“Do you not want to get too close because you’re afraid of caring?”
His rubbing finger stilled. Emma couldn’t expand her lungs in the silence that followed.
“Because you’ve lost so many people,” she said on a gasp, already regretting her words, but knowing it was too late to turn back. Typical me, always having to fall face-first into the graves I dig. “I just thought maybe that was why you’d prefer not to get too close. This way, you don’t have to lose anything else.”
He still didn’t say anything, although his hand remained frozen on her pelvis.
She rolled her eyes, disgusted with herself for having brought it up. She pushed off his thighs forcefully. The next second, she was dropping, cool water rushing around her overheated sex and cheeks.
If only she could stay underwater forever.
She felt his legs swoosh against her belly as she rose, and then his hands were on her upper arms, lifting them both in the water. She broke the surface with a gasp, laughing a little when she saw his wet, scowling face. He pushed his hair out of his eyes.
“Why’d you do that?” he demanded.
“I thought you might be getting tired of my questions,” she said honestly, treading water. A rush of ebullience went through her at the delicious feeling of being in the cold pool in such a stunning setting. She spun in the water, looking around the landscaped terrace.
“It’s so beautiful here,” she said softly.
“Yeah . . . it’s okay,” he said, glancing around as if he hadn’t seen it in a while. His gaze seemed to clear when he looked at her face again. “It’s n
ot La Mer, though.”
“La Mer?”
“My villa near Saint-Jeannet. It’s nestled on the cliff, but you can take a long staircase down the mountain to the Mediterranean. It was my father’s family’s home. Saint-Jeannet itself is this picturesque little medieval village. I can’t wait to show it to you.”
Emma blinked. He looked like a different man at that moment—relaxed and unguarded.
“It agrees with you,” she said.
“What does?” he asked, brows quirked.
“La Mer,” she murmured, studying his face. “You look happy when you talk about it.”
“Do I?” he said, looking vaguely surprised.
She nodded. “Why don’t you live there full-time?”
“Because my company is here. One of them, anyway. And because the Breakers is where I belong.”
She hated the shadow that fell across his face. She found the Breakers to be sublimely beautiful, but she had a feeling Vanni felt trapped there, somehow. Not by physical barriers, but mental ones. Spiritual ones. She sighed, knowing she couldn’t bring up such a weighty topic with him. But maybe she could lighten his mood, even in the midst of his shadows?
She splashed him full in the face. Emma couldn’t help but laugh, seeing the aloof prince sputtering and blinking water out of his eyes, an incredulous expression dawning. Laughing, she splashed him again. His eyes flashed dangerously when he got the water out of them. She gave a little yelp, guessing his next move, and plunged back in the water. She swam for all she was worth, unable to contain her laughter despite the water that splashed into her eyes and mouth. She’d just reached the far side of the pool, when he grabbed her ankle and yanked.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he growled, hauling her back against him.
She snorted with laughter, squirming in his firm hold. Things got worse when his fingers dug into her sides, tickling her.
“Oh no,” she gasped, laughing. “Stop. I hate to be tickled.”
“Well I hate having water splashed in my face,” he replied dryly.
“You do?” she asked, her eyebrows pinching in concern despite her inability to stop laughing and writhing around in his hold. He sobered and his tickling abruptly halted. He grabbed on to the side of the pool, steadying them.
“No,” he said, pulling her tighter against him so that her bare breasts crushed against the hard plane of his chest. His gaze traveled over her face hungrily. “I don’t.”
Then he was kissing her, deep and hard, his mouth hot in comparison to the cool water. Emma clutched his shoulders and forgot everything but the sensation of him.