She moved a little closer and watched as he came to a stop at the edge and climbed out.
He wore a pair of swimming trunks, but that didn’t detract from the sheer size of him. Licking her lips, she couldn’t help the need flooding her body. The desire to lick a trail where the water cascaded down his body was strong.
Pleasure filled her core, and she wanted to run back to her room and touch herself. Lucas chose that moment to look up at her.
Now or never.
She pushed her hair off her face and took the steps down, heading toward the pool.
“Nice swim?”
“The water’s warm. You should try it.”
“I plan to.” Beneath her dress, she wore a swimsuit, but getting semi-naked in front of him didn’t appeal to her.
“How was your call to your parents?”
“Good. They’re good.”
“Good.”
She turned her back to him and started to unbutton her dress. If he didn’t like what he saw, then tough. She wasn’t going to not go for a swim. Besides, if he couldn’t stand the sight of her, she’d be able to complete this year without any trouble. She’d just walk around naked in front of him. It would be easier.
“Did you tell the Alpha about us?” she asked. The dress fell to her feet and she bent down to scoop it up. She squared her shoulders and turned toward him, expecting to see disgust or disapproval, but as she took him in, he had to jerk his gaze up. If she wasn’t mistaken, he’d been checking out her ass? No, that couldn’t be possible. She refused to believe it.
Glancing down his body, she saw without a doubt the evidence of his arousal. He was turned on.
Quickly looking at the water, she moved to the edge, sat, and slid beneath into the pool.
The water was warm, as was her body.
“I did talk to my father.”
“You complained?” she asked, moving as far away from him as possible.
It wasn’t avoiding temptation. She was just creating distance, some space. She didn’t need to be close to him all the time.
“I didn’t complain. He asked questions and I answered them. Why?”
“My parents warned me that what we have here is a paradise compared to what he could force us to go through.”
“You’ve got nothing to fear, Mabel. My father is a fair man. He wouldn’t hurt anyone within the pack.”
“But he wouldn’t like his son to be hurt,” she said. “He is fair to the pack, but you forget he’s also a father. You’re his son. He loves you dearly.”
“Where are you going with this?” he asked.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m merely stating a fact.” She tensed up as he entered the pool again.
With each step he took, he got closer. There was no escape for her.
She glided toward the side of the pool, but as he came in close, he trapped her against his hard body and the wall.
“Is that why you’re here?” he asked. “Are you willing to give me a chance?”
“I don’t want to give you anything, Lucas. I’m obligated to because of what you demanded.”
“I was willing to take my time,” he said. “I wanted to show you that I can change. That the asshole you knew is long gone. I will cherish you as my mate. You’ll want for nothing. Whatever you want, it could be yours. Instead, you decide to spend as much time as possible away from me. Preferring to live in a city with horrid smells, people, and loud noises. I never got the chance, even when you came to visit. Then you had to go and demand to be severed. Again, pushing my hand. I’m not going to lose you, Mabel.”
“This isn’t a game.”
“It is a game, and it’s one you’re going to lose.” Once again, he sank his fingers into her hair and she was on fire, gasping at that touch alone. The full moon was only hours away.
Her body already felt itchy, hot, and in desperate need of his touch. She’d never experienced this unless Lucas was close. Now that he was touching her, it only served to make each action that much more intense.
“You feel that?” he asked. “You want me. Even as your mind hates me, your body, your wolf, she craves me. I bet your pussy is soaking wet and wanting my cock right now. I bet you can’t think straight. You think I didn’t hear you in your room, touching yourself?” He leaned in close, his tongue tracing across her neck. “Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to come inside and taste you? To bring you to orgasm properly?”
“Lucas,” she said, moaning.
“I feel this too. I want you so badly, all the time, every single second of every day. You’re all I can think about. The full moon is tonight, Mabel.” He groaned. “And we’ve denied each other for three fucking years. I will make it up to you, but you’ve got to be willing to give me a chance.” With that, he kissed her hard.