I force my eyes to open as at Dante to let me breathe. He looks like a statue underwater, his expression perfectly calm as his dark hair floats around him.
Ignoring my desperate protest, even as I pound my fists against his chest, he anchors me to his lap. Grabbing the back of my head, he pulls my mouth to his and breathes into me, filling my lungs with oxygen.
I blink at him as he pulls back, allowing my body a few seconds to struggle against me as it uses up the oxygen. Lifting his head above the surface, he takes a deep breath—at least, that’s what I imagine from the way his chest expands—before ducking beneath the surface and pulling me to him again.
He repeats this cycle over and over again until my body is no longer struggling against me and several black bubbles push their way out of me, breaking on the surface.
I blink, my mind suddenly flooding with memories of Luci seizing on the bed … and the more intimate moment we shared together in the morning.
Dante’s eyes never leave me, and I watch as he tilts his head as if asking me if my memories have returned.
I nod, and Dante releases his hold on me to allow us to stand and surface together.
I splutter and gasp, sucking air into my lungs. I move to wipe the water from my eyes only to find myself pulled flat against Dante as he presses a hand to my lower back and caresses my face with his other hand.
My brow furrows in question.
He bends, pressing his lips to mine as he brushes wet strands of hair back from my face. His fingers tighten in my hair as he deepens our kiss.
My body melts against his as I tentatively place the palm of my hand against his chest. He pulls away briefly, pressing his forehead to mine, his eyes closed as I lift my own to look up at him.
“Dante?”
“I take it you remember what happened last night?”
“Yes.”
“Good,” he says, slowly releasing me as he steps back. “Now, I need you to tell me everything.”