“Allow me.” For the second time in twenty four hours, Leonidas crouched down, slowly, torturously, removing her underpants, so her skin was covered in goosebumps and her blood was rushing faster than a torrent.
Last night had been satisfying, a million times over, and yet a beast within her stirred now, insatiable, hungry, needy.
“You are perfect.”
Pleasure spooled at the base of her spine then whispered through her bones. She closed her eyes, the moment absorbing her, senses on heightened alert, the breeze against her bare skin, the gentle sound of branches shifting, leaves rustling, water splashing. She breathed in, tasting the fragrance of the flowers, the warmth in the air, and dropped her hands to his shoulders, connecting her fingertips to his sun warmed flesh and sighing. It was a moment she wanted to exist in forever. To trap within her, and hold for all time.
The thought had her pulling away, quickly, turning, as if suddenly fascinated by the water, when in reality, she was compellingly fascinated by him, by wanting him, needing him, by the beginning of a worry that she might always want him.
It sent ice drilling into her veins.
“Race you,” she called, ignoring the twinge in her ankle as she began to move quickly to the edge of the lagoon, the grass giving way to sand and then she was in the water, the deliciously cool liquid spooling around her ankles, splashing against her thighs as she moved faster, deeper, laughing as adrenalin pumped through her veins. She looked over her shoulder, to see how close Leonidas was, only to find him standing in the exact same spot, staring at her with a look on his face she couldn’t comprehend. Her heart went into overdrive; she looked away again, and when the water was up to her breasts, she dove beneath it, coming up for air in the middle of the green-tinted lagoon, and treading water as she looked back at him. He was still on the edge of the water, and he was still a study in masculine strength. So much so, she found it hard to draw breath.
“Are you going to join me?”
His lips tugged in a sexy half-smile. “But the view from here is so good.”
“The view from here’s not half bad either.”
His grin spread into a wider smile and her heart gave an unmistakable quickstep. How easy it would be to fall for him.
The thought sailed through her, landing hard against her chest.
Itwouldbe easy to fall for him, if she were anyone else. If he were anyone else, come to think of it. But Mila was hardwired to care only about her career and he, she suspected, was just the same.
“It’s your loss,” she called.
“Not from where I’m standing.”
She smiled to herself, diving beneath the water and spinning like a torpedo, the rush of freedom from the maneuver causing her blood to pound. She’d forgotten how amazing it felt to be able to move like this. When she emerged, he was still watching her, but she no longer minded. In fact, it gave her an added impetus to perform her exercises, to perfect them, toshowhim. To impress him.
With a degree of nervousness she hadn’t known for many years, she went through some simple routines, tumbles, twists, feeling the nimbleness and agility from the water and knowing that each exercise she did was making her strong and ready for the next competition.
Only, when she thought of travelling to Zurich to compete, she didn’t feel her usual steely determination. She didn’t feel the same sense of anticipation she’d known before every competition she’d ever taken part of. This was different now. Dread was there too.
Anxiety? About her stalker? Perhaps. But beyond that, Mila struggled to unspool the emotions so she could make sense of them.
She couldn’t have said how long she practiced for, but as she spun a triple somersault and went to come up for air, her hand brushed against something and she blinked open her eyes. The water was opaque but she recognized a wall of abdominals even then. She recognized Leo’s wall of abdominals.
Coming up for air, she blinked to find him right in front of her, hair slicked back, droplets on his face.
“You are stunning.”
She bit down on her lip, heart quivering. The truth was, she felt it, in that moment. Unlike the compliments she received, which always felt as if they were given by rote, performative when she was doing a photoshoot for one of her sponsors, or trying on a new costume, when Leonidas flattered her, the words arrowed right into her soul and became a part of her.
“How is your ankle?”
“I can’t feel it in the water.”
He nodded. “And generally?”
“So much better.”
His eyes scanned hers. “I’m glad.”
Something dented her happiness, just for a moment. Did he want her to leave? It didn’t make sense, when he’d been the one insisting she stay here until her stalker was found, but at the same time, surely he had a life to be getting no with…
“You will enjoy exploring the grounds much more if I don’t have to carry you.”