I turned to him with a delighted giggle. “You fixed it for me,” I exclaimed. “Thank you.”
His lips curved in a smile, but tension lingered around his eyes. He seemed upset about something, and I didn’t understand.
“What is it?” I asked, some of my joy deflating. “Why didn’t you want me to go swimming?” I remembered the way he’d glared at Joseph when he’d asked Marco to get the pool serviced. I’d thought it was because Marco didn’t care about my happiness, but now, he’d made it clear that wasn’t the case.
He brushed a kiss against my forehead. “I like seeing you smile, princess. So, I changed my mind.”
He hadn’t really answered my question, but he didn’t give me a chance to press him.
“Go on,” he urged. “Get in.”
“But I don’t have a swimsuit.”
A wicked grin chased away the last of his tension. “No, you don’t. Strip.”
I hesitated.
He leaned in close, his warm breath teasing over my neck. “Are you feeling shy, babygirl? Daddy’s already seen you naked. I want to see you again. Be a good girl, and do as you’re told.”
My fingers trembled as I reached for the hem of my camisole, but I wasn’t scared. Lust coursed through me, making me tingle all over. My entire body was aware of his nearness, his heat, his strength.
I wanted to make him happy. I wanted to be naked for him, so he could admire me. No one had ever looked at me the way Marco and Joseph did: like I was the most precious thing in their world.
They didn’t think I was a slut they could use for their dirty games. They wanted to share me because they both revered me. It was heady knowledge, and my mind spun as I grew intoxicated by Marco’s open admiration.
I tossed my shirt aside and shimmied out of my yoga pants. Since we’d been lounging around the house, I hadn’t bothered to put on shoes, so I was fully bare for Marco in a matter of seconds. I no longer minded that Joseph hadn’t provided me with underwear. I liked knowing that there was only a thin barrier between my body and my men’s hands.
My men. Joseph and Marco. They were both mine. I could hardly believe it.
I reached for Marco’s shirt, but he guided my hands away.
I glanced up into his dark eyes, puzzled. “Don’t you want to get in with me?” I liked the idea of skinny-dipping with Marco. It seemed fun and silly and naughty.
“I’ll be right here watching you, princess. Now, go on.”
“Oh. Okay.” I guessed it wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary. Not everyone liked to swim. And while I’d like to be more playful with Marco in the pool, I wouldn’t at all mind swimming a few laps for the first time in months. I’d neglected my routine ever since I’d met Joseph at Harvard, and I longed to get back in the water.
I left Marco’s side and stepped to the edge of the pool, at the deep end. I dived in, my outstretched arms slicing through the water with practiced ease. I swam the length of the pool, kicked off from the side, and completed my first lap. As I continued, my mind went quiet. I’d already been in a blissed-out state after my happy day with Marco, but now, I was even more relaxed.
After a while, I paused to take a few deep breaths, propping my arms on the tiled edge of the pool. I grinned up at Marco.
When my eyes met his, my smile melted.
His tension had returned, and his strong body practically vibrated. The hard planes of his face were harsher than ever, his jaw clenched so tight, I was sure he was grinding his teeth. He wasn’t looking at me, but he was glaring at the water.
“You look like the water’s going to attack me,” I said, trying to lighten his mood. “You don’t have to protect me from the pool.”
He jerked his head in a sharp nod, but the taut lines of his face didn’t ease. I studied him for a few seconds longer, trying to puzzle out his expression.
Anguish.
I pushed myself up out of the pool and closed the distance between us without a second thought. He didn’t even glance down at the water sliding off my body; his eyes fixed on mine. They were dark with pain. I recognized it now.
When he’d glowered at Joseph at the restaurant, he hadn’t been angry over Joseph asking him to fill the pool for me. He hadn’t been annoyed at the idea of going out of his way to make the arrangements for me.
His anger masked his true emotions. He was scared. Hurt.
I lifted my hand to his face, touching my palm to his clenched jaw. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like pools,” he said tersely. “They’re not safe.”