“Hey! Less lip! More help!”
I was baiting him.
It was fun.
I loved having this effect on him. Even if it was just a few seconds of control, it was mine.
He was mine.
And for the moment, it was good enough for me.
“You losing your top is now my problem? What do I get if I help you?”
“You’re bargaining while I’m practically drowning?”
The asshole tossed over a buoy.
“Solved one of your problems, the next one is going to cost you.”
“Do you need my first born?”
“I'll take your first fuck!”
“Adrian!” I yelled, caught off guard.
“Here’s a piece of advice, Cherry. Never try to bully the bull.”
“Oh yeah?” I mocked with a shit eating grin, sliding off my bottoms. “Well then.” I held them up in the air as if it were my red cape, twirling it side to side. “Consider this my muleta, bullfighter.”
I swear he growled like he was a lion.
The next thing I knew, he was jumping in beside me and I didn’t hesitate. I swam the fastest my legs could kick, and my arms would pull. I barely made it a few feet before he was dragging me under the water with his grip around my ankle.
I shrieked, sucking in water from laughing at the same time.
I had no choice but to surrender, shouting, “Mercy! You win!”
“Say you’re sorry,” he ordered, holding me up so I could breathe.
“What?” I spit out salt water, giggling. “I already said you wi—”
Under I went until he yanked me back up.
“Say you’re sorry.”
“Okay!” I couldn’t stop laughing. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Good girl.”
Who would’ve thought a man calling you those two words would be worth getting in trouble for? I sure as hell didn’t.
With my body wrapped around his, he backed me into the swim platform and caged me in with his arms, holding us both up. My naked chest was now pressed up against his chest and I swallowed hard.
Except, it wasn’t only my heart pounding that time, it was his too. Our hearts felt in sync with each other. It was the first time in my life I finally understood what all my romance books described.
From the way he was looking at me…
To the way he was taking every last emotion out of me like they belonged to him.
To how I wanted it to be him.
My hero.
My villain.
My Prince Charming.
Each one held a special place in my heart.
It was hard not to compare him to what I read about in my stories, especially when he was checking every box.
How would I survive him?
In the end, it didn’t matter.
We were two crazy kids who were experiencing love for the first time together.
Our eyes were locked. Fused as one. I struggled to find my composure. Feeling his heated skin on my erect nipples only stirred my panted breaths and throbbing core.
“My top—”
“Is in my hand.”
“Can I have it back please?”
“I see. So when your tits are on my chest and your pussy is on my cock, you’re my good girl?”
“At least we know that now.”
He laughed, vibrating his dick on my clit.
“I think I need more material between my…you know…on your…you know…”
“I prefer you naked and at my mercy.”
“So naked me does it for you?”
“Sweetheart, you could be wearing a burka and it’d do it for me.”
“Good to know.” I beamed, nodding. “What happens next?”
“You’re naked in my arms, Cherry.”
He pulled me flush against him, rasping…
“Can you let a man enjoy that for a second?”
Nineteen
Paige
After I put my bikini back on, we randomly drove around for the next hour, talking about nothing in particular. He caught me up on his life. There was so much more to him I didn’t know. He was passionate about a lot of things. Particularly about being his own boss and running a big corporation one day. He said he wanted to take over companies.
His exact words were hostile takeovers.
He craved the thrill of dividing and conquering.
I let him do most of the talking, enjoying the fact I was getting to know him in a way I hadn’t before.
“If you could go back and change anything about your life?” I asked. “What would it be and why?”
“Oh, we’re back to this game? Because it’s my turn.”
“No.” I shook my head. “You lost your turn when you were a naughty boy.”
“Boy, huh?”
“Nope.” I held him in place in front of me. “No flirting until you answer my question.”
“Are you denying me?”
I giggled. “Only until you reply.”
“I hate to break it to you, Cherry, but if I want in…” He playfully yanked me toward him. “I’m getting in.”
“Stop manhandling me with your alpha super powers!”
“Stop resisting and I’ll tell you.”
I did, and he placed me in front of him with my back against the steering wheel.
“Much better.”
If there was one thing I learned about Adrian that day was how much he loved having his hands on me, and the addiction for his skin to touch mine was mutual.