He just needed to get his erection under control so she didn’t see him as some depraved asshole.
12
Maya stared at the table she set for dinner. When she’d gotten back into the house after her swim several days ago, she felt this funny sensation moving through her. Marius had been watching her and most likely had seen more of her body than she intended.
She needed that swim to help clear her head after what he told her. She used that pond since she’d gotten here to help her relax, knowing it was one of the few comforts she had left. And when he told her about being one of the scientists who created the immunization, she hadn’t known how to process it all.
Swimming had been her first thought.
Ever since then, she’d been thinking about Marius in a way she shouldn’t, in a way that was dangerous. It had only been a little over a week since he’d been here, and she should be on high alert around him. But she wasn’t, not anymore. He’d been helping her around the house, even though she wanted him to rest.
He was stronger, that was for sure, and she couldn’t help but admit watching him fix the little things, seeing his muscles flex beneath his skin, made her wet and tingle between her thighs.
She knew it wasn’t his fault that the immunization mutated the way it had, but she also knew he blamed himself. There was something very noble about that, something that told Maya this man would take a bullet, even if it weren’t intended for him.
He didn’t have to tell her any of that, didn’t have to admit his involvement, but he’d been honest. That went a long way with her.
Tonight, she was making a nice dinner for them. She even cracked open one of the bottles of wine that had been stored in the cellar. Winter would be fast approaching, and although she was working hard to ensure she wouldn’t freeze to death, she was also thinking about other ways to stay warm.
Get it together.
She heard Sherman barking and went over to the window to look out of it. The sun was setting, but she could see Sherman and Marius coming from the greenhouse. She told him she needed some fresh herbs, but he insisted on going and getting them himself.
Sherman started jumping, trying to play with Marius, and she knew, just by the way she felt and how Sherman acted, that Marius wasn’t one of those “bad men.” Maybe it was naïve and stupid of her to think so, but it was the truth and how she felt. She relied on her instincts, had to in this new world, and her instincts told her that if he wanted to hurt her, he could have ten times over by now.
But he’d been helpful and kind to her. She also caught him staring at her more times than not, and that had her already growing arousal becoming more noticeable.
He came inside just minutes later, and before he rounded the corner, she smoothed her hands down the dress she put on. It wasn’t anything fancy, was even one her grandmother owned when she’d been younger.
But it was the only feminine thing she found, and she wanted to look delicate for him, wanted him to see her without the dirt smudging her face or the wrinkled tomboy clothing she wore when she worked around the yard.
“I forgot to ask you what kind you wanted and how much, so hopefully this is enough—”
His words stopped when he lifted his head from the basket and stared at her. For a second, they just stood there facing each other, neither speaking nor moving. He moved his gaze up and down her body, and she heard and saw him swallow.